Panang Tofu Curry

Classic Thai Panang Tofu Curry with vegetables, a quick and easy coconut milk and peanut butter based sweet spicy savory curry that comes together in no time.

I can eat Indian food, especially Indian curries all day everyday. Since that is what I find the most comforting. There is something about saucy warm flavorful curry that always hits the spot. This holds true for Thai curries as well. Thai food is one of the top cuisines on my list of favorite foods. And I believe the reason is that it has so much flavor depth from lot of fresh spices and herbs. And one of the biggest plus with Thai cuisine is that lot of the dishes can be easily made vegetarian/vegan friendly just by few small substitutes.

One of the very common and popular ingredients you will see being used in Thai cuisine is tofu. Tofu is super blend, which is honestly a good quality to have. It absorbs any flavor you want super easily. I love using tofu in lot of my dishes as I am incorporating more protein into my diet lately.

For example, this Panang Tofu Curry is one of the best Thai curries due to its amazing flavor palette. It is sweet, spicy, tangy, creamy all in one. The vibrant colors and bright flavors take this curry to next level. And one of the best things about this curry is that you can make it with tofu as main ingredients and just few other ingredients. The key ingredient in this recipe is Maesri Panang Curry Paste. It hold all the specific ingredients you need to Panang flavors, all in one. This super comforting dish comes together in no time and pairs amazingly with simple steamed jasmine rice or brown rice.

I love me a quick meal that not only easy to make but also well balanced. And this one surely checks all those boxes. If you are like me enjoy spicy saucy comforting goodies, do check out my Creamy Tom Yum Udon Noodles. It is just as good as this one but made with noodles. If you try out this Panang Tofu curry or any of my other recipes, do leave me a comment below. Or simply tag me on Instagram @myvegetarianroots. I would love to get your feedback on my content.
Happy & Healthy Eating!

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5 from 1 vote

Panang Tofu Curry

Classic Thai Panang Curry with tofu and vegetables, a quick and easy coconut milk and peanut butter based sweet spicy savory curry that comes together in no time

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 16 oz Organic Super Firm Tofu
• 3 tbsp Avocado Oil or choice of cooking oil
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 1 inch Ginger Root
• 1 large Fresh Red Fresno Chile Pepper or 2 red thai chili
• 13.5 oz Unsweetened Full Fat Coconut Milk
• 1 cup Vegetable Broth can be sub with plain water
• 4 oz Maesri Panang Curry Paste
• 1 large Sweet Yellow Onion, sliced
• 1 large Red Pepper, sliced
• 2 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Raw Can Sugar plam sugar is a great option, quantity will diff
• 2 tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1 Fresh Lime
• 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
• 1 cup Thai Basil I like it chopped, can be added as whole leaves
• ¼ cup Chopped Cilantro
• 2-3 kaffir lime leaves can be sub with lime peel

Instructions

• Either press the tofu down to remove as much water as possible, or boil sliced/cubed tofu in salted water for 2-3 minutes, then drain and keep it aside. I prefer boiling method for this recipe as it helps tofu absorb flavors so well.
• Process ginger, garlic and Fresh Red Fresno Chile Peppers (or red thai chili) in a food processor to mince it all together.
• Saute minced ginger, garlic, chili in 2 tbsp of oil on medium heat until raw smell of garlic is gone. Do not brown the garlic.
• Add in ⅓ can of coconut milk to sautéed spices, keep the rest of coconut milk aside.
• Add in whole 4 oz of Maesri Panang Curry Paste in the coconut milk in the pan. Mix really well to avoid lumps, cook on medium heat for few minutes until the oil starts to separate.
• Add in prepared tofu slices/cubes and gently mix it all. Cook on medium heat for few minutes, until the oil starts to seperate again. Take the tofu oil of the pan and keep it aside. Do not scrap of all the panang paste from the pan while taking the tofu out.
• You should be left with some panang paste remainings in the pan. Add 1 more tbsp of oil in the same pan, then add sliced yellow onion and sliced red peppers along with 1 tsp of salt. Mix well, cover and cook on medium/high heat for few minutes, or until onions and peppers start to sweat.
• Once onions and peppers are starting to sweat, add in spiced up tofu along with remaining coconut milk, 1 cup of vegetable broth and 2 kaffir lime leaves (broken in half). Kaffir lime leaves can be sub with fresh lime peels.
• Mix everything gently, cover and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Uncover and add in 2 tbsp of sugar, 2 tbsp of light soy sauce, 1 tsp of salt and 2 tbsp of creamy peanut butter. Mix gently and simmer for 2-3 more minutes while keeping it uncovered.
• Add in chopped thai basil leaves, chopped cilantro leaves and fresh juice of a whole lime. Mix well, simmer for a minutes. Simply serve it with steamed jasmine rice of brown rice along with a lime wedge.