This Tangy Sweet Thai Eggplant and Tofu Curry is thick, rich and comforting. Sweet and tangy wonderful flavours mingling together with the spices, make every bite so exciting.
I picked up some Thai eggplants from the grocery store the other day, not knowing yet what I’d do with them. Thai eggplants are very unique in that they are small — the size of a golf ball — slightly crunchy and a little bitter. They might be an acquired taste for some for these reasons. I absolutely love them and grew up eating them in various different preparations — fried and sprinkled with salt as a snack, sautéed with onions and tomatoes, and in various curries and sauces.
To get rid of some of the bitterness, I massage the cut eggplants into some salt and leave them to rest for a bit before rinsing off all the salt. This also makes them a bit more tender to be used in curries and sauces. After rinsing, it’s important to pat them dry before dropping them into hot oil to avoid any splashes.
This tangy sweet curry reminds me of the Asian Tofu Curry we used to buy from Kokoro Sushi Bento while living in Dublin several years ago. They didn’t use Thai eggplant in their curry, but the flavour was tangy and sweet that really brought out the spices in an amazing way; I absolutely loved it. So, I’ve tried to come up with my version of this curry from my mind’s taste buds.
Thai Eggplant is delicious in this tangy sweet curry as it picks up the flavours nicely and has a wonderful texture. If you can’t find Thai Eggplants however, you can use any other varieties of eggplant.
I love serving this curry over calrose rice, which is like sticky rice. Jasmine or sushi rice are also good choices for rice.
If you enjoyed this Tangy Sweet Asian Eggplant curry recipe, you might also like this Takeaway Style Chinese Curry.
Tangy Sweet Thai Eggplant and Tofu Curry
This tangy sweet Thai Eggplant and Tofu curry is thick, rich and comforting. Sweet and tangy flavours mingling together with the spices, make every bite so exciting.
Ingredients
- 454 g (1 block, 16 oz.) firm or extra firm tofu
- 5 tablespoons coconut oil
- 6 - 8 Thai Eggplants (substitute with other varieties of eggplant)
- 1 zucchini, slice into 5 mm half moons
- 7 - 8 medium cremini or white mushrooms, quartered
- 1 thumb size ginger root, minced
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) diced tomatoes, canned or fresh
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons agave syrup ( or other sweetener like sugar, maple syrup)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, or potato starch or tapioca starch
- 2-3 tablespoons coconut milk
- Coriander leaves (cilantro) for garnish
- Salt, to taste
Spice mix
- 2 teaspoons turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala, optional
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Water, as required to make a loose paste
Instructions
- Cut the Thai Eggplants into quarters. Place them in a bowl and sprinkle about a teaspoon of salt. Massage the salt onto them, and leave to rest for now.
- Meanwhile, cut the tofu into cubes or triangles. Gently press them in a tea towel or paper towel to remove excess water.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large deep skillet on medium or medium-high temperature. Once hot, add in the tofu carefully.
- Sprinkle with a little salt. Fry until golden on one side. Then flip and fry on the other side, until tofu is crispy on the outside and still soft in the middle. Remove from the pan, set aside.
- Rinse the eggplants a few times in water to remove the salt. Drain them well, then pat dry in a tea towel.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the same skillet on medium heat. Add the eggplants and stir around to coat with the oil. Cook while stirring occasionally and turning the eggplant on all sides for even cooking, until the eggplants are almost cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Make a somewhat loose paste with the spices by combining the turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala, cumin and dried thyme with a little water.
- With the heat on medium, add one tablespoon of oil in the same pan. Then, add the minced ginger. Sauté for about 30 seconds, then add the spice paste. Stir, let it sizzle and roast in the oil for about 1 minute. Add a little water if necessary to prevent the spices from burning.
- Once the aroma of the spices are released, add the tomatoes and about 1 cup of water. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then add the tofu, eggplants, mushrooms, soy sauce, agave syrup, and vinegar.
- Make a slurry with the cornstarch by mixing it with a little water. Add the slurry to the pan and stir immediately. The sauce will thicken. Add a little water to make more sauce as needed.
- Add the zucchini and coconut milk. Adjust salt to taste and simmer covered for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings like vinegar or more syrup to taste depending on if you prefer a tangier/sweeter flavour.
- Turn off the heat and garnish with coriander (cilantro).
- This curry is best served over jasmine or sticky rice, like sushi or calrose rice.
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