Creamy Udon in Coconut Curry Sauce with Crispy Tofu
Dive into a bowl of comfort with our luscious udon noodles smothered in a rich coconut curry sauce, perfectly complemented by golden, crispy tofu. This quick meal prep delight not only packs a punch of flavor but also offers a nutritious boost with every bite. Get ready to savor a delicious blend of spices and creamy goodness that will keep your taste buds dancing!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
3
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 3🥬Fresh Produce(7)
- 1 red bell pepper (about 200 g) (7.06 oz)
- 2 medium carrots (about 100 g) (3.53 oz)
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 medium onion
- pepper to taste
- 2 handfuls of fresh spinach (optional)optional
- 1 tablespoon potato or corn starch (15 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 360 g (2 packages) natural or smoked tofu (12.7 oz)Sweet Chilli Go Vege tofu can be used
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 200 ml vegetable or chicken broth, optionally water is fine too (6.76 fl oz)
- 400 ml light coconut milk (13.5 fl oz)
- 10 g olive oil (0.35 oz)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (5 ml)
- 400 g cooked udon noodles (House of Asia, 2 packages) (14.1 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (5 ml)
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika (2.5 ml)
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional) (2.5 ml)optional
🍯Sauces & Condiments(2)
- 30 g red curry paste (2 tablespoons) (1.06 oz)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (15 ml)
📦Other(1)
- chives for serving
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
332
Protein
14g
Carbs
66g
Fat
67g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Crumble the tofu, add olive oil, starch, and spices, and mix well.
- 2
Bake in an air fryer or oven for 20 minutes at 200°C, stirring every few minutes until golden and crispy.
- 3
In 1 teaspoon of olive oil, sauté the onion, bell pepper, and carrot for about 5 minutes.
- 4
Add minced garlic and sauté for a moment longer.
- 5
Add curry paste and sauté for about a minute. Then pour in the coconut milk and broth, add soy sauce, and cook for about 8-10 minutes.
- 6
Add the udon noodles directly into the sauce and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- 7
If using spinach, add it at the very end and stir just until wilted.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Press crumbled tofu between paper towels for 2-3 minutes before coating with starch and oil, removing 30-40% of surface moisture so the starch coating adheres properly and crisps instead of steaming.technique2-3 minutes | 30-40% moisture removal
- ✓Increase air fryer temperature to 220°C and stir every 4-5 minutes (rather than every few minutes) to allow the starch coating to gelatinize and form a crispy shell without constant disturbance breaking it apart.timing220°C | 4-5 minute intervals
- ✓Toast the curry paste in oil for 60-90 seconds before adding coconut milk, blooming the fat-soluble flavor compounds and reducing raw paste bite by up to 35% through Maillard browning.timing60-90 seconds
- ✓Add udon noodles to the curry sauce when it reaches 85°C (just below boiling), not at full boil, because high heat causes the starch surface to hydrate too quickly and stick together while the centers remain undercooked.technique85°C
- ✓Reserve 120 ml of curry cooking liquid before adding udon noodles; stir in gradually after cooking to maintain 18-20% sauce-to-noodle ratio, as udon absorbs 45% of its weight in liquid and will otherwise over-thicken the dish.ingredient120 ml reserve | 18-20% ratio | 45% absorption
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
3
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Creamy Udon in Coconut Curry Sauce with Crispy Tofu
Dive into a bowl of comfort with our luscious udon noodles smothered in a rich coconut curry sauce, perfectly complemented by golden, crispy tofu. This quick meal prep delight not only packs a punch of flavor but also offers a nutritious boost with every bite. Get ready to savor a delicious blend of spices and creamy goodness that will keep your taste buds dancing!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 3🥬Fresh Produce(7)
- 1 red bell pepper (about 200 g) (7.06 oz)
- 2 medium carrots (about 100 g) (3.53 oz)
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 medium onion
- pepper to taste
- 2 handfuls of fresh spinach (optional)optional
- 1 tablespoon potato or corn starch (15 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 360 g (2 packages) natural or smoked tofu (12.7 oz)Sweet Chilli Go Vege tofu can be used
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- 200 ml vegetable or chicken broth, optionally water is fine too (6.76 fl oz)
- 400 ml light coconut milk (13.5 fl oz)
- 10 g olive oil (0.35 oz)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (5 ml)
- 400 g cooked udon noodles (House of Asia, 2 packages) (14.1 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (5 ml)
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika (2.5 ml)
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional) (2.5 ml)optional
🍯Sauces & Condiments(2)
- 30 g red curry paste (2 tablespoons) (1.06 oz)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (15 ml)
📦Other(1)
- chives for serving
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
332
Protein
14g
Carbs
66g
Fat
67g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Crumble the tofu, add olive oil, starch, and spices, and mix well.
- 2
Bake in an air fryer or oven for 20 minutes at 200°C, stirring every few minutes until golden and crispy.
- 3
In 1 teaspoon of olive oil, sauté the onion, bell pepper, and carrot for about 5 minutes.
- 4
Add minced garlic and sauté for a moment longer.
- 5
Add curry paste and sauté for about a minute. Then pour in the coconut milk and broth, add soy sauce, and cook for about 8-10 minutes.
- 6
Add the udon noodles directly into the sauce and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- 7
If using spinach, add it at the very end and stir just until wilted.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Press crumbled tofu between paper towels for 2-3 minutes before coating with starch and oil, removing 30-40% of surface moisture so the starch coating adheres properly and crisps instead of steaming.technique2-3 minutes | 30-40% moisture removal
- ✓Increase air fryer temperature to 220°C and stir every 4-5 minutes (rather than every few minutes) to allow the starch coating to gelatinize and form a crispy shell without constant disturbance breaking it apart.timing220°C | 4-5 minute intervals
- ✓Toast the curry paste in oil for 60-90 seconds before adding coconut milk, blooming the fat-soluble flavor compounds and reducing raw paste bite by up to 35% through Maillard browning.timing60-90 seconds
- ✓Add udon noodles to the curry sauce when it reaches 85°C (just below boiling), not at full boil, because high heat causes the starch surface to hydrate too quickly and stick together while the centers remain undercooked.technique85°C
- ✓Reserve 120 ml of curry cooking liquid before adding udon noodles; stir in gradually after cooking to maintain 18-20% sauce-to-noodle ratio, as udon absorbs 45% of its weight in liquid and will otherwise over-thicken the dish.ingredient120 ml reserve | 18-20% ratio | 45% absorption