Tofu Curry

This is a recipe I got from Tasty Kitchen. My family loved it!

6 whole scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbls. olive oil
5 tsp. curry powder
1 Tbls. butter
28 oz coconut milk
juice of 1 whole lemon
sea salt to taste
2-3 tsp. sesame oil
15 oz Extra Firm Tofu, patted dry and cut into 1 inch cubes

Heat olive oil over med/low heat in pan. Add curry and scallions, when they are slightly translucent add butter. When bubbling add coconut milk and bring to boil, simmer for 2 mins. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt. (The sauce was not thick enough for me so I brought it back to a boil and added a little corn starch mixed with water.) Stir in cilantro.
In a skillet over med/high heat the sesame oil. When it's really hot add the tofu. Let it brown and then toss to continue browning on all sides.
Serve tofu over rice topped with sauce.

Cyndi's Curried Coconut Chicken (or tofu)

I made this tonight for dinner and substituted tofu for the chicken. I cubed the tofu and then cooked the tofu in some canola oil to brown it up a little bit. From there, I followed the same directions in the recipe. You just have to stir a little more gently. I have come to really love the combination of coconut milk and curry. It was pretty easy to throw together, but it just needs to simmer for 30 minutes. Very good and my kids even liked it!

Cyndi's Curried Coconut Chicken

(or tofu)
"100 Meals for $5 or Less"

(I found it in the Deseret News)

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups diced cooked chicken1
12-ounce can light coconut milk
1 14 1/2-ounce can stewed, diced tomatoes
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2-3 cups cooked brown or white rice

Directions
Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium-high heat 2 minutes. Stir in onions and garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 7-10 minutes. Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, salt and pepper into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30 minutes. Serve over rice. Serves 4.

Coconut Cashew Stew

I've been messing with it all winter, and I think I have the right combination down now. This stew makes a great main dish. Jamie and I make a pot and live off of it for about four days. It's perfect after riding or walking out in the cold. The apples are delightful (and good for your guts).

You'll need:

2 chicken breasts (cooked and chopped)
4 medium to large apples (I like Fujis)
4 stocks of celery
1 lb. carrots
1 medium to large onion
1 lemon
5 cups chicken broth
1 can coconut milk (ca. 14 oz.)
1 can diced tomatoes (ca. 14 oz.)
2/3 cup long grain rice
1/2 cup raisins
8 oz. cashews
5 tsp curry
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground black pepper (this ain't fresh, so you may want to pull back on the amount if you have fresh pepper)

Pour broth and coconut milk in a pretty darn big pot and start heating it on medium. Chop up carrots, apples, onion and celery and add to broth/milk. Juice the whole lemon into the pot. Dump the tomatoes with their juice into the pot. Add rice, raisins and all the spices too. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil while stirring.

Once it boils, reduce heat and let simmer covered for 20 minutes. Finally, add the chicken and the cashews, and its ready to serve (though it tastes better after sitting in the fridge for at least a day).

Makes 8-10 pretty big bowls.


Jamie and I just eat it on its own, but I've been wondering what could make good side dishes with this. If you have any good ideas, please leave them as comments for me! I'd also be interested in any variations anyone finds good (vegetarian, etc.) Thanks.

Indian-Style Curry

I made this for dinner last week and loved it. It took me over an hour to make but it made quite a bit. I just served it with white rice. Pretty tasty.

Indian-Style Curry with Potatoes, Cauliflower, Peas and Chickpeas

from americastestkitchen.com

This curry is moderately spicy when made with one chile. For more heat, use an additional half chile. For a mild curry, remove the chile's ribs and seeds before mincing. Onions can be pulsed in a food processor. You can substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon for the garam masala.

Serves 4 to 6 as a main course


2 tablespoons curry powder (sweet or mild)
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala (see note above)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 medium onions , chopped fine (about 2 cups)
12 ounces Red Bliss potatoes , scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 - 1 1/2 serrano chiles , ribs, seeds, and flesh minced (see note above)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 medium head cauliflower , trimmed, cored, and cut into 1-inch florets (about 4 cups)
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes , pulsed in food processor until nearly smooth with 1/4-inch pieces visible
1 1/4 cups water
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
Table salt
8 ounces frozen peas (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup heavy cream or coconut milk

1. Toast curry powder and garam masala in small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until spices darken slightly and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove spices from skillet and set aside.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized and potatoes are golden brown on edges, about 10 minutes. (Reduce heat to medium if onions darken too quickly.)
3. Reduce heat to medium. Clear center of pan and add remaining tablespoon oil, garlic, ginger, chile, and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add toasted spices and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute longer. Add cauliflower and cook, stirring constantly, until spices coat florets, about 2 minutes longer.
4. Add tomatoes, water, chickpeas, and 1 teaspoon salt; increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to boil, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in peas and cream or coconut milk; continue to cook until heated through, about 2 minutes longer. Adjust seasoning with salt and serve immediately, passing condiments separately.


Step-by-Step: Key Steps for Building Flavor for Vegetable Curry
1. Toast the curry powder and garam masala in a dry skillet.
2. Rather than simmering potatoes in the curry, brown them with the onions.
3. Add tomato paste to the traditional garlic, ginger, and chiles for sweetness and depth.
4. Add the toasted spices to the pot to infuse the dish with flavor.
5. Sauté vegetables in spices following a simple Indian technique called bhuna