Ingredients
1crispy baked tofu,see recipes below for recipe, optional
1¼brown jasmine rice,or long-grain brown rice, rinsed, optional
1tbspcoconut oil,or olive oil
1cuponion,(white or yellow), chopped
pinchsalt,more to taste
1red bell pepper,sliced into thin ¼-inch wide strips
1bell pepper,(yellow, orange or green), sliced into thin ¼-inch wide strips
1cupcarrots,(3 carrots), peeled and sliced on the diagonal into ¼-inch thick rounds
2clovesgarlic,pressed or minced
2tbsppanang curry paste,(use 1 for mild or 2 for spicy)
14ozregular coconut milk,(1 can)
½cupwater
2tbsppeanut butter
1tbsptamari,or soy sauce
1½tspcoconut sugar,or brown sugar
2tspfresh lime juice,to taste
fresh Thai basil,or regular basil
sriracha,or chili garlic sauce for extra spice
Preparation
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the rinsed rice and continue boiling for 30 minutes, reducing heat as necessary to prevent overflow.
Remove from heat, drain the rice and return the rice to the pot. Cover and let the rice rest for 10 minutes or longer, until ready to serve. Just before serving, season the rice to taste with salt and fluff it with a fork.
To make the curry, warm a large skillet with deep sides over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the oil.
Add the onion and a sprinkle of salt and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent.
Add the bell peppers and carrots. Cook until the bell peppers are easily pierced through by a fork, 3 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and curry paste and cook, while stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the coconut milk and water, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes until the peppers and carrots have softened, stirring occasionally. If adding crispy tofu, stir it in now.
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the peanut butter, tamari, sugar, and lime juice.
Add salt, to taste. If the curry needs a little more punch, add ½ teaspoon more tamari, or for more acidity, add ½ teaspoon more lime juice.
Divide rice and curry into bowls and garnish with fresh basil, if using. If you love spicy curries, serve with sriracha or chili garlic sauce on the side.
