As we continue to celebrate Earth Day/Month, we wanted to make a straightforward and delicious tofu dish. Employing aromatic and savory Thai red curry paste with shallots, garlic, and ginger– it’s hard to go wrong!
Tofu is also known as bean curd, is a food prepared by coagulating soy milk and pressing the curds into solid white blocks of varying softness: silken, soft, firm, or extra firm. The spongy texture of tofu makes it amazing at absorbing flavors and its mild taste (bland, to be honest) makes it a great canvas for all kinds of culinary applications.
The extra-firm variety is exactly how it sounds, the firmest of the bunch, and has a firm crumbly texture. Tofu is low in calories while containing a high amount of protein, along with iron, calcium, and magnesium depending on how it is prepared.
Tofu production first originated in China and has been consumed within Asia for over 2,000 years. It is a traditional component in the cuisines of East and Southeast Asia, including Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Today, it is adored by vegans and vegetarians alike for being an incredible protein source!
We’ve recently been playing with the air fryer and experimenting with all different kinds of ways to cook things including a crispy tofu recipe. Tossing the pressed extra-firm tofu cubes with savory soy sauce, nutty sesame oil,
and a dash of sharp rice vinegar, they will soak
up everything for a flavorful protein source in these rice bowls.
By air-frying, the outside of the tofu will get brown and crispy on the entire exterior, versus just the bottom. Air-friers use convection or circular heat, through a fan, so it imitates the way hot oil cooks food on all sides. If you don’t have an air fryer, an oven will work too, just not as trendy!
While the tofu is cooking, the sauce comes together in a snap. Minced shallot, garlic, and ginger are sauteed in a splash of vegetable oil to unlock their sweet pungency and remove the raw onion taste. The prepared Thai red curry paste goes in next which needs to be toasted in the pan to unlock all of its flavor potential.
Red Curry Paste is a mixture of aromatic herbs such as lemongrass, galangal (Thai ginger), and fresh red chilies that are carefully blended with other fragrant spices for the perfect balance of flavors and heat.
There are various brands of Thai red curry paste, so feel free to use more or less in this recipe depending on the strength or saltiness of your specific curry paste. Some people even make their own red curry paste to use in a variety of dishes!
To finish the Thai red curry sauce, some vegetable stock and sugar are added and simmered together. The sauce should cook and reduce down into a glaze before finishing with some freshly squeezed lime juice.
To finish the dish, you'll have to toss your crispy air-fried tofu into the sauce until well coated. Then you just need to serve the tofu on a bed of fluffy steamed rice and garnish with a few fresh vegetables like cucumber, avocado, and chopped cilantro! An extra squeeze of lime juice wouldn’t hurt either.
This versatile tofu recipe is great for a variety of uses beyond this preparation. Try the crispy tofu by itself or on a salad, pasta dish, soup, or more to bring some vegan protein to the party. It’s always great to have some easy plant-based recipes in your back pocket!
Air-Fried Thai Red Curry Tofu
Aromatic, sweet, salty, sour, and full of flavor, this tofu dish is anything but basic. The crispy air-fried tofu is delicious by itself but we took it up a notch with a delicious Thai red curry sauce. The dish comes together in less than an hour for a satisfying and meatless meal!
Recipe and Photography by Sam Burgess
Forge To Table Knives
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
14-ounce block extra-firm tofu, drained
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Kosher salt, to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced or paste
2 ounces Thai red curry paste
½ cup vegetable broth
2 teaspoons white sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Steamed rice, for serving
Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Sliced Avocado, for garnish
Directions:
DRAIN TOFU. Drain the extra firm tofu and wrap it in a clean kitchen towel (or a few layers of paper towel). Place it on a plate and top it with a heavy skillet. Press for 10 minutes to remove excess water and use this time to prepare your other aromatics. Using your Forge To Table 6” Utility Knife, cut the tofu into ¾-to-1-inch cubes.
MARINATE TOFU. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a large pinch of salt. Add the tofu cubes to the mixture and toss gently until the tofu has been coated in the marinade. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
AIR-FRY TOFU. Arrange the tofu cubes in a single layer in the air-fryer basket and cook at 375F degrees, shaking the basket after 10 minutes for even cooking. Continue cooking until the tofu is deep golden-brown and crispy, 5 to 10 minutes longer.
START SAUCE. While the tofu is cooking, in a medium saute pan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add minced shallot, minced garlic, and minced ginger, and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add Thai red curry paste and cook until toasted, about 1 minute more.
FINISH SAUCE. Add vegetable broth and sugar, and continue to simmer until the sauce reduces into a glaze, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.
SERVE. Once the tofu is crispy, add to the pan with the Thai curry sauce and toss to coat. Add steamed rice to bowls and top with the crispy tofu, sliced avocado, and cilantro. Enjoy!
Chef’s Notes:
If making for a family or meal prep, double or triple the recipe.
The tofu can be made in the oven as well, just increase the cooking time to about 30 minutes and shake every 10 minutes.
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