This simple vegan Thai green tofu curry makes the perfect meal in a hurry. It makes a delicious low-GI meal when paired with basmati rice and vegetables.

There’s a common misconception that you must give up your traditional recipes and focus on Western cuisine to regain health. That couldn’t be farther from the truth!

You can enjoy your favourite ethnic foods (even if you have prediabetes or diabetes) and want to lose excess fat or maintain your health. 

Tropical dishes typically use palm or coconut oil. But being high in saturated fat neither makes them unhealthy nor does it mean you should avoid them. They are fundamental parts of our cuisine, and eliminating them from recipes depletes the enjoyment factor. 

Instead of eliminating them, consider learning to eat them in the correct portions. 

Thai green curry is one of my favourite recipes. The green curry paste is relatively easy to make from scratch, but it’s challenging to find the fresh ingredients, particularly galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves, all the time. 

When I can find them, I make the curry paste from scratch. When I can’t, I use a ready-made option. If you’re vegan, make sure you read the ingredient list on the packaging before purchasing because some recipes use fish sauce while others don’t. 

I prefer to buy Blue Dragon’s green curry paste mainly for its flavour, but coincidentally, it is vegan. 

Nutritional Highlights of Thai Green Tofu Curry with Basmati Rice

With an estimated GI of 35.5 and a glycaemic load (GL) of 8, this recipe is considered low GI and low GL. Remember that eating more than one portion doubles the GI/GL. This recipe is a rich source of several essential vitamins and minerals, including:

Calcium, provides 915 mg or 114% of the daily reference nutrient intake (RNI)

Iron, provides 6.1 mg or 43% of the daily RNI for women

Zinc, provides 3.5 mg or 35% of the daily RNI

Folates, provides 87 mcg, or 22% of the daily RNI for women 

How to Cook

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Thai green curry paste
• 1 heaped tablespoon coconut milk powder
• 125g firm tofu, cut into medium cubes
• 80g mangetout, thinly sliced into matchsticks
• 80g fresh or frozen peas, steamed
• 40g basmati rice, to serve
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200ºC. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Seasons the tofu cubes with a pinch of salt and black pepper, then carefully arrange them on the tray and bake for 20 minutes. 
2. While the tofu is cooking, cook the basmati rice according to the instructions on the packaging. For extra flavour, replace rice with vegetable stock.
3. Heat one teaspoon of oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Fry the mangetout for 2 minutes, then add the peas. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until the peas are tender. Season with a pinch of salt, then tip into a bowl and set aside. 
4. Add the Thai green curry paste, coconut milk and around 5 tablespoons of water to the same frying pan. Cook on a simmer for 3-5 minutes, then add the tofu pieces. Cook for 1 -2 minutes, then take the pan off the heat. 
5. Serve the curry sauce over basmati rice with mangetout and peas. Season with fresh black pepper and chilli flakes if you desire. Garnish with pomegranate seeds if using. 

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