Thai Red Curry with Tofu and Vegetables
A simmered red curry of tofu, bell pepper, and bamboo shoots in coconut milk, built on lemongrass, chili, and lime.
Red curry paste does most of the heavy lifting here — chili, lemongrass, galangal, and garlic pounded together — so once it's bloomed in a little coconut cream, the rest of the dish comes together fast. Tofu takes on the sauce well if you press it first, and a mix of bell pepper, bamboo shoots, and Thai basil keeps things colorful and varied in texture.
The warming aromatics in red curry paste — chili, ginger-like galangal, garlic — are the kind many people managing joint discomfort or general inflammation reach for as part of a broader diet, though this dish is a flavorful addition to that pattern rather than a treatment on its own. Using light coconut milk keeps the saturated fat more moderate than a full-fat version while still delivering that characteristic richness.
Serve with steamed jasmine rice and a wedge of lime, and add Thai basil right at the end so it stays fragrant instead of wilting into the sauce.
Ingredients
- 14 oz firm tofu — pressed and cubed
- 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 1 can (13.5 oz) light coconut milk
- 1 red bell pepper — sliced
- 1 cup bamboo shoots — drained
- 1 cup snow peas — trimmed
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 0.5 cup Thai basil leaves
- 1 lime — cut into wedges
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
These ingredients are common at South Asian grocers; a well-stocked international supermarket usually carries them too.
Instructions
- 1Heat the oil in a large pan and pan-fry the tofu cubes 5-6 minutes until lightly golden on a few sides. Remove and set aside.
- 2In the same pan, spoon in the curry paste with a few tablespoons of the coconut milk and cook, stirring, 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- 3Add the remaining coconut milk, bring to a simmer, and stir in the tamari and brown sugar.
- 4Add the bell pepper and bamboo shoots and simmer 5 minutes, then add the snow peas and tofu and cook 3-4 minutes more until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
- 5Stir in the Thai basil off the heat and serve with lime wedges.