World Tofu Day

Today is World Tofu Day. This wonderful meat replacement, ideal for vegans and vegetarians, is enjoyed and appreciated by people all over the world. High in protein with low fat and containing no cholesterol, tofu can be prepared in a variety of delicious ways and can be used in so many dishes as the perfect filler.

Ingredients :

• 180g/6oz firm tofu (drained)


• 256g rice noodles


• 50g Chinese dry mushrooms


• 225g frozen petit pois


• 225g Chinese leaves


• 3 tbsp ground oil


• 3 tbsp finely sliced garlic


• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh root ginger


• 6 fresh red or green chillies (de-seeded and finely shredded)


• 6 water chestnuts (peeled if fresh, rinsed if tinned and sliced)


• 3 spring onions (finely shredded)


• Salt and white pepper


• Fresh coriander leaves to garnish

For the curry sauce:

• 2 tbsp light soy sauce


• 3 tbsp Madras curry powder


• 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry


• 1 tbsp sugar


• 1 can of coconut milk


• Salt and pepper

Serves : 5

Cooks In : 35 min

Difficulty : Medium

Preparation Method :

1. Gently squeeze the tofu to remove the excess water. Cut it into squares and set it to the side.
2. Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of warm water for 25 minutes and then drain them in a colander.
3. Soak the mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes, then drain them and squeeze out the excess liquid. Remove and discard the stems and finely shred the caps into strips.
4. Put the peas into a small bowl to let them thaw. Finely shred the Chinese leaves. Heat the Ultimate Non-Stick Wok over high heat and add the ground oil when the wok is very hot and slightly smoking.
5. Add the garlic, ginger and chillies and stir-fry the mixture for 30 seconds, then add the tofu, water chestnuts, mushrooms, Chinese leaves, spring onions, 1 tsp of salt and ½ tsp of white pepper and stir-fry for a further 1 minute.
6. Add the rice noodles and peas and continue to stir-fry for 2 minutes.
7. Now add all the sauce ingredients and season with salt and pepper, then continue to cook over high heat for another 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
8. Turn the noodles onto a large warm platter, garnish with the coriander leaves and serve immediately. 

Tips :

To give the tofu a firmer consistency, press the tofu several hours in advance of cooking to remove more water. Place the block of tofu between two flat surfaces and apply a weight on top. This will also help the tofu absorb more flavour during cooking.