Red Curry Stir-Fry with Tofu and Long Beans (Tao Hoo Pad Prik King)

August 11, 2018

Red Curry Stir-Fry with Tofu and Long Beans (Tao Hoo Pad Prik King) © kvalifood.com

Pad prik king is a dry-style Thai stir-fry where the curry paste clings directly to the ingredients instead of forming a sauce. This vegetarian version uses soy sauce instead of fish sauce and swaps the shrimp paste out of the curry paste. A salted duck egg adds savoury richness - the yolk melts into the sauce while the firm egg white gives bursts of saltiness like crumbled feta.

Ingredients

Serves 3-4

The Stir-Fry

Vegetable oil for deep-frying, as needed
300 g extra-firm tofu, cut into 1 x 1/2 x 1 ½ cm pieces
1 cooked salted duck egg (omit if vegan, see Notes)
1 recipe vegan red curry paste, (or 4 Tbsp store-bought paste)
1 1/2 Tbsp palm sugar, finely chopped, packed
2 tsp soy sauce
60-125 ml water
5 kaffir lime leaves, very thinly julienned (set some aside for garnish)
20 long beans, cut into 4 cm pieces
Spur chili, thin rounds, (or red bell pepper), julienned (optional, for garnish)
Jasmine rice, for serving

Vegan Red Curry Paste

8 large dried chilies, seeded
2 small dried chilies, seeded (see Notes)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white peppercorns
2 Tbsp lemongrass, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp galangal, finely chopped
1 tsp kaffir lime zest, finely chopped
1 tsp cilantro roots, (or 1 Tbsp cilantro stems), finely chopped
3 Tbsp shallots, finely chopped
1 Tbsp garlic, finely chopped

Directions

Making the Vegan Red Curry Paste

Grind the dried chilies into a powder using a spice or coffee grinder, or soak them in water for at least an hour to soften.

If using ground chilies: In a heavy-duty mortar and pestle, add the salt, white peppercorns, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime zest, and cilantro roots. Pound into a fine paste. Add the ground chilies and pound to mix. Add the shallots and garlic and pound into a fine paste.

If using soaked chilies: In a heavy-duty mortar and pestle, add the drained chilies, salt, and white peppercorns. Pound into a fine paste. Add the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime zest, and cilantro roots. Pound into a fine paste. Add the shallots and garlic and pound into a fine paste.

Making the Stir-Fry

Add 1 inch of oil to a small or medium pot and bring to 350°F (177°C) over medium-high heat. Pat the tofu dry with paper towel, then fry in small batches for 1-2 minutes until the exterior is golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towel. If pieces stick together during frying, let them firm up for 30-40 seconds before pulling them apart.

Cut the salted duck egg in half through the shell. Scoop the yolk into a small bowl. Scoop out the egg white and chop it into small chunks, keeping it separate from the yolk.

In a wok or large saute pan, add 2 Tbsp oil, the curry paste, palm sugar, and soy sauce. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the paste is aromatic. If the paste sticks, add a splash of water to loosen it. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the kaffir lime leaves and salted egg yolk, mashing the yolk until it combines with the curry paste.

Add a splash of water to bring the sauce to a pourable consistency. Turn the heat up to high, add the long beans, and toss with the curry paste for about 1 minute or until the beans are nearly done. Add the fried tofu and salted egg white, tossing until the tofu is evenly coated and heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Transfer to a plate, garnish with the reserved julienned kaffir lime leaves and spur chili, and serve with jasmine rice.

Notes

Salted duck eggs are available at most Chinese grocery stores - make sure the package says “cooked.”
For a fully vegan version, omit the salted duck egg and add a little extra soy sauce to compensate.
Large dried chilies are mild; small dried chilies are spicy. Adjust the number of small chilies to control heat. Leave the seeds in the small chilies for extra spice.
Don’t skip frying the tofu - it creates a rough surface that holds the sauce and keeps the tofu from crumbling in the wok.
Texturized vegetable protein (TVP) also works well in place of tofu, giving a chewy, meat-like texture.
The curry paste can be made in advance.