Slow cooker Thai peanut tofu curry
Tofu, sweet potato and broccoli in a creamy coconut peanut curry that simmers all afternoon in the slow cooker, rich and mild and made for spooning over rice.
- 285 min total
- 20 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $3.09 a serving
- 790 calories
- Good the next day
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 1 can light coconut milk
- ⅓ cup peanut butter
- 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 sweet potato, cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 packages extra-firm tofu, drained
- 1½ cups long-grain white rice
- 2 cups frozen broccoli
- 1 lime, juiced
- ¼ cup peanuts, chopped (optional)
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped (optional)
From your pantry
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2¼ cups water
- ¼ tsp salt
Each serving has about 790 calories, 38 g protein, 92 g carbs and 32 g fat, and costs about $3.09 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No yellow onions? White onions or red onions work.
- No extra-firm tofu? Firm tofu works.
- No long-grain white rice? Jasmine rice or basmati rice works.
- No frozen broccoli? Broccoli works.
- No limes? Lemons work.
- No cilantro? Fresh parsley works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the coconut milk, peanut butter, curry paste, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and ginger in the slow cooker until smooth.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
Dolly’s tip: Peanut butter is stubborn at first. Keep whisking and it melts into the coconut milk.Stir in the sweet potato and onion.
Cover and cook on Low for 4 hours or High for 2 hours, until the sweet potato is tender.
Timer: 240 min
About 40 minutes before it’s done, wrap the tofu in a clean towel and press it under something heavy for 15 minutes.
Timer: 15 min
Meanwhile, the rice and bring it in a with the water and salt over high heat.
Rinse. Rinsing means running cold water over rice or canned beans in a strainer while you swish them around. It washes off loose starch and can liquid, so rice cooks up fluffy and beans taste clean.
How you’ll know: The water running out goes from cloudy to mostly clear; it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Bring to a boil. It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.
How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.
Saucepan. A saucepan is a pot with tall, straight sides and one long handle. It’s for things that need depth, like rice, sauces or a few boiled eggs.
How you’ll know: The food fills it about halfway, leaving room to bubble without spilling over.
High heat
Stir once, cover, and cook on low for 18 minutes. Take it off the heat and leave the lid on.
Low heatTimer: 18 min
Cut the tofu into 1-inch and stir them into the slow cooker with the frozen broccoli. Cover and cook 20 minutes more on High, until the broccoli is hot and tender.
Cube. Cubing means cutting food into chunky, even squares, usually three quarters of an inch to an inch. Same-size cubes cook at the same speed and brown on every side.
How you’ll know: Your pieces look like a handful of sugar cubes, a little bigger than diced, all close to the same size.
Timer: 20 min
Food safety: Tofu is safe to eat straight from the package; cooking is only for texture and flavor.
Stir in the lime juice, taste, and add of soy sauce if it needs salt. Serve over the rice with peanuts and cilantro.
Splash. A splash is a small, quick pour, about a teaspoon to a tablespoon. It’s there to loosen or brighten a dish, so the exact amount doesn’t matter.
How you’ll know: The dish looks a little looser or tastes a little brighter, not soupy.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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