Sweetcorn mapo tofu
This spicy vegan Chinese dish is perfect for a Friday night in.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp peanut oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2.5cm/1in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fermented salted black beans, rinsed and crushed
- 1 tbsp chilli bean paste
- 150g/5½oz fresh sweetcorn kernels
- 250g/9oz firm tofu, drained, sliced into 2.5cm/1in cubes
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 tbsp tamari or low sodium light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp black rice vinegar or balsamic
- 200ml/7fl oz hot vegetable stock (made using ½ a stock cube or stock pot)
- 1 tbsp Sichuan preserved vegetables in chilli oil, finely chopped (available from Asian supermarkets)
- 1 tbsp cornflour, blended with 2 tbsp cold water
To serve
- 2 pinches ground toasted Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 spring onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
- 1 small handful fresh coriander, leaves and stems roughly chopped
- cooked jasmine rice
Method
Heat the peanut oil in wok over a high heat then add the garlic, ginger and chilli. Stir-fry for a few seconds, then add the fermented salted black beans, chilli bean paste, sweetcorn and tofu and stir-fry for 10 seconds.
Add the rice wine, tamari, vinegar and stock and bring to the boil. Stir in the Sichuan preserved vegetables and blended cornflour.
Garnish with the ground peppercorns, spring onion, sesame seeds, coriander and serve with some cooked jasmine rice.
