Cauliflower — Tofu Curry — The Stew That Simmered While the Words Became Final

Late January. I received the book's galley proofs — the formatted, typeset pages that look like a book but are not yet a book, the penultimate form, the chrysalis. I read them at the kitchen table with a red pen and the specific terror of seeing my words in type, which is different from seeing them on a screen — type is permanent, type is print, type is the commitment that a screen avoids. Every comma matters in type. Every sentence is final. The finality is beautiful and terrifying, the way a wedding is beautiful and terrifying, the way any permanent thing is beautiful and terrifying when you have spent your life avoiding permanence.

I made Fumiko's nikujaga — beef and potato stew — while reading the galleys, the stew simmering while the words simmered, the two processes running in parallel: the beef becoming tender, the sentences becoming final, the patience required for both. I ate the stew and read the words and the combination was the most me-thing I have ever done: cooking Fumiko's food while reading the book about Fumiko's food, the practice feeding the art feeding the practice, a loop with no beginning and no end, a bowl that fills itself.

Miya corrected a typo in the galleys. She was reading over my shoulder — she reads everything over my shoulder now, the curiosity of a seven-year-old reader who has discovered that the world is made of text and every text is readable — and she said, "Mama, you spelled 'bonito' wrong." She was right. I had written "bonita." The spell-check had not caught it because "bonita" is a word. But it is the wrong word. Bonito is the fish. Bonita is "pretty" in Spanish. My seven-year-old caught an error that the spell-check and the editor and I had all missed. I corrected it. I thanked her. I told her she was the book's best proofreader. She said, "What's a proofreader?" I said, "A person who finds mistakes." She said, "I'm good at that." She is. She is disturbingly good at that.

There was no nikujaga left — I’d eaten the last of it standing over the sink at midnight, galleys in hand — but the hunger that followed was the same hunger: something that needed to simmer, something that required patience, something warm and forgiving of the cook’s distraction. This Cauliflower & Tofu Curry became the next-day answer, made while Miya practiced reading aloud at the kitchen table and I thought about how “bonita” and “bonito” are almost the same word and almost is a dangerous distance. It simmers long enough for permanence. It is worth making again.

Cauliflower & Tofu Curry

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 block (14 oz) firm tofu, drained and cubed
• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 4 cups)
• 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 cups cooked basmati rice, for serving
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Press the tofu. Pat tofu dry with paper towels and press firmly to remove excess moisture. Cut into 3/4-inch cubes and set aside.
2. Sauté the aromatics. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.
3. Bloom the spices. Add the curry powder, turmeric, cumin, and cayenne to the pan. Stir constantly for 30–60 seconds, letting the spices toast in the oil until deeply fragrant.
4. Build the curry base. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices, scraping up any spices from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the coconut milk and vegetable broth. Bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Add the cauliflower. Add the cauliflower florets to the simmering curry. Stir to coat, cover partially, and cook for 12–15 minutes, until the cauliflower is just fork-tender.
6. Add the tofu. Gently fold in the tofu cubes. Continue simmering uncovered for 8–10 minutes, allowing the curry to thicken slightly and the tofu to absorb the flavors. Season with salt to taste.
7. Serve. Ladle over basmati rice and garnish with fresh cilantro if desired. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 390 | Protein: 16g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 35g | Fiber: 6g | Sodium: 580mg