Thai Curry with Eggplant, Green Beans and Tofu in Coconut Milk Recipe
This vegetarian curry with eggplant, green beans and tofu is creamy, aromatic and filling. In Thailand, dishes like this often appear at home as a quick way to use up vegetables from the fridge. Served with jasmine rice, it’s a bit like a thick vegetable stew, but with a distinct coconut-and-herb character.
This kind of curry is an everyday dish in Thai homes and small eateries, where vegetables and tofu often replace meat for budget or religious reasons. The flavor depends largely on the curry paste used: in Thailand it’s often homemade, while abroad it usually comes from ready-made jars.
This curry shows how Thai cooking can bring out deep flavor from simple vegetables and tofu using curry paste, coconut milk and fresh herbs. The eggplant soaks up the sauce like a sponge, the beans add crunch, and the tofu makes the dish satisfying without any meat. The result is something between a vegetable stew and an aromatic one-pot Thai comfort food.
Why this version works
- Pan-frying the tofu separately gives it crispy edges and prevents it from crumbling in the sauce.
- Cooking the eggplant directly in the sauce makes it soak up the curry flavor instead of excess oil from the pan.
- Simmering uncovered naturally thickens the sauce without flour or starch.
- Seasoning at the end with lime and basil brightens the flavor and balances the richness of the coconut milk.
Chef's tips
Sear the eggplant over fairly high heat until lightly browned – that way it won’t be spongy and watery in the sauce. Always briefly fry the curry paste in oil before adding the coconut milk, as this releases the aroma of the spices; just be careful not to burn it, or it will turn bitter. It’s also worth pressing the tofu beforehand to remove excess water and browning it gently so it doesn’t fall apart in the curry.
How to serve
Serve the curry with hot jasmine or brown rice, which soaks up the sauce beautifully – perfect for a calm, homey midweek dinner. For a contrast of flavors, add a simple cucumber salad with lime and a little sugar to refresh the palate. It also makes a great lunchbox dish – the sauce develops even more flavor after a night in the fridge.
Watch out for
- Curry paste burns easily—if it starts to darken and smell harsh, immediately add some of the coconut milk.
- Don’t overload the pan with vegetables; in a pot that’s too crowded they’ll release a lot of water and the sauce will turn watery.
- The heat level of curry pastes varies a lot between brands, so start with a smaller amount and only add more at the end if needed.
Substitutions
- You can replace green beans with small broccoli florets or half-moon slices of zucchini.
- Thai basil can be swapped for a mix of regular basil and mint in a 2:1 ratio.
- You can replace cane sugar with honey or white sugar, adding it gradually to taste.
- Substitute part of the coconut milk with water if you prefer a lighter, less rich curry.
Ingredients
- firm natural tofu firm, drained - 300 g
- eggplant medium, cut into cubes - 1 piece
- green beans fresh or frozen, cut into 3–4 cm pieces - 150 g
- coconut milk - 400 ml
- water or vegetable stock - 200 ml
- curry paste (red or green) adjust the amount to the heat of the paste - 2 tablespoons
- soy sauce or fish sauce if it doesn’t need to be vegan - 2 tablespoons
- cane sugar or brown sugar - 1 tablespoon
- oil for frying - 2 tablespoons
- bell pepper cut into strips - 0.5 piece
- Thai basil or regular basil leaves torn - 1 handful
- lime juice added at the end - 1.5 tablespoons
- jasmine rice dry, to cook separately - 240 g
Preparation
- Wrap the tofu in paper towel, gently press with your hand and set aside for 5–10 minutes, until it feels clearly dry to the touch. Cut into cubes about 2 cm – a matte surface with no visible moisture will brown instead of steam.
- Cut the eggplant into large cubes, the green beans into 3–4 cm pieces, and the bell pepper into thin strips. Measure out the curry paste, coconut milk, soy sauce, sugar and lime juice so you’re not searching for ingredients while cooking.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the tofu cubes and fry for 6–8 minutes, turning gently, until the sides are golden and well browned and the cubes feel slightly springy to the touch. Transfer the tofu to a plate.
- In the same pan, add the second tablespoon of oil and the curry paste. Fry for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it smells very fragrant and starts to foam lightly; if it begins to stick, immediately lower the heat.
- Pour in the coconut milk and water or stock, stirring thoroughly and scraping the bottom. Heat until the sauce starts to bubble gently and is evenly colored, with no lumps of paste floating on top.
- Add the eggplant and green beans. Cook for 10–12 minutes over medium heat without a lid, stirring every few minutes, until the eggplant is soft, glossy and easy to pierce with a fork, and the beans are bright green and still slightly firm.
- Add the soy sauce, sugar and bell pepper strips. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until the pepper softens slightly and the sauce thickens noticeably and coats the vegetables in a thin, shiny layer with no watery puddles.
- Add the fried tofu and lime juice. Gently stir and cook for another 2–3 minutes, until the tofu absorbs some of the sauce and the flavor is clearly salty-sour-sweet; the sauce should be thick but still pourable.
- Remove the curry from the heat, add the basil leaves and stir just enough for them to wilt from the heat but not darken completely. Serve immediately with hot jasmine rice so the sauce can soak slightly into the grains.
Storage
Keep the cooled curry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. The flavors deepen overnight, so it’s great for lunch the next day. Reheat gently in a saucepan, adding a little water or coconut milk if the sauce has thickened too much.
This is one of my favorite “fridge clean-out” curries – I make it whenever I find a sad eggplant in the drawer and half a pack of tofu nearing its date. I always cook a bigger batch and take it to work the next day in a thermos instead of sandwiches.
