Best Pad Ped With Tofu | Red Curry Stir Fry

Pad Ped With Tofu is a spicy, delicious, and easy-to-prepare Thai curry where the tofu, bamboo shoots, other fresh seasonal veggies, and fresh basil leaves are added to stir-fried red curry paste and then served with steamed rice for lunch/dinner.  Comes under 250 calories and takes about 30 minutes to prepare.

My family loves Thai food, and we go to Thai restaurants when we are traveling to different places. We first had this at the Thai Cuisine Restaurant in Myrtle Beach, SC, and wanted to try this out at home. The outcome was a big hit, and from then, it has become one of our frequent Thai recipes at home.

You can substitute Tofu with Paneer or your favorite protein like chicken or shrimp or salmon.

If you love Thai cuisine and wish to try some of their recipes at home, then please check out the following dishes from our blog - Thai Crunchy Vegetable Salad, Quick and Simple Thai Mango Fried Rice, the Tastiest Thai Popcorn for your next movie night, the most delicious Thai Sticky Rice, etc.

Ingredients for Pad Ped With Tofu

Tofu is the protein component of the dish, and popular veggies used in Thai Cuisine, such as Bamboo Shoots, Red/Green Bell Pepper(Capsicum), Green Peas, Sugar snap peas, etc., can be used in the dish. Substitute Tofu with your choice of protein. Use any seasonal veggies of your choice.

Fresh Basil leaves for their fresh, fragrant flavors. Use Thai Basil for an authentic, strong flavor.

Coconut Milk for its creaminess and richness.

Red curry paste - where different aromatic vegetables and spices are ground to a fine paste. For ease, you can also use store-bought paste.

Brown Sugar to balance the flavors. Use palm sugar or jaggery for authentic flavors.

Ingredients For Red Curry Paste

Lemon Grass, Onion, Garlic cloves, Dry Red Chili, Ginger, Cumin Seeds, Coriander seeds, Peppercorns, Lemon juice, Lemon/Lime zest, and Water are ground into a smooth paste. Use Galangal instead of Ginger, and Kafir Lime Leaf instead of Lemon/Lime zest when preparing Red Curry paste for authentic Thai flavor.

Step by Step recipe for Pad Ped

1. Grind all the ingredients listed for red curry paste to form a thick, smooth paste.
2. Transfer this to a non-stick pan on medium heat along with some oil, and saute for 5 to 8 minutes till the moisture evaporates and the oil separates.
3. Now add a splash of water, veggies, brown sugar, salt to taste and saute for about 2 minutes.
4. Add the tofu, coconut milk, and fresh basil leaves, and bring it to a boil on medium flame.
5. Pad Ped With Tofu is now ready. Serve with hot steamed rice, and enjoy.

Expert Chef Tips

• Vary the amount of dry red chillis as per your taste. You can also add red chilli powder instead.
• If you like your dish to be more saucy or curry-like, as shown in the picture, add 1 can of coconut milk instead of ¼ cup.
• For authentic Thai taste, make sure to get your ingredients from an Asian supermarket. For example, use lemon grass, galangal, Kafir Lime leaves, palm sugar/jaggery, Thai basil, etc.
• You can also use store-bought Thai Red Curry Paste, instead of making it at home.
• Substitute Tofu with the protein of your choice. I like to substitute them with chicken, shrimp, or fish.
• Skip the salt and substitute with 2 teaspoon of Thai soy sauce.

You may also love these Tofu recipes

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Recipe card

Best Red Curry Stir Fry with Tofu | Pad Ped Tofu

Kushi

Pad Ped With Tofu is a spicy, delicious, and easy-to-prepare Thai curry where the tofu, bamboo shoots, other fresh seasonal veggies, and fresh basil leaves are added to stir-fried red curry paste and then served with steamed rice for lunch/dinner. Comes under 250 calories and takes about 30 minutes to prepare.

5 from 10 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Thai

Servings 4 people

Calories 211 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 14 oz Extra firm tofu Cubed
• ▢ 14 oz Bamboo shoots (1 can)
• ▢ 1 medium Bell Pepper Green/Red, chopped
• ▢ ¼ cup Green peas
• ▢ 1 cup Sugar snap peas
• ▢ ¼ cup Coconut milk
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Brown sugar
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon Salt adjust to taste
• ▢ 14 leaves Thai Basil

For the Red Curry Paste

• ▢ 1 teaspoon Lemongrass chopped (bottom portion)
• ▢ 1 large Onion chopped
• ▢ 10 cloves Garlic chopped
• ▢ 8 piece Dry red chilie
• ▢ 1 inch Ginger or Galangal
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Coriander seeds
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Peppercorns
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Lemon zest or 1 small Kafir lime leaf
• ▢ 2 tablespoon Water

Instructions

 

Step 1 - Prepare Red Curry Paste

• Grind all the ingredients mentioned in 'For the Red Curry Paste' to form a smooth paste. Or skip this step completely, and use 2 tablespoon of store-bought red curry paste in the next step.
  1 teaspoon Lemongrass, 1 large Onion, 10 cloves Garlic, 8 piece Dry red chilie, 1 inch Ginger, ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon Coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon Peppercorns, 1 tablespoon Lemon juice, ½ teaspoon Lemon zest, 2 tablespoon Water

Step 2 - Prepare the Stir Fry

• Transfer the red curry paste prepared in step 1 (or store-bought paste) to a non-stick pan on medium heat along with some oil, and saute for 5 to 8 minutes till the moisture evaporates and the oil separates.
• Add a splash of water, veggies, brown sugar, salt to taste and saute for 1-2 minutes.
  14 oz Bamboo shoots, 1 medium Bell Pepper, ¼ cup Green peas, 1 cup Sugar snap peas, 1 tablespoon Brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon Salt
• Add the tofu, coconut milk, and fresh Thai basil leaves, and bring it to a boil on medium flame. Simmer for 2 minutes.
  14 oz Extra firm tofu, ¼ cup Coconut milk, 14 leaves Thai Basil
• Pad Ped With Tofu is now ready. Serve with hot steamed rice, and enjoy.

Notes

Expert Chef Tips

• Vary the amount of dry red chillis as per your taste. You can also add red chilli powder instead.
• If you like your dish to be more saucy or curry-like, as shown in the picture, add 1 can of coconut milk instead of ¼ cup.
• For authentic Thai taste, make sure to get your ingredients from an Asian supermarket. For example, use lemon grass, galangal, Kafir Lime leaves, palm sugar/jaggery, Thai basil, etc.
• You can also use store-bought Thai Red Curry Paste, instead of making it at home.
• Substitute Tofu with the protein of your choice. I like to substitute them with chicken, shrimp, or fish.
• Skip the salt and substitute with 2 teaspoon of Thai soy sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 14gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 523mgPotassium: 830mgFiber: 6gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 2240IUVitamin C: 195mgCalcium: 114mgIron: 4mg

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