Brothy Thai Curry With Silken Tofu and Herbs

There’s a reason this dish was one of New York Times Cooking’s top recipes of 2022. Built on a foundation of red curry paste and coconut milk that infuse tender blocks of tofu, it’s cosy and revitalising, everything you want a simple soup to be.

Ingredients:

2 (400g) packets silken tofu, drained

2 tbsp neutral oil, such as grapeseed

2 shallots, peeled and minced

3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

1 (2.5cm) piece ginger, scrubbed and grated

3 tbsp red curry paste

1 (400g) can cherry tomatoes or fresh cherry tomatoes

950ml vegetable stock

1 (400ml) can full-fat coconut milk

Salt and black pepper

¼ cup soy sauce

1 ½ cups mixed fresh herbs, such as coriander, basil and dill

2 spring onions, thinly sliced

1 lime, cut into wedges, for squeezing

Preparation:

Step 1 Pat the tofu blocks dry with a clean kitchen or paper towel. Cut each block into 3 slices.

Step 2 Heat a medium Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high. Add the oil and shallots, and stir until softened, 2 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and curry paste, stir, and cook until fragrant and the paste turns deep red, 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stir and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the tomato juices thicken slightly, 4 minutes.

Step 3 Pour in the vegetable stock, stir, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer to slightly reduce the liquid, 10 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, season to taste with salt and remove from the heat.

Step 4 While the broth is simmering, divide the soft tofu into 6 bowls. Break each slice into 4 or 5 pieces. Season each bowl of tofu with 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and a few cracks of black pepper, and top with about ¼ cup of the fresh herb mix.

Step 5 Ladle the hot broth and tomatoes over the bowls of silken tofu. Top with sliced spring onions and serve hot, with lime wedges for squeezing.

Serves 6

Total time: 30 minutes

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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