Tofu And Summer Vegetables In Coconut Milk

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons dried shrimp paste
• 6 shallots (about 5 ounces), coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 4 to 10 small dried red chiles, such as árbol, stemmed and coarsely chopped
• 1 piece fresh or thawed turmeric, 2 inches long, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 2 teaspoons), or 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 7 candlenuts or unsalted macadamia nuts
• 4 tablespoons peanut oil, plus more for frying
• one 2-inch piece fresh or thawed galangal, peeled and bruised with a heavy, blunt object, such as the bottom of a glass measuring cup, until juicy (optional)
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 3 cups water
• 30 green beans, stemmed and sliced on the diagonal into 1 1/2-inch lengths (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 2 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into thick matchsticks, 1 1/2 inches long by 1/3 inch wide (about 2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• two 4-inch squares (8 ounces) firm fresh tofu, each square halved on the diagonal into triangles 1/2 inch thick
• 1/4 small head green cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch squares (about 2 cups)