Salt-and-pepper tofu with charred tenderstem and lime

Serves - 4

You’ll need

• 400g firm tofu
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus a little extra if needed
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely grated or finely chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 200g tenderstem broccoli
• Juice of 1 lime
• Zest of 1 lime
• Small handful coriander, roughly chopped
• Black pepper

Method

1. Get the tofu properly dry

Drain the tofu and press it well between clean tea towels or kitchen paper to remove as much moisture as you can. Cut it into bite-sized cubes. This bit matters rather more than people sometimes hope. Dry tofu is far more likely to crisp up properly instead of simply steaming and sulking in the pan.

2. Coat the tofu

Put the tofu into a bowl with the cornflour, half the black pepper and a small pinch of the salt, then toss gently until each piece is lightly coated. You are after a fine, even coating rather than anything thick and claggy.

3. Start the tenderstem

Heat a large frying pan or griddle pan over a medium-high heat. Add the tenderstem with a small splash of water or a trickle of oil and cook for 4–5 minutes, turning now and then, until just tender and lightly charred in places. You want it bright and still with a bit of bite, not limp and overfamiliar. Lift it onto a plate and keep it to one side.

4. Crisp the tofu

Add the vegetable oil to the pan and, once hot, add the tofu. Cook for 8–10 minutes, turning every so often, until golden and crisp on all sides. Let it get on with it rather than fussing too much. A bit of stillness is what gets you those properly bronzed edges.

5. Add the salt-and-pepper flavour

Turn the heat down slightly and add the garlic, ginger, chilli flakes, spring onions, the remaining salt and the rest of the black pepper. Toss everything together for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and the tofu is properly coated. It should smell lively and sharp, with a little heat but not so much that it bullies everything else.

6. Bring it all together

Return the tenderstem to the pan and add the lime juice and most of the lime zest. Toss gently so the tofu and tenderstem pick up all those good salty, peppery, gingery bits without losing their texture.

7. Serve

Pile onto plates or a serving dish and finish with the coriander and the remaining lime zest. Serve straight away while the tofu is still crisp and the tenderstem still has a bit of char and bite to it. Very good with rice or noodles if you want to make it go a little further.

A couple of helpful notes
- Firm tofu is the right call here. Silken tofu will only make life unnecessarily difficult.
- If you want a little more heat, add an extra pinch of chilli flakes at the end rather than overdoing it at the start.
- A squeeze of lime right before serving makes a real difference, so do not skip that final sharp little lift.