Pressed fried tofu with Sichuan pepper & plums

Name: Pressed fried tofu with Sichuan pepper & plums
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 280 g pack firm tofu; 1 tbsp sunflower oil; 300 g British plums, cut into wedges; 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted; 3 salad onions. sliced; Sticky rice, to serve (optional)

Plums, acting in a similar way to pineapple in sweet and sour dishes, bring just the right amount of sweet tartness to Ravinda Bhogal's Chinese-inspired dish.

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VeganVegetarian

Serves2
CourseMain meal
Prepare15 mins
Cook20 mins
Total time35 mins

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Ingredients

280g pack firm tofu
1 tbsp sunflower oil
300g British plums, cut into wedges
1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
3 salad onions. sliced
Sticky rice, to serve (optional)

Sauce

90g soft brown sugar
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
25ml light soy sauce
½ tbsp Cooks' Ingredients Gochujang Chilli Paste
15g ginger, grated
2 clove/s garlic, finely chopped
¼ tsp Sichuan peppercorns
1 Thai chilli, finely chopped

Method

Sit the tofu on a plate between 2 thick wads of kitchen paper. Press down gently but firmly to squeeze out as much moisture as possible, then use more kitchen paper to pat the surface of the tofu dry. Cut in half horizontally then in half again so you have 4 equal pieces. Heat the oil in a nonstick frying pan and fry the tofu on all sides for 4-5 minutes in total until crisp and golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Wipe the pan of any excess oil then, to make the sauce, put the sugar and 3 tbsp water in the pan and heat gently for 3-5 minutes until the sugar dissolves and turns into an amber caramel. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and stir to combine. Add the plums and cook until just beginning to soften around the edges (about 5 minutes). Return the tofu to the pan and baste in the sauce. Divide between two plates, scatter with the sesame seeds and salad onions and serve hot with sticky rice (if using).