I don’t know what it is with me and Asian flavors!

Based on my feelings about reincarnation, I’ve often wondered how many lives I spent gathering curry leaves and lemongrass.

This is a wonderful foolproof recipe based on something I found in Mark Bittman’s awesome cookbook, “How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.”

If you can chop a few vegetables and get the oven turned on, you are more than capable of making this satisfying melange of textures and flavors. To me, it’s spring time comfort food; colorful, nutritious, adaptable to whatever you might have in the fridge—and good enough to serve to your very exacting mother-in-law should she happen to drop by.

Spring Thai Tofu & Veggie Roast

(Feeds four)

• 1 block extra firm tofu, pressed and drained, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/4 cup peanut oil
• 1 medium eggplant, peeled and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 pound snap peas, strings removed
• 1 red onion, quartered and sliced
• 12 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
• 6 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, cut into eighths
• 1/4 cup green curry paste
• 1 cup full fat coconut milk
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 tbl soy sauce
• 1 cup chopped fresh mint or basil
• sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Heat oven to 450 F while you prep veggies. In a deep casserole dish put all but one t/l of the oil, place on stove and heat up. When hot, add all veggies and tofu except tomatoes, add salt and pepper and stir.

Put casserole in oven for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through.

Add tomato, stir again, and continue to roast another 30 minutes. In a saucepan, heat remaining oil, then add curry paste, coconut milk, soy sauce and peanut butter and whisk thoroughly. Bring to simmer and then keep warm.

When veggies and tofu are done, pour sauce over them, checking seasonings. You might need more curry, salt, pepper or soy sauce. Serve over any grain garnished with mint or basil.

*Tip substitute just about any vegetable imaginable in this recipe. Because the cooking time is so long, even potatoes, butternut squash, parsnips or radishes are fair game. Let your hair down, have fun, use up your CSA boxes! The magic is in the roasting and the sauce.

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Editor: Renée Picard

Photo: Chad Hennerman Pixoto