Yellow Curry Tofu Knots with Spinach and Veggies

Yellow spiced curry, seasoned tofu knots, tender potatoes, carrots, and spinach over a bed of jasmine rice. It not only ticks all the boxes for being the ultimate comfort dish but it is also 100% gluten free.

Overview

To kick off this recipe soak the tofu knots in water 30 – 45 minutes before use. If you’ve never heard of tofu knots, also known as bean curd knots, they are the top layer of tofu that is removed during manufacturing.

You can find them in sheets or shaped like knots. They come dried like pasta so they are shelf stable.

Tofu knots, like tofu, will keep any and all seasonings that are added to it. But where it differs is the texture.

Often we strive to improve the texture of tofu by placing it in the freezer overnight. You get that chewy texture with tofu knots right out of the packaging.

Prep the Veggies

While the tofu knots are rehydrating I like to do all the prep work. Start by peeling the potatoes and carrots. Or if you are using baby carrots, like I am for this recipe, you can skip straight to slicing them.

The knife I’m using is the Zwilling Bob Kramer Chef Knife. I’ve owned it for a number of years and it rocks. I’m not sponsored by them but it is an affiliate link.

Place the peeled potatoes in a medium bowl filled with water. This will keep them from turning brown.

Cube the potatoes and place them back into the bowl of water. Aside from keeping them from browning this step will also help remove some extra starches. When they are sautéed at a later step will help prevent the potatoes from sticking to the pan.

Slice the carrots and place them in a separate small bowl. Optionally, you can Julianne slice the carrots by cutting them at an angle. No flavor points for this method but maybe a few style points. You be the judge.

Chop and mince the onion and garlic and place in a small, separate bowl. With the chopping complete it is time to turn to prepping the tofu knots.

Marinade the Tofu Knots

After the tofu knots have been rehydrated use a strainer to drain the water. Place the tofu knots in a large bowl.

Next, it is time to create the marinade. Using a measuring cup, measure the water and microwave for 30 seconds to one minute. This will help the other ingredients dissolve a little easier.

Typically I will use a two cup measuring cup as the receptacle that I measure all the marinade ingredients into as seen in the YouTube video. But you can easily use a small bowl in its place.

When the marinade is ready pour over the drained tofu knots. Let the marinade work its magic while working on other steps.

Prep the spices

Yellow curries are known for being sweet, starchy, and of course, yellow. This recipe is no different and goes easy on the heat level. Arguably, the only spicy ingredient, added at a later step, is the chili garlic sauce which is only half a tablespoon and easily could be omitted if desired.

In a small bowl measure and add the curry, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and ginger. Then measure and add the brown sugar.

With all of the prep work out of the way we can now turn to start cooking. We will walk through that process next.

Cooking Notes

Bring a skillet up to medium heat and then add the tofu knots and marinade. Cook for five to ten minutes, or until the liquid evaporates. Taking care to stir the tofu knots with a silicone spatula often so that nothing sticks to the pan.

When the liquid is almost gone add some olive oil and continue to sauté for another five to ten minutes. Fold and stir the tofu knots frequently to keep them from sticking to the pan.

When the time elapses remove the tofu knots from the skillet by putting them into a big bowl. Set them off to the side. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Then add the garlic and onion.

Now is also a good time to start cooking the rice. Nothing fancy here, simply cook the rice based on the instructions on the packaging.

Continue to sauté until the onion starts to turn translucent. Using a strainer drain the water from the potatoes. Then add the carrots and potatoes to the skillet. Cook until the potatoes start to turn golden in color. This can take about 10 to 15 minutes.

Using a can opener open the coconut milk and add to the skillet. Next add the spices, lime juice, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and the reserved cup of water. Open the can of bamboo shoots, drain, and add to the skillet at this step too.

The trick with this dish is to taste test the carrots and potatoes from time to time. Once they are tender to your liking it will be time to add the tofu knots back to the skillet. Also at this stage add the spinach. Give everything a good stir and put the lid on the skillet.

When the spinach starts to wilt that indicates it is time to dish out. To serve add the prepared rice to a bowl. Then using a serving spoon add the yellow curry tofu knots with spinach. Add optional toppings and enjoy.

Variations and Substitutions

The nice thing about this recipe, aside from being vegan and gluten free, is that a couple ingredient swaps make for a very different meal.

Spinach – This was my attempt to sneak some greens into the dish. Changing this out for broccoli, kale, or snap peas might be a pleasant replacement.

Tofu Knots – these can easily be swapped for tofu, tempeh or seitan.

Bamboo Shoots – water chestnuts can be used in place of.

Chili Garlic Sauce – If a little bit of spiciness isn’t your thing, or you can’t find it in the store, you can substitute with tomato paste.

Storage

Store any leftovers in a container and place in the refrigerator. I tend to put the rice on one side and the yellow curry mixture on the other. This helps the rice remain intact. It also offers a nice presentation.

The leftovers will keep for two or three days in the refrigerator. After that duration the freshness will really taper off.

If you like this recipe be sure to check out our other recipes below:

• Sticky Orange Tofu Knots with Veggies
• Coconut Curry Tofu Knots
• Tofu Knots with Kale and Bell Pepper
• Peanut Curry with Tofu and Veggies
• Udon Noodle Stir Fry with Tofu Knots