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Chilli tofu ramen
Serves 2 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 1⁄2tsp oil (vegetable, groundnut or coconut)
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 slices fresh ginger
- 750ml vegetable stock
- 3tbsp soy sauce
- 1⁄4tsp chilli powder
- 2 nests dried ramen noodles
- 2tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
For the tofu
- 280g firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2tbsp cornflour
- 1 1⁄2tbsp oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 6tbsp sweet chilli sauce (see recipe, below) or shop-bought
For the sweet chilli sauce
- 6 long Thai red chillies
- 3 red bird’s-eye chillies
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1tbp rice vinegar
- 150g granulated sugar
- 1tsp salt
- 1tsp cornflour mixed with 1tbsp water
You will need
- small glass jar, sterilised
Method
To prepare the tofu, dry the cubes on kitchen paper, then put into a bowl and coat with the cornflour. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the oil and fry until golden brown. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant, then stir in the sweet chilli sauce. Once all the ingredients are combined, remove from the heat.
Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium-high heat, add the garlic and ginger and fry for 30 seconds. Add the stock, soy sauce and chilli powder. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer while you cook the noodles.
Cook the ramen noodles in a saucepan of boiling water for 3 minutes until tender, then drain and transfer to serving bowls. Pour the soup over your noodles, arrange the chilli tofu pieces on top and, finally, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and spring onions.
For the sweet chilli sauce
MAKES 1 SMALL JAR
Put the chillies and garlic into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Set to one side.
Add 200ml water, the rice vinegar, sugar and salt into a saucepan and place it over a medium-high heat, stirring gently until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Once dissolved, add the chopped chillies and garlic and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Slowly stir in the cornflour mixture to thicken. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Transfer to a sterilised glass jar. The sweet chilli sauce will keep, chilled, for up to 3 weeks.
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