Vegan Coconut Curry with Crispy Tofu Recipe | Elephantastic Vegan (2024)

FAQs

Should you fry tofu before adding to curry? ›

About Tofu Curry

To begin with, first you will get rid of the excess moisture from the tofu and marinate it with spices and herbs for a short time until the curry is ready. It is then pan-fried and then added to the delicious curry sauce. So the Tofu in the Curry is full-flavored with a excellent texture!

Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP) TVP is a dried protein-rich substitute for tofu that can be hydrated and cooked for your meals. It is low in fat, nutritious, and retains flavor very well.

Here's the thing: even though tofu might be labeled firm or extra-firm, it contains a lot of water. This excess water can cause the tofu to crumble when you cook it, and it will also have a hard time crisping up. But when you press tofu, you remove the excess moisture.

it in olive oil. It gives it a crispy crust when you coat it.

Low calorie density: Tofu is a low calorie food, with around 70-90 calories per 100 grams, making it a good option for those who are trying to lose weight. This is because foods with low calorie density help you feel full with fewer calories, which can help you consume fewer total calories throughout the day.

Marinate it: Tofu can be marinated in a variety of flavorful sauces or spices. You can use soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and other seasonings to make a simple marinade. Let the tofu marinate for at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours) before cooking or grilling.

Tofu is categorized as silken, regular, firm, extra-firm and super-firm. Silken, the softest type of tofu, can be compared to a young white cheese. Firm tofu, the most common, has the same consistency as feta, while the texture of super-firm can be compared to that of meat.

Tofu can be eaten raw, and so cooking it is completely optional and is mostly done for texture or to bind the sauce to the tofu. You can pan-sear the sides and add it to a colorful stir-fry or deep-fry it and coat it in a savory and sweet sauce.

If you want the flavor to get all the way inside, you have to get heat involved somehow, whether that's in the form of a dip in boiling salty water, or by pan-frying, baking, or my new favorite pre-marinade technique: Air-frying. Cold, raw tofu rejects marinades because of its high water content and low porosity.

You can put raw tofu in the soup and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to warm and flavor it. Tofu can be eaten raw, so it's no problem to add it raw to soups.

Should you fry paneer before adding to curry? ›

Paneer is already cooked.

So it's not essential that you cook it prior to adding to curry. Some people like a golden brown colour on the outside. If you like, you can shallow fry, deep fry, or grill paneer before adding it to a curry. This will create a golden crust on the outside.