I know the extra step of browning the spices and soaking the chilies seems to fly in the face of slow cooker ease, but even with those items, the hands-on time is still just around 20 minutes. (If you have a neato slow-cooker like
this one, you can even brown the spices right in the insert.)
Regarding the tofu: Freezing and thawing tofu removes much of its moisture and almost turns it into a little sponge, ready to absorb moisture -- and flavor! In dishes like this, it's just about perfect. To prep tofu: freeze entire tofu block until firm. (I just throw the whole package in the freezer overnight. In fact, I've almost always got a block or two in there!) Thaw tofu in refrigerator, then drain it from the package as usual. Slice the block into about 4 or 5 slabs and gently wring the additional moisture from the slabs. (Gently pressing them between two plates works well. Don't be overly aggressive; it doesn't have to be completely dry.) Finely dice tofu per the recipe.