Name: Crisp-Fried Tofu and Vegetables in Kao Soi Coconut Broth
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Cuisine: Malaysia
Ingredients: 3 tbsp. canola or other neutral oil, plus more for deep-frying; 2 medium carrots, about 7 oz/200 g, trimmed, peeled, and cut into sticks about 1½ in/4 cm long and ⅓ in/8 mm wide; 1½ tsp. kosher or fine sea salt; ½ cup/120 ml Thai Kao Soi Paste; ½-oz/15-g piece fresh turmeric, peeled and minced; 1 cup/240 ml. unsweetened coconut milk; 3 galangal slices, ½ in/12 mm. thick; 2 cups/480 ml. water; 5 oz/140 g green cabbage, cored and cut into 1-in/2.5-cm squares; 1 tbsp. granulated sugar; 7 unsalted macadamia nuts; 1 cup/130 g rice flour; 6 oz/170 g green beans, stem end trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 1½-in/4-cm lengths; 1 block firm tofu, about 15 oz/430 g, drained, pressed to release more moisture, and blotted dry; ¼ cup/15 g chopped fresh cilantro; 2 green onions, including green tops, sliced paper-thin on the diagonal

Preparation info

Serves
4 to 6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Roots

By Diane Morgan

Published 2012

About

Here, I have tweaked a classic Malaysian vegetarian one-dish meal, using my homemade Thai Kao Soi Paste as the flavoring base. The green beans, carrots, and cabbage, combined with deep-fried tofu triangles to soak up the golden coconut broth, makes this humble soup comforting and nourishing all at once. The recipe goes together quickly if you make the paste ahead of time and have it on hand in the refrigerator. Although you can skip the step of deep-frying the tofu and just add drained tofu