Salt and pepper tofu

The tofu is soft on the inside and crisp on the outside. It combines beautifully with salty sweet stir-fried Chinese broccoli (gai larn).

INGREDIENTS

250g silken tofu, cut into 6 pieces

60ml fish sauce

60g tapioca flour

500ml canola oil, for deep frying, plus extra 1½ tablespoons

1 teaspoon Salt and pepper mix

3 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned

1 spring onion, cut into 2 cm lengths

4 chinese broccoli stems, cut into 3 cm pieces

1 1/2 tablespoons chinese rice wine

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

60ml Chicken stock

1 teaspoon caster sugar

1/2 long red chilli, julienned, to garnish

METHOD

Dip the tofu in the fish sauce, then dust in the tapioca flour to coat.

Heat the oil in a wok or large heavy-based saucepan to 160°C, or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil turns brown in 25–30 seconds. Deep-fry the tofu until golden and crispy, for about 6–8 minutes. Drain on paper towel, then dust in the salt and pepper mix. Pour off the frying oil from the wok.

To continue preparing the dish, heat 1½ tablespoons fresh oil in the wok over a medium–high heat and stir-fry the ginger for about 30 seconds. Add the spring onion and Chinese broccoli and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, then pour in the Chinese cooking wine and boil, stirring, for 30 seconds to deglaze the wok. Stir in the soy and oyster sauces, chicken stock and sugar, and cook for 2–3 minutes.

Arrange the stir-fried vegetable mixture on a serving plate and place the crisp tofu to the side or on another plate. Garnish the vegetables with the chilli.

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