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VIETNAMESE STICKY TOFU

This recipe is super-quick, packed full of flavour and answers the age-old question, ‘what should I do with tofu?’ It’s a great dinner option if you don’t have much time but want something absolutely delicious. Pressing the tofu is really important here as it needs to be the right, firm texture.

SERVES 2

1 x 280g block firm tofu (smoked tofu works well too)

2.5cm piece fresh ginger

1 garlic clove

1 fresh red chilli

4 spring onions

30ml lime juice (about 1½–2 limes)

50g cornflour

vegetable oil, for frying

80g soft brown sugar

4 tbsp soy sauce

160ml coconut water

250g cooked basmati rice, or use 1 x 250g bag microwavable rice, to serve

2 heads pak choi

2 tbsp sesame oil

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp sesame seeds

Tofu press or 2 clean tea towels and a weight such as a heavy book | Fine grater or Microplane | Large frying pan | Line a plate with kitchen paper | Wok | Griddle pan

Press the tofu using a tofu press or place it between two clean tea towels, lay it on a plate and put a weight on top | Leave for at least 30 minutes to drain and firm up before you start cooking

Meanwhile, peel the ginger by scraping off the skin with a spoon and finely grate it | Peel and grate the garlic | Rip the stem from the chilli, cut it in half lengthways and remove the seeds if you prefer, then thinly slice | Finely chop two-thirds of the spring onions | Ribbon the remaining spring onions and keep to one side to garnish | Cut the limes in half

Put the cornflour in a shallow bowl | Cut the drained tofu into 8 slices and roll them evenly in the cornflour to coat

Place the frying pan on a medium-high heat | Pour enough vegetable oil into the pan to cover the base generously | Heat until a wooden spoon dipped into the oil sizzles around the edges | Lay the tofu in the pan and fry for 5–6 minutes, turning halfway | Drain on kitchen paper

Pour 1 tablespoon oil into the wok and place over a high heat | Add the grated ginger and garlic, the chopped spring onions and the sliced chilli | Stir-fry for 90 seconds | Sprinkle over the sugar and stir until a syrup forms | Stir in the soy sauce and coconut water | Bring to a rolling boil and cook for roughly 15 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds | Squeeze in the lime juice | Reduce the heat to low

Heat the rice or cook it following the instructions on the packet

To cook the pak choi, put the griddle pan on a high heat | Cut the pak choi into quarters | Put it in a mixing bowl and toss with the sesame oil and salt | Lay the pak choi on the hot griddle pan, cut-side down, and cook until they get black char lines | Transfer to plates

Place the slices of prepared tofu in the wok, one by one, and toss carefully so they’re well covered in the sticky sauce

Divide the rice between plates | Top with the sticky tofu | Drizzle over any leftover sauce | Garnish with reserved spring onions and sesame seeds | Serve with the chargrilled pak choi