tofu & broccoli curry

I guess I owe you all a recipe involving tofu, given this blog's title. I'm pretty stuck on the baked goods and soup recipes this time of year, but really I swear sometimes I cook things that have to be eaten with a fork. As it turns out, most of those forkable foods are curries. This one is pretty simple and sometimes I can even have the curry finished up before the rice is done. It turns out the hardest thing about curries is having the spices on hand. Peruse a few recipes, and you'll have the basics memorized: curry powder, turmeric (I am known at my workplace for my yellow lunches), cumin, coriander.

Tofu & Broccoli Curry
(adapted from Curried Cauliflower in The Complete Book of Indian Cooking)
2 T. sesame oil
1 T. flour
1/2 c. water
1 tsp. chili powder
1 T. ground coriander
1 t. cumin
1 t. ground mustard
1 t. turmeric
salt, to taste
2 stalks of broccoli, cut up to desired size (fun fact: peel the stalk and then cube it -- tastes good/no waste!!)
block of extra-firm tofu
14 oz. can of coconut milk
3 T. lemon juice
1 T. lime juice
plain yogurt (garnish)

1. Mix the flour with a little water to make a paste. Add the chili, coriander, cumin, mustard, turmeric, and salt. Add the remaining water and keep mixing to blend the ingredients well. (note: add cayenne if you want it to be spicier)
2. Heat the oil (we use a wok), add the spice paste and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. If the sauce has become too thick, add a little hot water.
3. Add the broccoli, tofu, and coconut milk. Bring to boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook until the broccoli is done enough for you (al dente?). Add the lemon and lime juice, mix well and serve over white basmati rice, with a blob of yogurt on top.

Outtake: notice how jealous my cat is that I am taking pictures of the food for you.