Weeknight Curry

(recipe, Heidi Swanson)

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Introduction

This is what I fondly refer to as a "weeknight curry." Wayne calls it "refrigerator curry" because whatever's in the fridge goes into the pot. I make these curries throughout the year, but I made a note of this particular one because of the way the flavors and textures worked together. A bit of crunch from the cauliflower, color from the zucchini and asparagus, and spicy flair from the Thai curry paste made this one a late-spring favorite. I happen to use asparagus, cauliflower, and squash here, but you might trade them in for peas, broccoli, and/or tiny cooked potatoes. It's an unbelievably flexible recipe, and a great way to use up any stragglers from the weekend market or CSA delivery. If you don't like tofu, leave it out, or substitute something you prefer.

Ingredients

1½ tsp. extra-virgin coconut oil or clarified butter
1 yellow onion
Fine-grain sea salt
2 zucchini, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 tsp. red Thai curry paste
⅔ cup coconut milk
8 oz. firm tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 cups (8 ounces) chopped cauliflower
12 asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup vegetable broth or water

Steps

Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and zucchini and a big pinch of salt. Sauté until the onion starts to become translucent and cook for 1 minute more.
In the meantime, in a small bowl, mash the curry paste with a few tablespoons of the coconut milk. Add this to the pot and stir until the onions and zucchini are well coated. Stir in the remaining coconut milk.
Bring it to a simmer, then add the tofu, cauliflower, and asparagus. Cover and cook just long enough for the tofu to heat through and the asparagus and cauliflower to lose its raw edge, a couple of minutes.
Uncover and add the broth. Stir and taste. Now here's the crucial part: You need to salt appropriately. If your broth was salty, you will need less than if you used a less-salty broth. Add a little at a time until the flavors in the curry really pop.

Note

Culinate editor's note: This is a great curry recipe/formula to have in your cooking repertoire. Because I like cauliflower more cooked than raw, I add it first and let it cook for a few minutes, then add the tofu and asparagus. I also add a bit more broth, because I like my curry a little brothy.