Brothy Thai Curry With Silken Tofu and Herbs

By Yewande Komolafe

Published January 25, 2022

  • A dark bowl filled with an orange broth sits against a gray background. Pieces of silken tofu, tomatoes and herbs peek through the broth. To the bottom left is a small plate with lime wedges, and to the right is a spoon.
    Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Roscoe Betsill. Prop Stylist: Maeve Sheridan.
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(7,123)
Comments
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A jarred red curry paste is the central flavor of this wonderfully restorative and nourishing broth. Coconut milk lends a subtle creaminess, and the cherry tomatoes become bright little jammy bursts. You can use fresh tomatoes when in season, but canned tomatoes do just as well. Ladle the piping hot broth over seasoned tofu pieces and fresh herbs: The delicate silken tofu used here will absorb big flavors from the surrounding liquid.

Featured in: Three Restorative Recipes to Warm From Within

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

  • 2 (14-ounce) packages silken tofu, drained

  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed

  • 2 shallots, peeled and minced

  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

  • 1 (1-inch) piece ginger, scrubbed and grated

  • 3 tablespoons red curry paste

  • 1 (14-ounce) can cherry tomatoes or fresh cherry tomatoes

  • 1 quart vegetable stock

  • 1 (13 ½-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk

  • Salt and black pepper

  • ¼ cup soy sauce

  • 1 ½ cups mixed fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil and dill

  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced

  • 1 lime, cut into wedges, for squeezing

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

17 grams carbs; 1 milligram cholesterol; 325 calories; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 25 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 1116 milligrams sodium; 16 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pat the tofu blocks dry with a clean kitchen or paper towel. Cut each block into 3 slices.

  2. Step 2

    Heat a medium Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high. Add the oil and shallots, and stir until softened, 2 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and curry paste, stir, and cook until fragrant and the paste turns deep red, 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stir and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the tomato juices thicken slightly, 4 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Pour in the vegetable stock, stir, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer to slightly reduce the liquid, 10 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, season to taste with salt and remove from the heat.

  4. Step 4

    While the broth is simmering, divide the soft tofu into 6 bowls. Break each slice into 4 or 5 pieces. Season each bowl of tofu with 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and a few cracks of black pepper, and top with about ¼ cup of the fresh herb mix.

  5. Step 5

    Ladle the hot broth and tomatoes over the bowls of silken tofu. Top with sliced scallions and serve hot, with lime wedges for squeezing.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
7,123 user ratings
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Comments

AnneR

Scallions are easy to grow. Save the bottom bit with the roots and stick in water or dirt. I started doing this at the beginning of the pandemic and now have a bumper crop!

Mary Young

This is my basic Thai red curry recipe but I alternate tofu, shrimp or chicken. The curry itself freezes extremely well. Cook longer if you want a thicker sauce to use over stir fried veggies, rice or noodles.

Uhura

Before scallions got outrageous, I started cutting halfway up the white and sticking them in the ground. You harvest them the same way and they grow back over and over. I haven't bought scallions for years now.

Sarah

This is delicious! Added some thinly sliced zucchini with the tomatoes so they were tender at the same time, and ate it over rice to make it a bit more substantial.

Rachel

Made this and thoroughly enjoyed. I’d echo some of the other comments: 1. Adding the hot broth — which has already been cooled slightly by a can of coconut milk — to the cold tofu made for a lukewarm bowl. I’d recommend following the suggestion of heating the tofu separately or just expect to do a quick zap in the microwave. 2. I also found the use of fresh cherry tomatoes to be strange, especially because we weren’t advised to cut them in any way. I ended up poking them with a knife once because they were bobbing in the pot. I would try canned tomatoes next time. 3. I’d also like to add spinach or bok choy, just to add a bit more substance to the soup.

Judah

This was way too liquid-y. The amount of broth took away from the curry flavor and I really had to doctor it to help it out. Next time I’ll use half the amount of stock as the recipe calls for.

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