Coconut-curry tofu stew with spinach and cabbage

3 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
12ouncesTofu Mori-nu lite firm; drained, sliced and griddle-seared, cut into chunks
Vegetable cooking spray
6Dried shiitake mushrooms; softened in hot water, drained and sliced
8Thin scallions; trimmed and diagonally sliced into 2-inch pieces
1cupLight coconut milk
1tablespoonTamari soy sauce
1teaspoonLight brown sugar; or less
½teaspoonMild curry powder; yellow; as for Korma
¼teaspoonHot curry powder; red; or Madras
½teaspoonMinced fresh ginger root; or more
1teaspoonChile paste with garlic
¾cupCrushed tomatoes with puree; low salt; low salt
Bell pepper; orange or yellow; cut into 2\" strips, or 3/4-cups pepper strips; multi-colored
8smallsBasil leaves; chiffonade
½cupWater
½teaspoonVegetarian bouillon base
cupTorn spinach leaves; approximately
cupShredded cabbage; such as napa or savoy

Directions

Drain the tofu and press for at least 10 minutes. Slice the block into three ½-inch slabs. Heat a griddle pan; spray the surface and lightly brown the tofu on both sides. When done, let cool slightly. Remove from the pan and cut into chunks for the soup.

In a 3-quart saucepan, combine coconut milk, soy sauce, brown sugar, curry powders, ginger and chile paste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes with juice, tofu, bell pepper, mushrooms, basil and scallions. Add the water and the bouillon base. Cover and cook, stirring or shaking occassionally for 5 or 8 minutes or until bell peppers are as soft was desired. Add the cabbage; cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add spinach; cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Adjust seasoning with additional soy, chile paste or curry powder. Continue to simmer gently until the flavors blend: to taste. Serve hot.

[PER SERVING: 156 cals, 5.7g fat (29% cff); 21g carbs, 10g protein, 434mg sodium / MC]

TEST PANTRY: Sharwood's curries. Taste of Thai's Chile sauce with garlic; better than bouillon vegetable base; Taste of Thai's Light coconut milk.

REVIEW: Excellent. Spicy coconut-curry broth sweetened with tomatoes and the little bit of brown sugar was light. Fun to eat; satisfying not filling. Could feed two if no side dishes available. -- 07Oct98 kitpath@...

ORIGINAL: Omit the water and vegetarian bouillon; decrease tofu to 8-ounces; do not brown the tofu. Use bok choy or spinach; omit cabbage.

Recipe by: Eating Well (Oct 98): Deborah Madison / Modified* Posted to EAT-LF Digest by Pat Hanneman <kitpath@...> on Oct 07, 1998, converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.