Vegan Coconut Thai Green Curry with Tofu

I’ve mentioned before that green is my favorite color and I also love curry. I’m typically a red curry kinda gal, but thai green curry has a new place in my heart. In keeping with the green theme this spring, I decided to make vegan thai green curry and this might be one of my favorite creations to date.

this recipe

Types of Thai Curry

There are a few main types of Thai curry - red, yellow, and green. There’s also massaman and panang curry, but I’ll stick with the three colors for simplicity. The color of a curry is determined by the color of the chiles and other main ingredients used in each dish.

In traditional Thai curry, a chef will use red or green Thai chiles, or a mixture of dried spices for yellow curry. This coconut green curry gets its vibrant green color from jalapeños, baby spinach, and fresh basil. Asian flavors like ginger, lime, and coconut round out this complex and ultra-satisfying curry recipe. 

Skip the cilantro

For those of you who don’t like cilantro, I have some good news. You won’t find any in this coconut green curry! I actually planned to use cilantro but I couldn’t find it at the store this week. Instead, basil offers a refreshing twist that I really love.

How to use coconut cream in place of coconut milk

Coronavirus has disrupted seemingly every aspect of life, including the food supply chain. I haven’t been able to find coconut milk for weeks. Luckily, Trader Joe’s had a bunch of coconut cream in stock. If you’re also struggling to find coconut milk, here’s a little trick. Combine one cup of coconut cream with a half cup of water for perfectly creamy coconut milk.

Preparing the tofu

Last but not least, let’s talk tofu. For this recipe, I simply pan-fried extra-firm tofu in coconut oil until crisp on all sides. A sprinkle of curry powder and black pepper provides just the right amount of flavor.

That tofu is going for a swim in coconut green curry sauce, which is flavorful enough on its own. I added broccoli florets and red bell pepper in the last few minutes of cooking, but you can use whatever veggies you have on hand.

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