← Nouns Cooking · Thai

Ingredients

• 400 g extra-firm tofu, pressed, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 120 ml thick coconut cream (from the top of the tin)
• 4 tbsp vegetarian massaman curry paste (no shrimp paste)
• 400 ml Coconut milk
• 200 ml Water
• 500 g waxy potatoes (or half sweet potato), peeled and cut into 3 cm chunks
• 1 Onion, cut into wedges
• 1 Carrot, thickly sliced (optional)
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 2 Bay leaves
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Palm sugar, grated
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste
• 50 g roasted peanuts

Method

1. Pat the tofu dry. Fry it in the oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat for 8–10 min, turning, until golden and crisp on most sides. Set aside.
2. Heat the coconut cream in a large saucepan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until it bubbles and the oil begins to separate. Add the curry paste and fry for 2 min, until it darkens and smells fragrant.
3. Stir in the coconut milk, water, potatoes, onion, carrot, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, partly covered, for 15–20 min, until the potatoes are just tender.
4. Season with the soy sauce, palm sugar and tamarind, then add the tofu and peanuts and simmer for 5 min more so the tofu soaks up the sauce.
5. Taste: it should be gently sweet, salty and a little sour. Adjust, then serve with jasmine rice.

Tips

• This is a relaxed jay: strict Thai jay (festival) cooking also leaves out garlic, onion and spring onion, so skip them if you are keeping it strictly.
• Most massaman pastes contain shrimp paste, so read the label or buy one marked vegetarian/jay.
• Contains peanuts. Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free curry.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Loving It Vegan lovefood The Spruce Eats