Curries are the secret champions of flexible comfort food: a richly aromatic base that’s not exactly a soup or a stew, but still packed with bangin’ flavor that screams, “Yes, add that random ingredient, it will still taste amazing!” Even fruit. Virtually any tropical fruit is a winner in curry, but the fantastically fatty queen of them all, avocado, creates a delicious velvety base in this classic Thai green curry. Like anything made with fresh avocado, this curry should be consumed immediately.
Avocado Green Curry
Serves 2 to 3 generously
Ingredients
– ½ pound extra-firm tofu
– 2 Tbsp. avocado oil or virgin coconut oil
– ¼ cup thinly sliced shallots
– 1 green serrano chile, thinly sliced (spicy optional ingredient)
– 2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
– 4 rounded tsp. green curry paste
– 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced into thin strips
– 1 14-oz. can reduced-fat coconut milk
– 1 Tbsp. coconut sugar or light brown sugar
– ¼ tsp. salt
– 1 ripe Hass avocado
– 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
– 2 cups roughly chopped baby bok choy (or any tender Asian green)
– ¼ cup chopped cilantro
– ¼ cup Thai basil leaves, sliced into thin strips
– Hot, freshly steamed jasmine rice or long grain brown basmati rice
Directions
1. Drain tofu by pressing in a tofu press, then cut into 4 slices. If you don’t have a press, cut tofu into slices and sandwich them between kitchen towels and two cutting boards for 30 minutes. When done pressing, cut each slice into ½-inch cubes.
2. In a heavy 2-quart pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Brown the tofu cubes on each side until golden, transfer to a dish and sprinkle lightly with salt.
3. Heat remaining oil over medium heat and fry shallots, chiles, and ginger for 1 minute until softened. Stir in curry paste, red bell pepper, and tofu. Fry for 2 minutes, then pour in coconut milk and add sugar. In a bowl, use a fork to mash half the avocado and lime juice into a chunky paste. Stir mashed avocado into the pot and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in bok choy and simmer another 3 to 5 minutes until greens are tender but still firm, then remove curry from heat. Slice the remaining avocado into thin strips. Stir avocado into the curry.
4. Spoon curry over rice into deep individual serving bowls, and top generously with chopped cilantro, Thai basil, and a squeeze of extra lime juice.
Written by Terry Hope Romero
This article originally appeared in the October/November 2016 print edition of BUST Magazine. Subscribe today!
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