Tofu and Vegetables in Tamarind Coconut Peanut Sauce

This was inspired by a lot of different Thai noodle dishes. I couldn’t pick which to make…pad see ew, pad Thai, etc…so this is a mix of a lot of different things. Essentially, it is a stir fry and would go well over any Asian noodles or rice. And since it is a stir fry, it isn’t supposed to taste exactly like what you’d get in a restaurant, and you can substitute any of the ingredients out for others based on what you have in the fridge.

Time: 35-45 minutes

Ingredients:

  • Firm tofu
  • Sliced vegetables per your tastes…above is:
    • Onion
    • Red pepper
    • Mushroom
    • Swiss Chard (I didn’t have bok
    • Snow peas
  • Tamarind paste (not necessary, but enhances the flavor)
  • Coconut milk (lite works well enough)
  • Chopped peanuts (coffee grinder or food processor make this easy)
  • Soy Sauce
  • Oyster Sauce (not necessary, but enhances the flavor)
  • Rice or rice noodles (follow package ingredients to make this…It isn’t included in my method)

Method:

  • Wrap your tofu in paper towels to remove some moisture…this will help to make it crispy later.
  • Slice tofu to desired size, and set aside.
  • Pour the can of coconut milk with a tablespoon of tamarind paste into a sauce pan and simmer.
  • Start soaking your noodles
  • Heat a large pan with oil
  • When the oil is hot, put your sliced tofu in. The longer you can leave it, the crispier it will get.
  • Flip the tofu and stir around to ensure browning on multiple sides.
  • Add in onions, and stir.
  • When onions begin to sweat, add the rest of the non leafy vegetables, and let them cook for a few minutes.
  • Add the leafy compost, and allow to cook down.
  • For the sauce:
    • Add peanuts
    • For a thin sauce, simply pour over the stir fry.
    • For a thicker sauce, mix a little water and corn starch, and add this to the stir fry.
  • Put cooked rice or noodles in a bowl, and spread the stir fry on top!
  • Devour, and enjoy!

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