A flavoursome tofu curry that is packed full of fresh vegetables, perfectly spiced tofu and a hint of deliciously tingly Sichuan pepper. Serve with a side of mild and creamy saffron rice and you have a perfect pairing.
Monsoon Poon was top of our ‘must try’ list of restaurants in Wellington (which you can read about here), complete with it’s eclectic decor, asian-themed menu and inventive cocktails. It came highly recommended by my family and after a long first day of exploring windy Wellington we were excited to try some of the mouth-watering dishes.
I ordered the Sichuan style vegetables for main, with seasonal vegetables, fresh chilli and tofu wok fried in a Chinese hot bean paste. The hot bean paste added another dimension of flavour and was a taste that I have not experienced before; this tofu curry was truly delicious and paired perfectly with the sweet and creamy saffron rice.
I knew instantly that I wanted to re-create this flavoursome dish and I couldn’t be more pleased with how this recipe has turned out; it is packed full of fresh vegetables, perfectly spiced tofu and a hint of deliciously tingly Sichuan pepper. Serve it with a side of mild and creamy saffron rice and you have a perfect pairing.
It is easy to make and has a wonderful depth of flavour from the beautiful hot chilli broad bean paste. A deliciously different tofu curry for a weeknight!
I hope you LOVE this recipe – be sure to tag me on Instagram when you make it @aveganvisit 🙂
The Video Recipe:
The Written Recipe:
Sichuan Tofu Curry and Saffron Rice
Ingredients
Sichuan Tofu Curry:
- 50 g hot chilli broad bean paste (Pixian Douban Jiang)
- 3 shallots (diced)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1.5 tbsp coconut oil
- 500 g firm tofu (cut into cubes)
- 150 ml vegetable stock
- 300 g mixed seasonal vegetables (we used baby mushrooms, baby sweetcorn, tender stem broccoli, mange tout, carrot and green beans all cut into similar sized pieces.)
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar
- ¼ tsp Sichuan peppercorns (approx 15 corns, dry roasted for 5 minutes and then ground (*see note))
Saffron rice:
- 250 g white basmati rice (dry weight)
- ½ tsp saffron (soaked in approx 3 tbsp hot water for 5 minutes)
- 300 ml vegetable stock
Instructions
- Fry the chilli broad bean paste, shallots and garlic in the coconut oil for 2 minutes over a medium heat.50 g hot chilli broad bean paste, 3 shallots, 3 garlic cloves, 1.5 tbsp coconut oil
- Add the tofu to the paste mixture and fry on a low-medium heat for 12 minutes, turning occasionally.500 g firm tofu
- In a separate pan, add the ingredients for the saffron rice and simmer until it is cooked, which is usually around 12 minutes. Keep an eye on it during that time, stir occasionally and add a little more water if needed until it is cooked.250 g white basmati rice, 1/2 tsp saffron, 300 ml vegetable stock
- Whilst the rice is cooking and once the tofu has been cooking for about 12 minutes in the bean paste, add the remaining curry ingredients (150ml stock, vegetables, coconut aminos, sugar and ground peppercorns) to the tofu pan and stir together. Cook for a further 10 minutes.150 ml vegetable stock, 300 g mixed seasonal vegetables, 1 tbsp coconut aminos, 1 tbsp coconut sugar, 1/4 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
- Serve together and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Tara
Hi, I’m Tara! I’m taking you on a trip around the world in vegan cuisine and bringing the world’s most delicious dishes to your kitchen.
