Peanut-Coconut Red Curry Noodles with Fried Tofu Puffs

Perhaps not an elaborate dish, but everybody needs delicious, comforting convenience food sometimes. This is my (fish sauce free) take on a dish I had in a popular Toronto restaurant, albeit with a heavier portion of tofu and vegetables.

I made this mostly to highlight the natural talent of fried tofu puffs (found in Asian grocery stores wherever the tofu section is) to soak up sauce like little sponges, adding to the deliciousness of the dish. I love to use then in all kinds of Thai curries to this end. The peanut butter, which goes very well with coconut, also adds some more legume power. The coconut milk/peanut butter duo make the dish very rich and satisfying, so a little goes a long way- no need for a huge pile o' noodles. The fat also tempers the spiciness of the curry paste a bit.

Make sure that you soak the noodles ahead of time- trying to boil them like wheat noodles just results in a sticky mess. I cook them shortly in the sauce at the end to get them to absorb some of its flavour. 

Peanut-Coconut Red Curry Noodles with Fried Tofu Puffs
Serves 6-8

1 Can (about 1/4 C.) Thai red curry paste
1/2 C. Peanut Butter
1 Can (14 Oz.) Full fat coconut milk
2-4 C. Water
1 Tsp. Oil
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1 Lb. Fried tofu puffs, halved
1 Red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
1 C. Baby corn
3 C. Eggplant, in 3 cm cubes (preferably Asian long, thin eggplants)
3 C. Green beans, cut into short pieces (preferably long/dragon beans)
1/2 C. Cashews or peanuts, roughly chopped
1/2 Lb. Rice noodles

Soak the rice noodles in cold water for 30 minutes.

Heat up a large wok or skillet. Stir-fry the tofu and vegetables with the oil on high heat for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the salt.

Separately, bring 2 cups of the water to a boil. Pour onto the curry paste and peanut butter and mix to dissolve. Add the coconut milk and pour the whole mixture over the tofu and vegetables.

Bring the mixture to a boil, adding more water as necessary to maintain a thick, saucey consistency. Let simmer until the vegetables are all cooked through, about 7-10 minutes.

Add the noodles and bring to a boil again, adding more water if needed. Remove from heat as soon as the noodles are tender and sprinkle with cashews or peanuts. Serve hot, perhaps with minced cilantro and lime wedges on the side.