Vegan Indonesian Curry
This 35-minute Indonesian curry features chewy tofu and green beans, simmered in a velvety-smooth coconut sauce infused with lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves for a bright, lemony flavor. Garnish with chopped cilantro and fried shallots, and serve with rice or crusty bread!
Ingredients
Curry Paste
- 2 shallots roughly chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 Bird's eye chili (can be replaced with 1 tbsp of sriracha)
- 1 inch (2.5 cm) fresh turmeric peeled
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp toasted cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
Curry
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil
- 1 lemongrass stalk (sliced in half crosswise and slightly crushed)
- 1 inch (2.5 cm) fresh galangal (peeled and cut into 2-3 slices)
- 1 13.5-oz can (1 400ml-can) full-fat coconut milk
- 10 pieces tofu puffs (about 3 ounces / 85 g)
- 5 ounces (140 g) green beans cut into 2-inch (5 cm) long pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 2-3 Kaffir lime leaves
- 1 and 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 + 1/8 tsp salt adjust to taste
- 1/3 cup fried shallots for serving
Instructions
Curry Paste
- Blend everything into a paste. Add the shallots, garlic, chili, turmeric, ground coriander, toasted cumin seeds, ground turmeric, and water to a blender. Blend on high speed until it forms a smooth paste. Set aside. Note: Feel free to add a bit more water if the paste is too thick.
Curry
- Sauté the chili paste. Heat the oil in a deep skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the curry paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. This step will help release flavors and cook the raw aromatics.
- Add the aromatics. Next, add the lemongrass stalk and fresh galangal. Sauté for another 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Pour in the full-fat coconut milk and add the tofu puffs, green beans, bay leaves, Kaffir lime leaves, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, then let the curry simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, stirring regularly, until the green beans are tender. Remove from the heat and adjust the saltiness and sweetness to taste.
- Remove the aromatics. Before serving, remove the lemongrass stalks, galangal pieces, and lime/bay leaves from the curry.
- Garnish. Top the curry with chopped fresh cilantro and a handful of fried shallots!
- This curry can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
Double the sauce if you add extras.
Planning on adding extra vegetables or plant-based protein? Then I highly recommend doubling the sauce, which includes curry paste, aromatics, coconut milk, and seasonings, so there is enough to coat everything. If doubling the sauce, use a deep pot or Dutch oven instead of a skillet.No tofu puffs?
If you cannot find any tofu puffs, you can use regular firm tofu and air-fry or bake it until golden brown. To do so, dice around 7 ounces (200 g) of firm tofu into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes and toss them with 1 tablespoon of oil. Then, either air-fry or bake them at 350°F (175°C) for about 18 minutes, flipping them once halfway through baking, until they are golden brown.Go easy on the chili.
This curry is SPICY. Really spicy. And to be honest, I have already toned it down compared to most authentic Indonesian recipes. If you are not used to heat, please stick to just 1/4 of a Thai chili (Bird’s eye chili).