Japanese Tofu Curry Recipe

Yields 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb firm or extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium sweet apple (such as Fuji), peeled, cored, and pureed; or 1 c unsweetened applesauce
• 3 medium to large Japanese sweet potatoes, cut into bite-sized cubes (regular potatoes are fine)
• 5 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 T tomato paste
• 1 T vegan Worchestershire sauce, or shoyu/soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp sriracha (This amount adds a good amount of heat, so use less or omit for a milder result.)
• 2 T garam masala
• 2 T mild curry powder
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground fennel seed, or 1 star anise
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 c water
• 1 1/2 T cornstarch
• 1/2 c peas, fresh or frozen (optional)
• Spray oil, or 1/2 tsp mild-flavored oil
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Add oil to or lightly spray oil in a large nonstick pot, and place over medium-low heat.
2. Mix together the garam masala, curry powder, ginger, and fennel seed, and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, sriracha, and apple, and set aside.
4. When the pot is hot, add onions and cook, stirring, until they are soft and slightly brown. (If you prefer to create a roux instead of using cornstarch as a thickener, at this point stir in the oil, then flour, and cook out the flour taste for a minute or two, then proceed.)
5. Stir in the garlic, then add the spice mixture, stirring and cooking for a minute or two, until the spices are fragrant; add a splash of water and stir to prevent any sticking, if necessary.
6. Stir in the apple mixture, then add the potatoes, carrots, bay leaf, and star anise (if using). Gently mix in the tofu.
7. Slowly stir in the water and bring the pot to a boil, uncovered.
8. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 1 1/2 T water to create a smooth slurry (omit this step if using the roux method).
9. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the boiling liquid.
10. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, until the potatoes are tender (time varies depending on the size of the pieces) and the sauce has thickened.
11. Add salt to taste.
12. Add the peas (if using) and simmer for an additional minute so that the peas are warmed through.
13. Serve hot alongside steamed rice.

This recipe makes a fairly large amount of curry, so feel free to freeze portions of it to have no-fuss, box-free Japanese curry anytime. I hope you enjoy it!

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