One-Pan Curry Rice Dish

One-Pan Curry Rice with Tofu and Vegetables

If I had to rank the top three cuisines in the world, Thai cuisine would easily make it to the top for me (alongside Arabic and Italian cuisines, but that's a story for another post).

At the end of the year 2000, just a week after finishing my military service, I found myself for the first time in Bangkok, devouring everything in sight—spicy, mind-blowing curry dishes, exactly how a newly discharged soldier used to military food would eat.

I remember the incredible feeling of discovering new, exotic, and delicious flavors that I had never encountered before.

I didn't even know what curry or tofu were, and rice was just a tasteless side dish served next to the main meal.

I remember watching women skillfully stir-frying rice on large woks, adding vegetables, tofu, and all sorts of ingredients I hadn't seen before. 

It was undoubtedly an amazing culinary awakening experience. 

When I returned to Israel a few months later, I tried to recreate those delicious curry dishes I ate on Khao San Road myself at home.

Usually, the result was either disappointing or didn't quite resemble the original.

It took me a long time to realize that the secret is in the pan.

Asian cooking requires stir-frying and mixing at very high heat in a pan with even heat distribution.

And since I am a (very) busy person and I love to cook quickly, I discovered that you can make an entire curry rice dish in one pan with tofu, vegetables, and coconut milk in no time.

Yes, you don't need several pots to cook the rice separately and the tofu and curry separately.

You can cook it all together in one pan. 

Just note that you need a good pan like the Free cookcell pan, which is made of stainless steel and features heat cell technology for efficient heat distribution that makes this dish nothing short of perfect.

I especially love this pan because you can cook with it on the stove and then transfer it directly into the oven to continue baking (excellent for cooking stuffed vegetables, for example).

A bit about the recipe:

The base of the recipe is red curry paste, which I fry in a little coconut oil and sesame oil to "open up" the flavors. You are more than welcome to use any other curry paste you like.

I used firm tofu that holds its shape well and pairs wonderfully with the bold flavor of the curry.

To turn the curry into a stew, I used one cup of coconut milk and one cup of water. For a more indulgent and richer version, use 2 cups of coconut milk (I saved myself some calories).

I used vegetables I love like broccoli, shimeji mushrooms, red pepper, and bok choy leaves. You can use any other vegetable or mushroom you like, such as snow peas, carrots, sprouts, etc. 

The big highlight of this recipe is that you can prepare the whole thing in one pan, so there's no need to dirty many dishes

Nutritional values from clinical dietitian and fitness trainer Noam Bechar:

A serving of curry rice with tofu, vegetables, and coconut milk weighing 355g contains:

• 500 kcal
• 21g protein
• 30g carbohydrates
• 30g fat (including 24g saturated fat)
• 146mg calcium

One-Pan Curry Rice with Tofu and Vegetables

Keyword curry, tofu, rice

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Serving Size 3 servings

Calories 500 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 pan Free cookcell
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 chili pepper sliced
• 1 green onion sliced
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 heaping tsp red curry paste
• 300 g firm tofu cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup red pepper sliced
• 1/2 cup broccoli florets only
• 1/2 cup mushrooms any kind you like
• 3-4 leaves bok choy
• 1 cup rice basmati
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 handful cilantro

Instructions

1. Heat the Free cookcell pan well

2. Fry the chili pepper, green onion, and crushed garlic in coconut oil and sesame oil for a few seconds

3. Add the curry paste and mix well until it is fully dissolved in the oil.

4. Continue frying for about a minute and add the tofu cubes

5. Fry the tofu for 2-3 minutes and add the vegetables while stirring 

   Ensure the curry coats every vegetable well

6. Add the cup of rice and mix well into a homogeneous mixture 

7. Add the cup of coconut milk and cup of water and bring to a boil

8. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and cook for about 15 minutes until the rice is ready 

9. Before serving, add chopped cilantro and soy sauce on top