Easy Date Tamarind Tofu Curry Recipe - Savory Spin (2024)

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This easy vegan Date Tamarind Tofu Curry has your sweet, spicy, and tart bases covered and it is delicious with some rice or roti.

**This post was first published on March 1st, 2017. It has been updated and is being republished today.**

My daughter and I simply love this Easy Date Tamarind Tofu Curry. A delightful plethora of sweet, spicy, and tart flavors, this curry is packed with flavor. With a base of this rich and tasty date tamarind paste and coconut milk, this curry only calls for only six other ingredients.

What are the ingredients to make this Easy Date Tamarind Tofu Curry?

This easy curry is made with the following 8 ingredients:

  1. Date Tamarind Paste (You can use my homemade version or get a store bought version – usually availlable in South Asian stores like Cherians, here in Atlanta)
  2. onion
  3. garlic
  4. extra firm tofu
  5. coconut milk
  6. coriander
  7. Serrano Chili Peppers
  8. Parsley

When I make a more liquidy curry like this Chickpea and Spinach Curry, I like to serve it with some rice or roti.

But, when I make a thicker curry where the curry seems to embrace and latch onto whatever veggie or meat it surrounds, well, those times I feel like I don’t even need any rice or roti. When I find a thick curry on my plate, I like to grab a spoon and dive right in! Or, serve that dry-curry on a bed of greens like I did with this Potato and Salmon Dry Curry.

With this Date Tamarind Tofu Curry, my daughter and I grabbed spoons and dove right in!

The combo of coconut ilk and date tamarind paste is simply dreamy …a little sweet, a little tart, a little spicy, a little creamy, and a whole lotta yum!

On a side note, a few years ago my daughter got me hooked on The Vampire Diaries. And, when I first wrote this post, it had only 2 more episodes to go before the finale aired! As in series finale! Seeing they use to film kinda down the road from us, my daughter and I are going to join in the finale festivities on the square in downtown Covington, Georgia in a few days. But, change…it must happen…

And, speaking of change…

This post was the post in which I announced the rebranding of my blog. The blog I started as Runnin SriLankan was about to be rebranded to what it is today: Savory Spin.

When I started my blog in 2013, it was to be just for fun.
It was to be an online journal of sorts – a journal of runs I embarked on, recipes my daughter and I were enjoying, and a whole lot of what was going on in our lives.

But…things changed…and, not all change is bad. In fact… some change can be jolly good!

This little space has morphed into a mostly recipe site these days, and, a big source of my income!
So… after much deliberating…
I changed my blog name and social handles from Runnin Srilankan (which so many has trouble spelling and finding) to Savory Spin, on March 16th, 2017.

Now, getting back to food…

And this Easy Date Tamarind Tofu Curry…

As tofu is a sponge to the flavors it is surrounded with, the tofu in this curry is rich with flavor. It soaks up the flavors of the tangy, spicy, sweet date tamarind coconut curry beautifully.

What to pair with this curry?

This Easy Date Tamarind Tofu Curry pairs beautifully with a rice pilaf or some coconut roti, for a simple meal.

However, if you are preparing an elaborate plant-based dinner consisting of several curries and rice and some roti or naan, then this curry would pair well with some oven roasted eggplant, this cashew curry, this mung bean curry, and some mango chutney.

This curry also is a tasty side dish when paired with this zucchini curry, this One Pan Israeli Couscous with Chicken, and these tasty croquettes.

Easy Date Tamarind Tofu Curry Recipe - Savory Spin (5)

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

This easy vegan Date Tamarind Tofu Curry has your sweet, spicy,and tart bases covered and it is deliciouswith some rice or roti

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Date Tamarind Paste
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic chopped
  • I block extra firm tofu drained well and if you like you can cube it now and then brown it or brown it in block form, I used paper towels, then cube it up and add in to the curry.
  • 1 cup coconut milk, low fat
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 red Serrano Chili Peppers, 1 goes into the curry and the other is for garnish
  • Parsley for garnish
  • Olive oil

Instructions

  1. Add the olive oil to a pan over medium heat
  2. Add in the onions and let them brown for about 20 minutes - stirring occasionally.
  3. Push the onions to the side of the pan, place the cubed tofu in the middle and cook till tofu is browned - flip the cubes and brown them on the other side too.
  4. Then, add in the garlic and stir well
  5. Add in the Date Tamarind Paste, coconut milk, coriander, and 1 Serrano Chili Pepper and stir till well combined.
  6. Let cook for about 7 minutes and when it starts to thicken, season with salt and pepper to taste, garnish with slices of the other Serrano Chili Pepper and parsley and dig in!
Nutrition Information

Yield 6Serving Size 1
Amount Per ServingCalories 283Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 25mgSodium 87mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 4gSugar 18gProtein 19g

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an approximation only. Savory Spin makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. Please do consult a professional nutritionist for more accurate information.Please do keep in mind that prep times, cooking times, etc, are provided as guidelines as there are so many variables at play.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram &/or Pinterest tagging @SavorySpin #SavorySpin

Easy Date Tamarind Tofu Curry Recipe - Savory Spin (2024)

FAQs

How to make tamarind paste from tamarind? ›

Tamarind Paste Recipe

Pour boiling water over tamarind, smash up a bit with a spoon and let soak for 20-30 minutes. Place in a colander and push pulp through with a spatula or spoon, scraping the bottom of the colander from time to time, until only the fibers remain and you have about 2 cups of thick tamarind paste.

What's the difference between tamarind paste and tamarind concentrate? ›

The tasting notes of tamarind paste are stronger than that of concentrate because it comes from the fruit itself. Some concentrates come from the juice, which has a diluted flavor, or other parts of the fruit, but not the entire fruit. Tamarind concentrate frequently comes from India.

Can I use tamarind sauce instead of paste? ›

Yes. Normally tamarind paste and tamarind concentrate are the same product.

What is a substitute for tamarind paste in pad thai? ›

TAMARIND SUBSTITUTION

Although ketchup is a common replacement for tamarind paste, we prefer this tasty mixture: 1/4 cup (50 mL) tomato paste, 2 tbsp (30 mL) rice vinegar or freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice, 2 tbsp (30 mL) Worcestershire, 2 garlic cloves, minced, 1 tbsp (15 mL) brown sugar and 1 tbsp (15 mL) water.

What does tamarind paste do to a curry? ›

Add it into your coconut-based seafood curries

Tamarind, fresh coconut, ginger, garlic and chilli harmonise together in south Indian cuisine to create a rich, fragrant and sweat-inducing flavour profile, which is said to help cool you down in the hot temperatures.

What is the difference between tamarind paste and tamarind puree? ›

Tamarind paste concentrate is a dark, shiny, viscous syrup that is quite intense in flavor. Tamarind paste puree is thicker than concentrate and more similarly resembles a homemade paste in texture. The puree is usually slightly less tart than the concentrate but still packs a punch.

Does tamarind paste go bad? ›

Unopened tamarind paste can typically last for up to a year past its printed date when stored in a cool, dry place. Once you've opened the jar, the tamarind paste should be consumed within a month if stored at room temperature. But, if you refrigerate it after opening, it can last for about 6 months.

Do I need to soak tamarind paste? ›

How to Use Tamarind Paste. Make tamarind paste using equal amounts of boiling water and tamarind pulp from the pliable block. Soak in water for 10-15 minutes then stir with a fork until it is a uniform consistency.

Is tamarind good for you? ›

The polyphenols in tamarind have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These can protect against diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes (1).

What spices go well with tamarind? ›

Tamarind is a staple of Indian curries and spicy dishes, where it is often paired with coconut milk to reduce its sour taste. Other spices often mixed with tamarind curries include ginger, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala.

Can I use tamarind puree instead of tamarind paste? ›

The only difference between the two is that puree has a little more liquid. You should add more puree than the recipe calls for paste to compensate for it being more dilute.

Can I use lemon juice instead of tamarind paste? ›

As tamarind is used to add sourness in stews, chutneys and curries, you can easily substitute tamarind with lime or lemon juice. You will get a sweeter sourness using lime or lemons. Also, you will not get the darker brown color but it will work very well in most recipes.

What tastes similar to tamarind paste? ›

Dates combined with lemon juice

Dates are a great substitute for tamarind paste also. If you have raisins or prunes, we recommend making raisin or prune paste instead, as the flavor profile is more similar to tamarind paste, but still, date paste is a great alternative when raisins are not an option.

Can you use ketchup instead of tamarind paste? ›

The simple ratio of 5 parts ketchup to one part vinegar makes a fast tamarind paste substitute that has a complex character and interesting depth of flavor. Grown in South Asia and Africa, tamarind comes from the Tamarindus indica tree.

What is the difference between Indian and Thai tamarind paste? ›

Indian tamarind concentrate is a true concentrate and much more potent than Thai or Vietnamese tamarind. It comes in a tub and is a black, sticky, very sour paste that cannot be used in the same way as Thai tamarind paste.

How do you convert tamarind pulp to paste? ›

Make tamarind paste using equal amounts of boiling water and tamarind pulp from the pliable block. Soak in water for 10-15 minutes then stir with a fork until it is a uniform consistency. Pour the mixture into a strainer pressing on the solids to extract the juice and pulp. Discard the seeds and fibre.

What is a substitute for tamarind paste? ›

If your recipe calls for 1 tablespoon tamarind paste, substitute with 1 tablespoon vinegar mixed with 1 tablespoon brown sugar. If using fresh lime juice, substitute 2 tablespoons lime juice for every 1 tablespoon tamarind paste.

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