Pad Prik King (Thai Dry Red Curry Green Beans)

Ingredients

• 400 g green beans, trimmed and cut into 5 cm lengths
• 250 g tofu, pressed and cut into 2 cm cubes
• 3 tbsp red curry paste
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 6 kaffir lime leaves, centre ribs removed and very finely shredded
• 1 tbsp palm sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• ½ tsp salt

Method

1. 1.

   Crisp the tofu — Press the tofu between two boards under a weight for 15 minutes, then cube it and pat it thoroughly dry. Fry in 3 tbsp of the oil in a wok over medium-high heat for about 6 minutes, turning only when each face has formed a golden crust. Lift out onto a plate.

2. 2.

   Steam-fry the beans — Add the remaining oil and the green beans to the hot wok and toss for a minute, then pour in the water, cover and let them steam for 3 minutes until bright green and just tender. Uncover and keep tossing until every drop of water has boiled away.

3. 3.

   Fry off the curry paste — Push the beans up the side of the wok, drop the curry paste and garlic into the oil in the base and fry for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat, pressing it flat. It is ready when it darkens by a shade, smells toasted rather than raw, and you can see oil separating out around it.

4. 4.

   Toss to a dry glaze — Stir the paste through the beans, add the red pepper strips, palm sugar and soy sauce, and toss hard over high heat for 3 minutes. There should be no sauce pooling in the wok at all — the paste has to cling to the beans in a dry, glossy coat.

5. 5.

   Finish with lime leaf — Return the tofu and toss for a final minute to warm it and coat it. Take the wok off the heat, stir through the shredded lime leaves and the lime juice, season with the salt, and serve straight away while the beans still have bite.