Seeded Wasabi Tofu

Tofu is a brilliant blank canvas for adding flavour to, and the firm variety holds really well when fried. Here I’ve coated it in fiery wasabi paste and sesame seeds before cooking it until crunchy, yet still soft in the middle. This delicate Japanese-inspired salad is simply delicious and works brilliantly with tofu.

Ingredients

• 450g/1 lb firm silken tofu

• 2 tsp wasabi paste

• 3 tbsp sesame seeds

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tbsp cornflour

• vegetable oil, for frying

For the salad

• 100g/3 1/2 oz frozen peas, defrosted

• 100g/3 1/2 oz frozen podded edamame beans, defrosted

• 150g/5 1/2 oz radishes, sliced or quartered

• 10g/ 1/4 oz sliced pickled ginger, cut into strips

• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

• 1 tbsp groundnut oil

• juice of 1 lime

• 2 tsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp honey

The Flexible Vegetarian by Jo Pratt

Directions

First, make the salad. Put the peas, edamame, radishes and ginger in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix together the sesame oil, groundnut oil, lime juice, soy sauce and honey, then pour over the salad. Toss to combine.

Drain the tofu and cut into eight slices about 1cm / 1/2 inch thick. Pat dry on kitchen paper, then spread a little wasabi paste on one side of each slice.

Mix the sesame seeds, salt and cornflour together on a plate. Press the wasabi-coated tofu slices into the seeds until evenly coated all over.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan over a medium–low heat.

Cook the tofu slices for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden.

Serve straight away with the salad.

Flexible

You can coat and pan fry steak in the same way as the tofu. Simply coat the same quantity of frying, minute or sandwich steak in the wasabi and seed mix and cook as per the method above. Leave to rest for a minute or so before slicing into pieces and serving with the salad