Vegan Tofu Curry

I'm no stranger to homemade curry. I've made it several times since posting it and it only seems to get better each time as I get more comfortable. I'm also pretty familiar with tofu. The past few years have had me experimenting more with it, trying it different ways.


Tofu can be a rather dramatic ice breaker for a conversation, as people tend to love it or hate it. I've found that many refuse to try it at all or have had it once and decided they hate it (the latter is forgiveable). I was the last option for some time; I'd been to a burrito spot and ventured into a tofu option, only to find the tofu tasted like a wet sponge. It was pure mush, like goat cheese but without the creaminess. "Horrible" is a good word to describe it.

A few years ago I tried a different tex mex restaurant's tofu, and it was the consistency of shredded, slow cooked chicken, plus - bonus! - was full of flavor. And since then, I've been far more open to tofu options. A quick suggestion for anyone on the fence about tofu: try Asian style dishes. Actually, one of my favorite tofu dishes is a microwave meal - Amy's Pad Thai. I downright love Pad Thai to begin with, but their tofu is perfect in that dish. Trust me.

Here's the thing with my tofu cooking, though...I don't press it. I have put some weight on it to drain out the liquid a few times, but not like some describe, piling books or car engines on a towel to weigh it for a while. I tend to drain the liquid out of the tofu container, slice it, then marinate it in soy sauce and apple cider vinegar (or Worchestershire, on occasion - though one must note the anchovy in this) for 20 minutes or so. I've been doing this since making General Tsofu last year, and it works well. After marinating, I either saute or bake it until it's lightly browned. I've found this matches the consistency of restaurant cooked tofu (and I've eaten at quite a few vegan restaurants) plus saves me time. I think the key is marinating it, though in the future I'm sure I'll try some more alternatives, up to making my own tofu at home (it's on my list!).

For this meal, I had some extra time, so I opted to bake the tofu in the oven. After marinating it, I put the slices in the oven for about 45 minutes (though 30 minutes will do, I wanted these a bit well done). It dried them out enough to create a solid, meaty piece. I had grabbed some zucchini and felt it would go well in the dish, so I chopped up two squash into small pieces and placed them in a large pan, then added onion, garlic, and some avocado oil. I sauteed the veggies for about 5 minutes until they began to soften, then added the tofu (I had the tofu in pieces 1-2 inches in size). I added my seasonings and tossed everything to coat it, then continued cooking for about 3-5 more minutes.

I added the canned coconut milk and tomato paste next, and since I had already added quite a few chunky items between the vegetables and tofu, I added a little more coconut milk from the carton in the fridge (not the same as canned so I do not recommend swapping for this, but adding some just stretched the recipe a bit). I heat the mixture until it started to bubble, then lowered it to a simmer and let it cook about 3 minutes, until it began to thicken.

Finally, I added in some crushed tomatoes and spinach, and kept cooking until the spinach wilted. In the mean time, I made some cauliflower rice in the microwave.

All the basic curry powder I picked up has is turmeric, salt, and pepper. Clearly this is easy to replicate at home, especially since I always have turmeric at home. For most spice mixes, I'd rather just do it myself and have control over the flavor.

The cauliflower rice was the perfect addition to this. It goes well with the sauce and you'd never know it's a veggie. I consume quite a bit of turmeric, at least partially due to it's anti-inflammatory properties (see Golden Milk Tea). Curry is a really hearty meal and one that makes for perfect leftovers. I ate it for about 5 days and didn't get sick of it once.

Tofu Curry Recipe

Ingredients:

1 container tofu
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon avocado oil
2 zucchini, chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon turmeric
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 can coconut milk (15 ounces)
1/2 cup coconut milk (from the carton)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups spinach
1 cup chopped tomato
2 cups cooked white rice or cauliflower rice

Instructions:

Slice tofu into slices 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick and add apple cider vinegar and soy sauce. Marinate for 20 minutes. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Place tofu on a cookie sheet and bake for 30-45 minutes, flipping half way through. Once fully cooked, allow to cool slightly then slice into pieces 1/2 inch to 1 inch in size.

Chop zucchini into small pieces then add them in a large pan, then add onion, garlic, and avocado oil. Cook for about 5 minutes until the zucchini begins to soften, then add the tofu. Add turmeric, salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne, then toss to coat and cook 3-5 more minutes.

Stir in coconut milks and tomato paste, then heat to a simmer and cook until it begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and spinach and cook until spinach wilts. Serve over rice.