This creamy, mild yellow curry served with rice and a crispy tofu cutlet is a delicious warming dinner. With a brothy curry sauce with aromatic Thai flavors of kaffir lime, ginger, garlic and cilantro, it is full of flavor. Comforting yet wholesome and vegan friendly.
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I was inspired to make this recipe after the popularity of my Tofu Schnitzel recipe on social media. Every time I share it, the recipe goes viral! I think because it’s so crispy and looks a fair bit like chicken. I thought a quick and easy curry sauce would be the perfect pairing with the crispy schnitzel – I love contrasting textures!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy and Creamy: The tofu cutlets are so crispy on the outside and taste even better paired with soft, sticky rice and the creamy curry sauce. There’s just something so satisfying about it!
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Both the tofu cutlets and curry sauce can be prepared in advance if needed. I like to prepare the cutlets up to the point of frying, then fry them just before I’m about to serve up so they are perfectly crispy, but most of the labor is already done. Very handy if you’re hosting on a weeknight!
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll find the specific quantities for each ingredient listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but for your convenience, here’s a shopping list of everything you’ll need:
- Extra firm tofu
- Soy sauce
- Canned chickpeas
- Cornstarch
- Vegetable oil
- Panko crumbs
- Nutritional yeast
- Smoked paprika
- Vegetable stock powder
- Ground sage
- Thyme
- Kaffir lime leaves
- Coconut milk (unsweetened)
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Yellow curry paste (plant-based)
- Fresh lime juice
- Fried shallots
- Cilantro leaves (coriander)
- White rice
Instructions
Follow this step-by-step guide with photos to make the “Broccoli Quinoa Salad” recipe. For detailed timings, temperatures, and exact quantities, check the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step One: Press and marinate tofu slices in soy sauce.
Step Two: Mix crumb ingredients in a bowl, set up plates with aquafaba and cornstarch.
Step Three: Coat tofu in cornstarch, dip in aquafaba, then coat with crumb mixture.
Step Four: Fry tofu in hot oil until golden brown, drain on paper towels, and slice.
Step Five: Bruise kaffir lime leaves, add 2 tbsp coconut milk, add garlic, ginger, lime leaves, and curry paste to a pan.
Step Six: Add remaining coconut milk and stir to combine.
Step Seven: Bring to a simmer, then continue to simmer for 5 minutes until sauce has thickened slightly but is still quite brothy.
Step Eight: Add soy sauce and lime juice, stir to combine and remove from heat.
Step Nine: Remove kaffir lime leaves.
Step Ten: Pour the curry sauce over cooked rice. Slice the schnitzels and place on top. Garnish with cilantro (coriander), sliced chilli (optional) and fried shallots.
Substitutions & Variations
Here are a few substitutions that I recommend if you’re missing an ingredient or two:
- Soy Sauce: Tamari or coconut aminos can be used as a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce.
- Panko Crumbs: Regular breadcrumbs can be used, but panko crumbs provide a crispier texture. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Vegetable Stock Powder (bouillon): Can be replaced with salt or a crumbled stock cube.
- Kaffir Lime Leaves: If unavailable, use the zest of half the lime for a similar citrusy aroma.
- Coconut Milk: Light coconut milk can be used for a lower-fat option, but the sauce will be less creamy.
- Yellow Curry Paste: You can use any Thai curry paste you would like. Massaman, red or green curry pastes would all be delicious.
- Fried Shallots: Can be omitted or replaced with sliced green onions (spring onion).
Storage and Reheating
Storage:
- Tofu Cutlets: After frying, allow the cutlets to cool completely. Place them in an airtight container with parchment paper between each cutlet to prevent sticking. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The tofu cutlets can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Make sure to freeze them individually on a baking sheet, before transferring to an airtight container or freezer bag to prevent sticking. Or, you can pop a sheet of parchment paper between each schnitzel.
- Curry Sauce: Transfer the cooled curry sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Cooked Rice: Store cooled rice in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Reheating:
- Tofu Cutlets:
- Oven: Preheat oven to 180Ā°C (350Ā°F). Reheat cutlets for 10-15 minutes until crispy.
- Air Fryer: Preheat air fryer to 180Ā°C (350Ā°F). Reheat cutlets for 5-7 minutes until hot and crispy.
- Frying Pan: Reheat over medium heat until warmed through. Avoid microwaving as it can make the cutlets soggy.
- Curry Sauce:
- Saucepan: Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until hot. Add a splash of water or coconut milk if the sauce has thickened too much.
- Microwave: Transfer sauce to a microwave-safe container, cover loosely, and heat on medium power for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot.
- Cooked Rice: Reheat in the microwave with a damp paper towel over the top to retain moisture, or stir-fry in a pan with a small amount of oil until hot.
Expert Tips
Bruising the kaffir lime leaves and pan-frying all aromats in the coconut milk first, allows the flavors to layer and develop. This makes the curry sauce even more fragrant and rich.
If you find the sauce thickens too much, you can thin it down by adding a splash of boiling water.
FAQ
Yes, you can use regular breadcrumbs, but panko crumbs will give the cutlets a lighter and crispier texture.
If you don’t have nutritional yeast, you can omit it. It does add a savory, slightly cheesy flavor though, so if you can get your hands on some I’d definitely recommend it. It is typically sold in the health food aisle, online or at specialty grocers.
Extra firm tofu is essential for this recipe because it holds its shape well during frying. Soft, classic, firm or silken tofu will not work, they will fall apart.
The tofu cutlets can be frozen for up to 2 months. Make sure to freeze them individually on a baking sheet, before transferring to an airtight container or freezer bag to prevent sticking. Or, you can pop a sheet of parchment paper between each schnitzel.
Serving Suggestions and More Recipes
Looking for more vegan curries? Try my Thai Peanut Chickpea Curry, Hearty Dal or Cauliflower Korma (made in one tray, super easy for weeknight dinners).
I hope you love this satisfying combo of crispy tofu cutlets and rich creamy yellow curry. It’s a match made in heaven, especially when you’re craving a cozy dinner.
I’d love to know what you think of this recipe, so please drop a rating and review in the comments section at the very bottom of this post (keep scrolling all the way down).
You can also tag me in your photos on Instagram @glowdiaries___ and I will reshare your posts to stories š
Yellow Curry with Tofu Cutlet
Ingredients
Tofu Cutlets
- 450 g extra firm tofu pressed
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 400 g canned chickpeas reserve aquafaba
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- vegetable oil for shallow frying
Crumb mix
- 100 g panko crumbs
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp vegetable stock powder
- 1 tsp ground sage
- 1 tsp thyme
Curry sauce
- 4 kaffir lime leaves
- 1 400g can of coconut milk unsweetened
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp ginger minced
- 80 g yellow curry paste (1/4 cup) plant-based
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice juice of approx. 1 lime
To serve
- Fried shallots
- Cilantro leaves (coriander)
- Cooked white rice
- Red chili sliced, optional
Instructions
Tofu Schnitzel (Cutlet)
- If you have time, press the tofu for 10-20 minutes. To do this, place the tofu on paper towel or a clean, non-fluffy tea towel and weigh it down with a chopping board and some heavy objects (a heavy cast iron dish or cook books work nicely).
- Slice the tofu into 4 large pieces. Place them in a tray with soy sauce to marinate while you prep the crumb. Flip them over after a few minutes so they absorb evenly.
- Combine all crumb ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Transfer onto a dinner plate.
- Drain chickpeas and reserve the aquafaba. The chickpeas themselves are not needed for this recipe, so pop those into an airtight container in the fridge and keep for another recipe (suggestions in notes). Carefully pour the aquafaba onto a dinner plate.
- Place the cornstarch onto a dinner plate. You will now have 3 dinner plates – 1 aquafaba, 1 crumb mix and 1 cornstarch.
- Coat each schnitzel in a thin layer of cornstarch on both sides, then dip into aquafaba to form a gelatinous egg-white like layer. Next, coat the schnitzel in the crumb mixture on both sides. Sprinkle extra crumb mix over the top and and press down to get it to stick well onto the tofu. Give it a light shake so any excess crumb falls off, then transfer to another plate. *Note you can freeze the schnitzels at this point if you would like to keep them for another day.
- Add a generous lug of oil to a large shallow frying pan over medium-high heat. To test if the oil is hot enough for frying, add a breadcrumb to the pan and if it sizzles immediately, it's ready! Fry the schnitzels until golden brown on both sides – it takes about 2 minutes each side.
- Transfer schnitzels onto a plate lined with paper towel to remove any excess oil and allow to cool slightly before serving. Slice diagonally into roughly 3/4"/2ccm strips.
Curry sauce
- Twist and squeeze the kaffir lime leaves but without breaking them to bruise them. This helps release their fragrance.
- Scoop out roughly 2 tbsp of top part of coconut milk from can. Add to a large frypan over medium-high heat.
- Once coconut milk is hot, roughly add ginger, garlic, kaffir lime leaves and curry paste. Stir for 3-4 minutes, then add remaining coconut milk.
- Bring to a simmer, then continue to simmer for 5-7 minutes or until sauce has thickened slightly but is still brothy. Add the lime juice and soy sauce, stir, then remove from heat. Carefully remove kaffir lime leaves.
- Serve curry sauce over cooked white rice. Top with sliced tofu schnitzel, coriander and fried shallots.
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