michelle picker cooks

Firm tofu lends itself to frying and is a perfect vehicle for a tasty sauce.

Cut a 400g (14 oz) block of tofu into flat squares, dry them with a paper towel and dredge with a little cornflour (cornstarch). Heat some peanut or other neutral vegetable oil in a frypan and fry the tofu over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Remove to a plate and set aside. Trim some green beans and cut some carrots and red peppers into strips. Boil a pot of water and blanch each vegetable separately for a minute or two. Refresh under cold water and set aside. Mince 2-3 cloves of garlic and an equal amount of fresh ginger. Make a sauce from 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, ¼ of a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper and 2 teaspoons of chilli oil. Now heat some oil in a wok until smoking hot and add the vegetables with a sprinkling of salt. Stir fry for a few minutes until the vegetables are almost cooked to your liking. Now add the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds followed by the tofu. Add the sauce and continue to stir fry for 1-2 minutes until everything is well coated. Serve with steamed rice.