This vegan panang curry is bursting with flavor! Made with pan-fried tofu, peppers and potatoes in a creamy coconut peanut butter curry sauce, it's absolutely delicious so easy to make.
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 medium orange bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 4 tablespoons vegan Panang curry paste, plus up to 2 additional tablespoons, to taste
- 2 tablespoons creamy natural peanut butter
- 1 (13.5 once/400 ml) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 medium russet potato, scrubbed and diced (about ½ inch)
- 8 ounces super-firm tofu, diced (about ½ inch)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ cup roasted and salted peanuts, roughly chopped
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
- Cooked rice, for serving
-
Coat the bottom of a large pot with one tablespoon of the oil and place it over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion. Sweat the onion for about five minutes, until it become soft and translucent, stirring often.
-
Raise the heat to medium-high and add the red bell pepper and orange bell pepper. Cook the peppers with the onion for about 2 minutes, stirring often, until they brighten in color and begin to soften.
-
Push the peppers and onion to the side, then add the curry paste and peanut butter to the middle of the pot. Sauté the paste and peanut butter for about 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
-
Stir in the coconut milk and potato. Raise the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the heat and cover the pot. Let the curry cook at a low simmer for about 15 minutes. Uncover the pot and give it a good stir every few minutes to prevent the sauce from burning and ensure that the potatoes cook evenly. You can proceed to the next step of cooking the tofu while the curry simmers.
-
Coat the bottom of a medium nonstick skillet with the remaining tablespoon of oil and place it over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the diced tofu in an even layer. Cook the tofu cubes for about 10 minutes, until golden brown, flipping them once or twice. Transfer the tofu to a plate when done.
-
Check on the curry after it has simmered for 15 minutes. It's done when a potato can be easily pierced with a fork.
-
Once the potatoes are done, stir the tofu into the curry and let it simmer for 1 to 2 minutes more.
-
Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the lime juice and season the curry with salt. Stir in the basil.
-
Serve the curry over rice with a sprinkle of peanuts.