Thai Green Curry with Pineapple and Tofu

My friend Paul Graham posted a picture of something like this on his blog, Eating Vegan in Vegas, and since I can't dash off to Las Vegas to try all the restaurants he reviews, I decided to make my own version at home. I'll give you two different ways to make this amazing dish. Try which ever you like, given your time, and willingness to make a mess. Either way, it's just so good - rich and spicy with bits of sweetness... Heaven in a bowl.

Thai Green Curry with Pineapple and Tofu

(This makes a big batch, to serve 6 or more)

Start a pot of rice cooking. I like brown basmati, but choose your own favorite.

Drain a can of pineapple chunks.

Slice a block of extra firm tofu into triangles, and fry it in coconut oil. Remove from pan.

Add a little more oil to the pan if necessary, and saute 1 chopped medium yellow onion and 5-6 stalks of chopped celery until they begin to turn transparent.

Add 3 cups broccoli, 1 chopped red bell pepper, 4 chopped carrots, and the pineapple chunks, and cook until the broccoli and carrots just begin to soften.

Add 1/2 head of chopped green cabbage (or substitute kale), and stir in gently until wilted.

Add 1 or 2 cans lite coconut milk (depending on how big a batch you're making), and enough vegetable broth to cover the vegetables. 

Mix 3 T, or more, store bought Thai green curry paste with a little water to thin, and stir it into the pot.  (for a large batch, I'll use the whole jar of curry paste)

Season with tamari, maple syrup, red pepper flakes, and fresh or dried basil.

When everything is nice and hot, and the veggies are as tender as you like them (not mushy!), gently stir in the tofu, and serve in bowls over rice.

If you have more time, and want this dish to be extra special, try this:

Cut a fresh pineapple into chunks. (you'll only really need half of it for this dish, so use the rest for something else)

Cut a block of extra firm tofu into 8 slices.

Marinate pineapple and tofu in equal parts tamari and maple syrup. 1/4 to 1/2 cup of each should be enough if you place everything in a big plastic container with a tight-sealing lid. Marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours, flipping the container every so often to evenly distribute the marinade.

Place marinated pineapple and tofu on a large baking sheet, in a 350º oven. Remove pineapple after 30 minutes. Flip the tofu and bake it for another 30 minutes.

During the last 30 minutes of baking, proceed with the rest of the recipe as above, omitting the canned pineapple and tofu-frying parts.

When your curry is ready to serve, stir in about half of the baked pineapple, and cut baked tofu into triangles.

Serve in bowls over rice. Place baked tofu and pineapple on top, and garnish with chopped fresh basil if you can get it.