Curry Rice with Tofu and Vegetables in One Skillet

One-Skillet Curry Rice with Tofu and Vegetables

If I had to rank my three favorite cuisines, Thai food would easily make the cut. Arab and Italian cooking would be right there with it, but that's a story for another post.

At the end of 2000, a week after walking out of the Bakum (the Israeli military's induction and discharge center), I found myself in Bangkok for the first time. I was devouring everything in sight, especially the outrageously good, spicy curries, with the appetite of someone who'd just been freed from army food.

I remember the sheer excitement of discovering flavors that were completely new to me. I'd never tasted anything like them.

I didn't know what curry or tofu was. As far as I was concerned, rice was a bland side dish that showed up next to the main course.

I remember watching women expertly toss rice in huge woks, adding vegetables, tofu, and all sorts of ingredients I'd never seen before. 

It was a full-blown culinary awakening. 

When I returned to Israel a few months later, I tried making the delicious curries I'd eaten on Khao San Road at home.

Most attempts were either disappointing or didn't taste much like the original.

It took me a long time to realize that the secret was the pan.

For this kind of Asian stir-frying, you need very high heat, plenty of tossing and stirring, and a pan that distributes heat evenly.

 

Since I'm a busy person—a very busy person—and I like getting dinner on the table fast, I figured out how to cook an entire curry rice dish with tofu, vegetables, and coconut milk in one skillet. And it barely takes any time.

That's right: no separate pot for the rice and another for the tofu and curry.

Everything cooks together in one skillet. 

 

You do need a good skillet, though. I use a Free cookcell (a cookware brand sold in Israel) stainless steel skillet with heat-cell technology designed to distribute heat efficiently. It makes all the difference in this dish.

What I especially like about this skillet is that I can cook with it on my gas stovetop, then move it straight into the oven to finish cooking. It's great for stuffed vegetables, for example.

A Few Notes on the Recipe

The flavor starts with red curry paste, which I fry in a little coconut oil and sesame oil to bring out its aromas. Feel free to use another curry paste you love.

I use firm tofu because it holds its shape well and pairs beautifully with the bold curry flavors.

For the cooking liquid, I use 1 cup of coconut milk and 1 cup of water. For a richer, more indulgent version, use 2 cups of coconut milk instead. I decided to save myself a few calories.

I went with vegetables I love: broccoli, shimeji mushrooms, red bell pepper, and bok choy leaves. Use whatever vegetables or mushrooms you like—snow peas, carrots, bean sprouts, and so on. 

The best part? The whole recipe cooks in one skillet, so you won't end up with a sink full of dishes.

Nutrition Breakdown from Noam Bachar (an Israeli Clinical Dietitian and Fitness Coach)

A 355 g (12.5 oz) serving of curry rice with tofu, vegetables, and coconut milk contains:

• 500 calories
• 21 g protein
• 30 g carbohydrates
• 30 g fat (including 24 g saturated fat)
• 146 mg calcium