Clean-your-fridge coconut curry with veggies and crispy tofu {vegan + gluten free}

(cliccate qui per la versione italiana)

Happy Monday friends!

Here’s another clean-your-fridge recipe. I love them when I feel lazy and don’t really want to think too much about what I’m going to cook. Ok, I could just get some take-out but I only do it when I’m traveling – which, in fact, I’m doing now, that’s true, but I made this dish when I was still back home!

The basics for this recipe are: full fat coconut milk, curry powder, random veggies and tofu. The rest is optional. Easy!! I like the combination of coco milk, lemon and fresh coriander any time of the year but especially in the summer, when I made this for my mother and myself and we both loved it. You could throw in some rice vermicelli for an extra kick but I didn’t have any unfortunately. Hope you give this easy curry a try!

CLEAN-YOUR-FRIDGE COCONUT CURRY WITH VEGGIES AND CRISPY TOFU {vegan + gluten free}
by Marta Giaccone

Recipe
serves 2
prep time: 10 mins, cook time: 35 mins, total time: 45 mins

2 shallots (or 1 medium onion), finely sliced
olive or coconut oil
salt
2 medium zucchini (or a few small ones)
1 block/150 gr firm tofu
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp whole cumin seeds
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground turmeric
handful curry leaves
2 tsp curry/garam masala mix
a piece of fresh ginger, to taste
400 ml (1 can) coconut milk
(optional: 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water)
juice of 1 lemon
fresh coriander

Method

1. Wash and thinly slice shallots. Add to a pan with a tbsp of oil and a pinch of salt. Sauté over medium heat until translucent.
2. Wash and cut zucchini into rounds, add to pan and cook for a few minutes, until cooked but still crunchy.
3. In the meantime cube the tofu and add it to a small hot skillet with a tbsp of oil, a pinch of salt and a pinch of turmeric. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until all sides are slightly browned.
4. When zucchini are ready, remove them and the shallots from the pan.

5. Add 1 more tbsp of oil to the pan along with mustard and cumin seeds and fry them on medium heat until they begin to pop (be careful not to burn them or they will make everything taste really bitter), stirring continuously.
6. Add curry leaves and cook until crispy and translucent.
7. Grate ginger and add to the pan along with curry/garam masala mix, ground coriander and turmeric.
8. Return zucchini and shallots to the pan, add coconut milk, stir and bring to a gentle simmer (optional: let the cornstarch dissolve in 2 tbsp of water, then add to the pan) until the liquid has reached a desired consistency.
9. Add lemon juice, chopped fresh coriander, cubed tofu and serve warm.