If you’ve been following us for a while, you know we adore a good noodle recipe that incorporates lots of spicy Asian flavors. We love eating traditional Thai curry, but now that the weather is getting warmer, the idea of a big bowl of soupy curry isn’t quite as welcome as it is in the winter. To get all of those same flavors without the soup, we created this red curry noodle bowl that has all of the flavors of our favorite curry recipes but with a texture and consistency that is more similar to a stir fry. The noodles are sticky and exploding with flavor. The key to making this a one pan recipe is to find noodles that are pre-cooked (or instant) in the Asian aisles of your grocery store. They soak up the curry and thicken as they heat in the sauce for the perfect slurping consistency.
Red Curry Noodles with Crispy Tofu
We love the combination of the spicy red curry, creamy coconut milk, and crispy tofu in this dish.
Ingredients
- 1 package extra firm tofu
- 1 tbs vegetable oil
- 1 tbs fresh garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbs fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup red curry paste
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- 16 oz of your favorite precooked rice noodles- we prefer more of a ramen/stir fry noodle for this recipe
- 1 cup snap peas, ends trimmed and cut into small bite sized pieces
- chili oil, for garnish
- fresh basil leaves, for garnish
- fresh cilantro, for garnish
Directions
- Drain the tofu of any liquid in the packaging. Use a kitchen towel or paper towels to press as much of the water out of the tofu as possible without destroying its shape. Cut the tofu into bite sized pieces and again, gently press the water out of the tofu.
- Heat a large sauté pan with vegetable oil. Add the tofu to the pan and season the tofu with salt. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, rotating the tofu half way through, or when it is starting to brown. Remove the tofu from the pan, leaving behind any oil that is left in the pan after cooking.
- Add the ginger and garlic to the pan. If there is no oil left from the tofu, add a tablespoon of the fat from the coconut milk to the pan. Cook the garlic and ginger for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the red curry paste to the pan and cook another 2 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce and coconut milk to the pan. Stir well so that everything is combined and let the coconut mixture simmer for about 3 minutes, or until it reduces by about 25%. Add the noodles and snap peas to the red curry mixture and toss well to coat. Cook for a few minutes, or until the noodles are cooked through. Add the tofu back into the pan and again toss to coat.
- Serve the noodles and tofu into large bowls for serving. Garnish the noodles with fresh basil and cilantro, and a drizzle of chili oil, if desired.
TUCK & TATE 