Tofu and Pumpkin Lemongrass Curry

I’ve had the house to myself this week – with Paul’s work schedule taking him all over the country, and my travels taking me far and wide, we don’t often spend a lot of time together. When he’s away, I love to go all out in the kitchen.  I do when he’s at home as well, but I find myself being a tad more adventurous when it’s just me; so if the dish is a total flop, no one else has to suffer. I had some gorgeous fresh tofu staring at me from the fridge, longing to be eaten, and loads of chilli and coriander from mum and dad’s garden. I wanted something light, filling, grounding and spicy.

This really hit the spot. Using a few ingredients I always keep on hand, along with some fresh lemongrass, ginger and lime, this curry has the freshness and lightness of a Thai curry, but without the lengthy ingredient list (trust me, I know how long some of those Thai curries are – I spent a lot of time in Thailand learning from the local Chefs, and some curry pastes have up to 30 ingredients!).

Funnily enough, it has a few ingredients you’re more likely to find in Indian Curries-  cumin seeds and potato.

Potato itself isn’t traditional in a lot of Thai cuisine, but finds itself comfortable in thick, rich Indian gravies.

So while this isn’t traditional in any sense of the word, it’s a nice blend of both Worlds.

You’ll love it midweek, midday, midnight.

Promise.

Serve it over brown rice, or with heaps of fresh roti bread.

• YIELD: 4 Servings
• PREP: 5 mins
• COOK: 35 mins
• READY IN: 40 mins

Light and toothsome, this dish will be added to your regular rotation!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 250 g Firm Tofu pressed to remove excess water and cubed
• 1 Red Onion diced
• 1 Red Chilli deseeded and sliced finely
• 1 stalk of lemongrass- white part only sliced finely
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp Ground Turmeric
• 3 cups Butternut Pumpkin cubed
• 3 Dutch Cream Potatoes cubed
• 400 ml Coconut Cream (full fat)
• 2 cups water (more if needed)
• 1 cup Kale shredded
• 1 tbsp Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
• Salt To Taste
• Fresh lime and coriander to serve

Instructions

1. In a large cast iron pot, heat the olive oil up over a medium heat, and add the tofu. Cook the tofu for 5-6 minutes, turning regularly. We just want the tofu to be golden and slightly crispy. Set aside, but keep the pan on.
2. Add the onion, and sauté until softened - about ten minutes. Stir frequently. Add chilli, lemongrass and grated ginger, and cook for a further few minutes, until fragrant.
3. Add the cumin seeds, ground coriander and turmeric and stir to coat the onions. Then, add the pumpkin and potatoes, stirring gently and combining everything. Turn the heat down a fraction and let everything cook like this for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the coconut cream and water, and bring to a high simmer. Add the tofu gently, being careful not to break the cubes when you stir. Cook, covered, until the potato is fork tender.
5. At the last moment, add the kale in, just allowing it to wilt. Taste for seasonings - adding salt, lemon and lime juice, extra chilli and fresh coriander if desired. Serve over brown rice.