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Tofu Recipe

Name: DAEK THAIs Tofu Recipe
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 4 cups vegetable broth; 1 cups coconut milk (full fat); 1 inch galangal (or fresh ginger if unavailable), sliced; 2 stalks lemongrass stalks, bruised and cut into 2-inch pieces; 1 tsp Thai red chilies, crushed (adjust to heat preference); 4 leaves kaffir lime leaves, torn; 2 tbs fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegetarian); 2 tbs lime juice, fresh; 1 tsp palm sugar (or brown sugar); 14 oz extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 1 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced; 2 heads baby bok choy, halved lengthwise; 1 cups cherry tomatoes, halved; 2 stalks green onions, thinly sliced; 1 cups cilantro leaves, roughly chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 large shallot, thinly sliced; 1 tbs neutral oil (canola or vegetable); 1 tsp white pepper; 1 tbs fresh Thai basil or regular basil; 1 tsp sliced red chili; 2 to taste lime wedges

Inspired by DAEK THAI

Time35m

Serves4

Make Tofu Recipe in just 35m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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For the Soup Base

4 cups Vegetable broth

1 cups coconut milk (full fat)

1 inch galangal (or fresh ginger if unavailable), sliced

2 stalks lemongrass stalks, bruised and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 tsp Thai red chilies, crushed (adjust to heat preference)

4 leaves kaffir lime leaves, torn

2 tbs fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegetarian)

2 tbs lime juice, fresh

1 tsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)

Tofu & Vegetables

14 oz extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced

2 heads baby bok choy, halved lengthwise

1 cups Cherry tomatoes, halved

2 stalks green onions, thinly sliced

1 cups cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Aromatics & Seasonings

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1 tbs neutral oil (canola or vegetable)

1 tsp White pepper

Garnishes (optional)

1 tbs fresh Thai basil or regular basil

1 tsp sliced red chili

2 to taste Lime wedges

Method

For the Soup Base

Prepare aromatics

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the neutral oil. Add minced garlic and sliced shallot and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened but not browned.

Build the broth

Add the vegetable broth, sliced galangal (or ginger), bruised lemongrass pieces, torn kaffir lime leaves, and crushed Thai red chilies to the saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to infuse flavors.

Finish the base

Stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce (or soy sauce), and palm sugar. Simmer another 3–4 minutes on low heat; taste and adjust seasoning with additional fish/soy sauce or sugar as needed. Keep the broth hot but not boiling to avoid coconut milk separation.

Add lime juice

Remove the galangal, lemongrass pieces and any large stems of kaffir lime leaf if desired. Off the heat, stir in fresh lime juice to brighten the soup.

Tofu & Vegetables

Prepare tofu

While the broth simmers, press extra-firm tofu for at least 10 minutes if not already pressed. Pat dry and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Optionally, pan-fry the cubes in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tsp oil for 2–3 minutes per side to give them a light golden crust. This step gives texture but can be skipped for a softer tofu.

Cook mushrooms and bok choy

Add sliced shiitake mushrooms to the simmering broth and cook 3 minutes. Add halved baby bok choy and cook another 2–3 minutes, until leaves are wilted and stems are just tender-crisp.

Combine tofu and tomatoes

Gently add the tofu cubes and halved cherry tomatoes to the broth and warm through for 1–2 minutes. Be careful when stirring to avoid breaking the tofu.

Aromatics & Seasonings

Stir in thinly sliced green onions and roughly chopped cilantro into the soup just before serving. Sprinkle white pepper and adjust heat with additional crushed chilies if desired.

To Serve

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, making sure each bowl gets a mix of tofu, mushrooms, bok choy, and tomatoes. Garnish with basil, extra cilantro, sliced red chili, and lime wedges on the side for squeezing.

Serve immediately while hot. Leftover soup will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat gently to avoid curdling the coconut milk.