Coconut Tofu Soup (Vegan, But High Fat)
Try this Coconut Tofu Soup (Vegan, But High Fat) recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Coconut Tofu Soup (Vegan, But High Fat) recipe, or contribute your own.
- 2 tb vegetable oil
- 2 garlic minced
- 1 thai chiles or serrano chiles (up to 3) to taste (i like 4!)
- 1 1/2 c vegetable stock (or water)
- 1/2 lb extra-firm tofu
- 1 cn coconut milk frozen, (or make fresh if i am ambitious)
- keffir lime leaves to taste, this is a tough one since it can come packaged in a number of ways. i typically get dried in which case i let 2 to 3 t soak in water before using *
- 1 oz galanga (kah) - galanga is thai ginger
- 1 tb light soy sauce
- Carbohydrate 24.5505728578159 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 70.8902741493923 g
- Fiber 1.31508992732985 g
- Protein 24.1219437802695 g
- Saturated Fat 44.7867664534668 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (934g)
- Sodium 2652.40596607934 mg
- Sugar 23.235482930486 g
- Trans Fat 3.61645066689146 g
- Calories 793 calories
Step-by-step
- Very marginal substitutes (although still good!) are to try 1/4 c. coarsly chopped lemon grass, or the juice from 1 lime. This has to be experimented with, it is used to reduce the sweetness of the coconut milk. You do not want this flavor to dominate, though. Add a little at a time, and taste to get it right.
- Drain the tofu of extra water by placing a heavy weight over the tofu surrounded by 3 layers of paper towels. Cut tofu into bite size pieces.
- Stir fry the garlic in the oil until golden (do not burn), then stir fry the tofu until it is an even golden brown.
- In a medium size sauce pan mix the coconut milk, stock (or water) and soy sauce.
- Add the tofu, Keffir Lime leaves (or substitute), and Galanga.
- Cook over low to medium heat for 15 minutes, do not allow to boil!
- At this point, taste the soup. If the coconut taste is too strong add a little more of the Keffir Lime leaves (or substitute). The idea is to reduce the sweetness of the coconut milk.
- With the flat of a heavy knife (or something similar) pound the chilies until they are split in several places. Add to the soup, and let cook a couple minutes more.
- Serve over steamed rice (preferably, Jasmine Rice).
Coconut milk anchors this entire profile, providing both rich body and a sweet, rounded base that requires careful management. Because this soup relies heavily on high-fat coconut liquids, managing heat application is critical to prevent the emulsion from breaking and oil separating prematurely into an unappealing slick.
Extracting excess moisture from the protein before pan-frying remains the single most important step for achieving a proper exterior crust. Wrap extra-firm tofu in multiple layers of absorbent paper towels and set a heavy cast-iron skillet or canned goods directly on top for at least 15 minutes to force out trapped water. Fry the drained pieces in neutral vegetable oil until an even golden-brown crust forms on all sides, ensuring the interior retains structural integrity when submerged in liquid. When combining the coconut milk and vegetable stock in the saucepan, maintain low to medium heat and never allow the mixture to reach a rolling boil, as excessive heat alters the proteins in the coconut milk and ruins the silky mouthfeel.
Acidic adjustments counterbalance the natural sweetness inherent in the base. Dried kaffir lime leaves require a brief warm water soak to rehydrate before releasing their aromatic oils into the broth. If kaffir leaves are unavailable, substitute one-quarter cup of coarsely chopped lemongrass or fresh lime juice added incrementally until the cloying sweetness recedes.
