Ingredients
For the Rice
- 1 cup of jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions.
For the Sauce
- 1 sugar pumpkin (about 1 kg), halved and seeds removed
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 400 ml full fat coconut milk
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Salt and Pepper
For the Tofu
- 1 block (350g), previously frozen, firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons naturally fermented soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes
For the Herbed Topper
- 1 green pencil pepper (or jalapeno), thinly sliced
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced into rounds
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped mint
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
Directions
- Thaw a previously frozen block of firm tofu.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F
- Place the pumpkin on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft and tender. Remove from the oven and cool. Scoop out the pumpkin and discard the skin.
- Add the pumpkin, tomato paste, brown sugar, Thai red curry paste, fish sauce, coconut milk and water to a blender. Blend on medium until smooth.
- Transfer to a pot, placed over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes with the lid on, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Remove the tofu from its package. Gently squeeze any excess water from it. Pat dry with a paper towel. Rip the tofu into 1-inch chunks. Place them in a bowl. Drizzle over the soy sauce and lime juice and toss to combine.
- In the meantime, add a tablespoon of the vegetable oil to a baking sheet and place on the middle rack of the oven for 3 minutes.
- Add the cornstarch to a shallow bowl. Add the tofu pieces and toss so they are fully coated. Scoop the tofu into a sieve and shake off the excess cornstarch.
- Remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and add the tofu to the hot baking sheet. Toss the tofu in the oil.
- Sprinkle the coconut over the tofu. Mix to combine. Place on the middle rack of the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring half way through. Until the coconut is toasted and tofu is warmed through.
- In the meantime, add the pepper, shallot, cilantro, mint, lime juice and fish sauce to a small bowl and toss to combine.
To Serve
- Fill half a shallow bowl with cooked Jasmine rice. Fill the other half with the pumpkin puree. Top with some tofu and coconut flakes. Garnish with the cilantro mixture and serve.