Week Night Meals - Curried Tofu w/ Tomatoes & Coconut Milk Rice

We're constantly checking out cookbooks from the library which is great, but at the same...not so great.  You can try out all the recipes, browse through the pictures, and decide whether the recipes work for you or not, all without having to shell out a ton of money (cookbooks are pricey).  However, you have to to keep them clean (so hard in our kitchen), and when you find a cookbook you really like you incur a lot of late fines because you don't want to return it! 

One such cookbook that we've been holding onto for far to long is the Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers cookbook.  Steve and I are always trying to find delicious meals that don't revolve meat, which is hard to do when you live in a meat-centric country.  We try whenever we can to eat at least 3 or 4 dinners a week without any meat, but that means we've had to be creative because beans can get tiring really fast.  This book is great for that and what's even better is the recipes are quick and simple.  The best feature though: it pairs things together for you, so when you look up curried tofu w/tomatoes, it tells you that coconut rice is a good side for it.  

This is a great, filling, and quick weeknight meal.  

Coconut Rice

• 1 1/2 cups white rice
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup coconut milk

In a sauce pan saute the rice, turmeric, and salt in the oil for a minute or tow.  Add the water and coconut milk, bring it to a boil and cover.  Reduce the heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes.


Curried Tofu w/ Tomatoes

• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 tbsp grated peeled ginger root
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 28oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 cake firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• black pepper

After everything is cut up this is super easy.  In a pan cook the onions, peppers, salt, and oil on medium for about five minutes until the veggies are soft.  Add everything else except the tomatoes and cover.  Reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring frequently for five minutes.  Add the tomatoes, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir in some pepper.  Serve with the rice and enjoy!