The classic Thai red curry with a twist; winter melon and crispy tofu making it the perfect autumnal vegetarian meal. It is best served as part of a shared Thai meal along with jasmine rice.

Thai Red Curry With Winter Melon, Crispy Tofu And Morning Glory

Thai Red Curry With Winter Melon, Crispy Tofu And Morning Glory

Serves: 2-4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 150g of vegetarian red curry paste (no shrimp paste), ideally homemade
  • 450ml of thick fresh coconut cream
  • 300ml of simple vegetable stock
  • A little coconut oil - optional extra
  • 150g of firm tofu, torn into bite sized pieces
  • 2 tablespoon of palm sugar
  • 1 pinch of maldon sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons of light soy sauce
  • 5-6 fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaves
  • 1 cup of morning glory, cut into 3 inch lengths
  • 250g of winter melon, daikon or even butternut squash peeled and cut into irregular large bite sized chunks
  • 2 Thai apple aubergines, each sliced in to 6 pieces or 2 tablespoons of picked pea aubergines
  • 2-3 long red or green chillies, sliced at an angle
  • 1 large handful of picked Thai basil leaves

Method

To braise the winter melon and cook the tofu

  • Add winter melon to a pan and covering with cold water, add a generous pinch of salt and bring to the simmer
  • Allow it to simmer until just tender to the point of a knife (around 10 - 15 minutes). Drain and set aside
  • Now cook tofu by tearing it into bite sized chunks, and frying it in a deep fat fryer at 180C (or shallow frying in a pan on a medium high heat and turning it once) 
  • When golden and crispy remove the tofu onto some kitchen paper     

To make the curry:

  • Add half the coconut cream to a pan and place on a medium high heat, option to use a splash of coconut oil here too   
  • Allow the cream to boil rigorously until it becomes shiny and oily
  • When it does, add the curry paste and stir in to 'fry out' in this oily cream for 4 minutes on a medium heat 
  • When the paste smells less raw and more fragrant and the oil is showing on the surface, add the seasonings - palm sugar, soy sauce and salt  
  • Stir for another minute before adding the pea or apple aubergines, the cooked winter melon (or squash), vegetable stock, remaining coconut cream and tear in the kaffir lime leaves 
  • Allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes before adding the sliced chillies, fried tofu and the morning glory. Again, simmer for 2 more minutes  
  • Now taste - it should be rich, fragrant and both slightly salty and sweet from and just a little shiny on top  
  • Finish by stirring through the Thai basil leaves and serving 

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