A confession: I have already written a recipe for massaman curry. But since that was published in 2018, I have had a baby, a breakdown, travelled back to Thailand and eaten more massaman curries, all events that have contributed to this new recipe. The old dish is delicious, but in 2025 I didn’t want to make a paste from scratch. Instead, I wanted the funk and soul that a ready-made curry paste could give me and to use that as a springboard to fly into dinner time. A shortcut on time and ingredients, yes, but not on fun and flavour.
Massaman tofu and potato curry with rainbow chard
Not all vegan fish sauces are equal: Thai Taste makes a good one.
Prep 15 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 4
Rapeseed oil
450g extra-firm tofu, torn into bite-sized pieces
4 round shallots (140g), peeled and quartered
4 tbsp red curry paste (I use Thai Taste)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 lemongrass stalks, bashed
2 400ml tins coconut milk
2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
3 large maris piper potatoes (600g), peeled and cut into 4cm x 4cm pieces
200g rainbow chard, stalks cut into 2cm pieces, leaves cut into 4cm-wide strips
1 tbsp vegan fish sauce, plus extra to serve
Sliced mild red chillies, to serve (discard the seeds and pith if you prefer less heat)
Cooked jasmine rice, to serve
Put two tablespoons of oil in a large pot on a medium to high heat and, when it’s hot, add the torn tofu and fry it for eight minutes, turning the pieces every now and then, until they’re golden on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
Pour three more tablespoons of oil into the same pan and, when that’s hot, add the shallots and fry, stirring, for five minutes, until they soften and take on some colour. Stir in the red curry paste, cumin, cinnamon and lemongrass, and fry, stirring often, for three minutes, to release the aromatics.
Pour in the coconut milk, add the peanut butter and potatoes, then bring the mix to a simmer and cook gently for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Return the fried tofu to the pan, stir in and simmer for five minutes more.
Put a couple of tablespoons of oil in a large saute pan on a medium heat until the oil is shimmering hot. Add all the chard, stir-fry for five minutes until the leaves wilt, then stir through the fish sauce.
Pour a few tablespoons of fish sauce into a small bowl and add the sliced chilli.
Serve the curry with rice in shallow bowls, with the chard mix spooned over the top and with the bowl of fish sauce and chilli alongside.
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