Tofu and Mango Curry with coconut milk
If you’re a lover of tofu curries and on the hunt for something a little bit different yet not complicated, you’re 100% in the right place! This curry uses firm pan-fried tofu, creamy coconut milk and takeaway-favourite mango chutney to create a quick recipe with a difference. We have added some heat with red chili flakes and curry leaves. The method we have used for preparing and cooking the tofu ensures it will be delicious and full of flavour – let it never be said on my watch that tofu is bland, has no flavour or texture! My Mum came across a chicken and mango curry from Tesco magazine a few years ago and thought of using tofu as a plant-based replacement. Since then, it has been a favourite of mine to make at university. It is essentially a one-pot recipe. All you need to do is toss tofu cubes in a pan to make them crispy. In the meantime, a quick prep of the curry base that will go into the same pan and then you’re done! Using store-bought mango chutney speeds up the process even further as the spices you need are already in the ready-made chutney. It is truly fool-proof and worthy of a lot of compliments.
Why you should make this curry
full of flavour takes only 30 mins one-pot meal doesn’t require many ingredients easy to find ingredients naturally gluten-free vegan/plant based and completely meat free freezer-friendly mid-week meal nut-free mild, non spicy curry with a hint of sweetness adjust the sweetness to your liking no messy hands when cutting fresh mango! suitable for students and work suitable for children
Flavour of mango tofu coconut curry
The idea of sweet and savoury flavoured dishes is nothing new. Whether it is Chinese cuisine or Gujarati cuisine, combining these two is a sure-fire way to create a fantastic dish. This curry is creamy yet fresh, sweet yet mildly spicy all at the same time. It is not fussy with strong flavours but rather mild and fruity that the whole family will love. Essentially, it is the perfect spring/summer curry but has the potential to go down a treat in winter months too. There are already so many recipes out there of Fresh Mango and Tofu curry however not many that use mango chutney in the cooking process. The beauty of mango chutney is that it already contains aromatic spices and adds its own dimension to the sauce of this curry. The bonus for us is that less overall ingredients are required when we make this curry. Mango Chutney balances out the creaminess from the coconut milk by providing sweetness and a little tartness. You can easily control how sweet the curry is by adding more or less chutney. The other special ingredient in this recipe is the all-mighty Indian wonder herb – the curry leaf (or sweet neem leaf)! We have added fried curry leaves to top the curry but they can also be added early in the cooking process for similar results. Curry leaves are aromatic herbs which have pungent lemony scent with a hint of anise and elevate the coconut gravy into something spectacular.
Mango Chutney
Mango chutney is made with mango and few aromatic spices. It is a combination sweet and spice and tart. It is a delicious and finger-licking spread or dip or used in recipes such as curries and dal. Apparently the word chutney comes from Sanskrit caṭnī which means “to lick” Most of the mango chutneys available are vegan and naturally gluten-free. They have a long shelf-life. People in the west enjoy mango chutney in Indian restaurants or takeways with fried popdam and raita. It is also served with meat, cheese, spread in the sandwich or used as glaze. Desi or Indian people can’t get enough of this “aam ki chutney” with poori (deep fried small Indian flat bread) paratha (pan fried Indian flat bread) or thepla (Gujarati style masala flat bread) If you want know how to make mango chutney Indian style at home, check out our finger-licking and easy peasy Aam Ki Launji recipe. You will make this again and again and the good news is that you can use this chutney in this curry recipe too. If you love mango as much as I and my family do, you need try this Mango Kadhi (spiced mango soup) right away.
Ingredients for tofu mango curry
Tofu – a soy based product made by curdling soy milk and forming it into a solid block. Plant based, high in protein and low in fat. It works as a great alternative and replacement for meat in recipes. You will want to use firm tofu as silken tofu will be too soft as it contains more moisture. In the UK, cauldron brand is very popular and it is available in almost every supermarket in the fresh food aisle. Mango Chutney – we use store bought mango chutney for ease. Using either cheap or good quality mango chutney both work well. Adjust the amount to your sweetness preference by adding more or less. As mango chutney is already cooked, you can getaway by simply spooning more on top and mixing it into the sauce. Coconut Milk – be generous when adding coconut milk, you will need to good amount of it for the gracy of this curry Onion and garlic – use fresh where possible and make sure the ingredients are finely chopped. We have pureed onion and garlic together in a food processor. Do not use chunks of onion or slices of garlic. Curry leaves – an absolute flavour powerhouse. You can smell how incredible these are even before they are added to the pan. You can find curry leaves in Asian grocery stores. Where possible use fresh but you can also use dried or frozen. If you can’t find them, you can still make this curry either without or add lemon balm or the zest of a lime. White pepper powder – white pepper or black pepper powder is fine. Chilli flakes – use a pinch for some heat, particularly if your mango chutney doesn’t have any. Oil – we used pomace olive oil but you could also use sunflower or coconut oil.
How to make easy and quick Mango Coconut and Tofu Curry
The curry is performed in two steps, preparing the tofu and cooking the curry.
Tips to prepare the best tofu and make perfect pan-fried tofu
Spending time on draining the tofu is key to perfect curry – we use a tofu press or wrap the tofu in plenty of kitchen towels and add a weight. Remove tofu from the packaging and drain all the water. Keep tofu in kitchen paper and put something heavy so all the water comes out ( for 20-25 minutes ) or use tofu press. Cut into cubes with a sharp knife. Heat one tablespoon oil in a pan, add the cut tofu and cook until golden all over on every side. Use some tongs to help you turn the tofu. Remove from the pan and leave it aside. You will not need to coat the tofu in cornstarch. It is important to use a coated non stick pan to cook the tofu else the tofu will stick – I’ve learnt this the hard way! Do not over-brown the tofu. A light golden colour is fine as it will change the colour of the final dish.
Preparing the curry
Heat oil in the same nonstick pan and add onion and garlic mixture. Cook until raw smell goes away but don’t let it go pink/brown (we want the sauce to remain creamy in colour) Add dried chilli flakes, pepper powder and half of the mango chutney (you may add more later after tasting the curry) Mix well, add the coconut milk and fried tofu. Bring it to boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Stir in little more chutney if needed and add salt. Mix well. Heat remaining oil in a small pan, add the curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds or until crisp. Add them in the curry. Alternatively, if you do not mind your curry leaves going darker in colour but still tasting amazing, then add the curry leaves when cooking the onion and garlic. It will save you time and a bit of washing up.
Other tofu recipes
Crispy Air Fryer Tofu Baked tofu Manchurian Sweet potato and tofu kofta curry Tofu dum kali mirch Beetroot, tofu and Mustard Rice Burnt garlic and tofu fried Rice The Best Vegan Burnt Basque Cheesecake (air fryer) As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations! Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content, but the recipe remains the same. First time published in December 2015.
