Given that tofu itself does not add much body to a dish, you need a substantial sauce, like one with canned coconut milk as its base, to make up for the tofu’s blandness. Like heavy cream, coconut milk will thicken a sauce, making it luxurious in almost no time. The onion must be browned carefully and thoroughly: keep the heat high enough so that this happens in a timely fashion—it should take about ten minutes and in no case more than fifteen—but not so high that the onion burns. I call this level of heat “medium-high,” but all stoves are different; the oil should be bubbling but not smoking, and you must stir the onion every minute or so.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the oil in a 10- or 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the edges of the onion pieces are well browned, about 10 minutes (for best flavor, the onions must brown but not burn). Add the curry powder and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or so; add the nuts and cook, stirring occasionally, for about a minute.
Step 2
Add the coconut milk. Stir, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to medium. Add the tofu, stir, and let the tofu heat through for about 3 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, then taste and adjust the seasoning with soy sauce, salt, and/or cayenne as necessary. Serve.
