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Making your own curry paste is surprisingly straightforward, and the resulting flavor and aroma blows the prepackaged variety out of the water. You’ll use just 5 tablespoons of the paste for the recipe, and you can freeze the rest. This squash and tofu dish is a relatively dry curry. Serve with brown or jasmine rice.
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Ingredients
For 4 Serving(s)
red-curry-delicata-squash-and-tofu
- 6 dried chili pods
- 1/2 c boiling water
- 1 t coriander seeds
- 1/2 t ground cumin
- 1 t ground turmeric
- 1 t salt
- black pepper
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger
- 1/4 c chopped red onion
- 6 clv garlic
- 1 lime
- 1 lemongrass stalk
- 1 1/2 c fresh cilantro
- 4 T vegetable oil
- 1 lb tofu
- 1 T brown sugar
- 2 Delicata squash
- 1 c very small broccoli florets
Red Curry Delicata Squash and Tofu Directions
- Cut the chili pods into small pieces. Place in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Set a plate over the bowl to cover. Let sit for 20 minutes.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Toast the coriander seeds for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer to a blender. Add the cumin, turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, pepper, ginger, red onion, garlic, lime zest and juice, lemongrass and 1 1/2 cups of cilantro. Drain the chilies, reserving the liquid, and add to the blender. Puree for several minutes, scraping the sides of the blender occasionally. If it seems to dry, add a little bit of the chili-soaking liquid at a time, until the mixture comes together in a paste consistency. Transfer to a freezer-safe container, reserving 5 tablespoons of it to use in this dish.
- Heat a large, heavy skillet or wok over very high heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, and then a few seconds later, the tofu in a single layer. Fry until golden-brown on all over. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with a little salt.
- Add the last 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Stir in the sugar and 5 tablespoons of the chili paste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the squash and last 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, then pour in 1/4 cup of water and cover. Cook about 10 minutes, until tender, stirring occasionally and adding a bit more water as needed. When the squash is almost tender, add the broccoli to the pan and stir to incorporate. Return the tofu to the pan when the squash is done. Fold to combine. Serve hot, garnished with remaining torn cilantro.