Thai Green Curry (Veg & Tofu)

About this recipe

Wellington winters are what got us cooking Thai green curry properly — it's the bowl you want when the southerly is rattling the windows and the world feels too cold. The single thing that makes or breaks it is heat control: bloom the paste in the thick coconut cream until the oil splits and goes glossy before any liquid goes in, or the curry stays flat and raw-tasting. We brown the tofu first so it holds its shape in the gentle simmer, and the basil goes in off the heat so it perfumes rather than stews into submission. Green curry gets its colour and heat from green chillies, so the paste should be genuinely green and genuinely hot. The coconut milk carries the flavours gently; the thick cream at the top is where the paste blooms, releasing its essential oils into the fat before the thin milk joins the party. The vegetables go in by hardness — baby corn and beans first, bell pepper and broccoli later — so everything finishes tender but still with some texture. The tofu acts as a protein vehicle and textural contrast to the creamy, aromatic curry. The technique of blooming the paste in coconut cream before adding liquid is what separates a good curry from a flat one. This step takes maybe two minutes, but it's where the real flavour happens. Once everything is combined and simmering, the dish almost cooks itself. The basil added off the heat means the curry retains its fresh, herbal brightness rather than developing a slightly cooked taste. Serve over steamed jasmine rice or basmati, ideally with a lime wedge on the side. This is naturally vegan (if you use vegan curry paste), high in protein from the tofu, and genuinely warming. The leftovers keep for three days and reheat beautifully; if anything, the flavours deepen and become more harmonious overnight.