Thai green curry tofu with shrimp, bok choy, and more dark leafy greens

What's your go-to recipe, the one you make when you absolutely cannot think of what to cook for dinner, or you can think of something but don't have the ingredients, or you do have the ingredients but don't have the energy? For me, that recipe is most often a Thai curry. 

Quick and easy Thai curries require only a few key ingredients -- coconut milk and Thai curry paste -- plus some seasonings like lime, sugar, and fish sauce. From there, add a protein and vegetables. That's all you need to do. Because there are so few ingredients, make sure you use the best. I love Mae Ploy or Maesri brand curry pastes; the green, a tub of which always resides in my refrigerator, has a fresh and bright taste, with no additives and plenty of cilantro. Red Boat fish sauce is gluten-free, and if you want to make this a vegan dish, omit the shrimp, and swap reduced-sodium soy sauce for the fish sauce.

Thai green curry tofu with shrimp, bok choy, and more dark leafy greens {gluten-free}

From the pantry, you'll need: onion, garlic, frozen shrimp, Thai green curry paste, coconut milk, lime, fish sauce, brown sugar.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

1 14-oz package extra-firm tofu
2 tsp neutral oil (peanut, rice bran, canola, vegetable, etc.)
1/4 cup diced green onion (white and green parts), or diced regular yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 head bok choy, white part only, chopped
2 cups baby spinach
1 lb large shrimp (21-25 size), defrosted, peeled and veined
2 Tbsp Thai green curry paste (I like the Maesri brand)
1 14-oz can coconut milk
Juice of 1/2 lime
3-4 Tbsp fish sauce (use Red Boat brand for gluten-free)
2-3 Tbsp light brown sugar, to taste
2 tsp chopped fresh cilantro, or more to taste

Brown rice, for serving (optional)

Directions

Remove the tofu from the package, and place the block in a colander over a mixing bowl. Weight it down with a plate. Let the tofu drain for at least 30 minutes. Cut the drained tofu into 1-inch cubes, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic, and stir-fry for a minute. Then, toss in the bok choy and spinach. Stir for a minute to wilt the spinach.

Gently add the tofu and shrimp. Stir with a spatula for a minute or two, until the shrimp just begin to turn pink. Make a well in the center of the mixture, and add the curry paste. Use your spatula to fold the tofu, shrimp and curry paste together (try not to break up the tofu chunks). When everything is mixed together and you can smell the curry paste, pour the coconut milk all around, and stir.

Cook for 5 minutes, uncovered, to let the coconut milk reduce a bit. Then, with the curry still cooking (it should be bubbling at this point), stir in the lime juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Taste, and adjust with more of any (or all) of those flavors.

Continue cooking for 5 minutes more, or until the curry has reduced (thickened) to your liking. Stir from time to time. At the very end of the cooking, sprinkle in the fresh cilantro.

Serve hot, over rice.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More curries in a hurry:
Thai red curry tofu and broccoli with basmati rice, from The Perfect Pantry
Thai green basil curry with chicken, asparagus and spinach, from The Perfect Pantry
Eggplant green curry, from Simply Recipes

Thai green curry tofu with shrimp, bok choy, and more dark leafy greens {gluten-free}

From the pantry, you'll need: onion, garlic, frozen shrimp, Thai green curry paste, coconut milk, lime, fish sauce, brown sugar.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

1 14-oz package extra-firm tofu
2 tsp neutral oil (peanut, rice bran, canola, vegetable, etc.)
1/4 cup diced green onion (white and green parts), or diced regular yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 head bok choy, white part only, chopped
2 cups baby spinach
1 lb large shrimp (21-25 size), defrosted, peeled and veined
2 Tbsp Thai green curry paste (I like the Maesri brand)
1 14-oz can coconut milk
Juice of 1/2 lime
3-4 Tbsp fish sauce (use Red Boat brand for gluten-free)
2-3 Tbsp light brown sugar, to taste
2 tsp chopped fresh cilantro, or more to taste

Brown rice, for serving (optional)

Directions

Remove the tofu from the package, and place the block in a colander over a mixing bowl. Weight it down with a plate. Let the tofu drain for at least 30 minutes. Cut the drained tofu into 1-inch cubes, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic, and stir-fry for a minute. Then, toss in the bok choy and spinach. Stir for a minute to wilt the spinach.

Gently add the tofu and shrimp. Stir with a spatula for a minute or two, until the shrimp just begin to turn pink. Make a well in the center of the mixture, and add the curry paste. Use your spatula to fold the tofu, shrimp and curry paste together (try not to break up the tofu chunks). When everything is mixed together and you can smell the curry paste, pour the coconut milk all around, and stir.

Cook for 5 minutes, uncovered, to let the coconut milk reduce a bit. Then, with the curry still cooking (it should be bubbling at this point), stir in the lime juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Taste, and adjust with more of any (or all) of those flavors.

Continue cooking for 5 minutes more, or until the curry has reduced (thickened) to your liking. Stir from time to time. At the very end of the cooking, sprinkle in the fresh cilantro.

Serve hot, over rice.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More curries in a hurry:
Thai red curry tofu and broccoli with basmati rice, from The Perfect Pantry
Thai green basil curry with chicken, asparagus and spinach, from The Perfect Pantry
Eggplant green curry, from Simply Recipes

Comments

I love everything about this. I really need to work on learning to make this kind of Thai curry at home because it's a healthy and tasty dinner that I would always enjoy. I'm going to look for your preferred brand of Thai curry paste!

My fridge, freezer and pantry should be able to cover this one. Should be perfect from returning Tuesday from 2 days on the road.
I get a vegetarian fish sauce from my not-so-local Asian supermarket, and 'nuoc mam chay pway san' dipping sauce from the same source. I don't know how they compare, but they are tasty and make a difference in the outcome.
I love Thai curries! Does anyone know why they have so much sauce? It's good for take-home from the restaurant, for another meal or two with added ingredients, though. (Surely you shouldn't waste all that deliciousness?)

Kalyn, this, and Thai red curry, is my go-to meal. Sometimes just veggies, sometimes mostly protein, whatever I have on hand. I love these particular curry pastes because they have no artificial ingredients.

Susan, I always toss more stuff into the leftover sauce! Doesn't everyone?

Just put this on my Must Try list!

Donna, invite me!