Tofu and Vegetables with Sweet and Sour Sauce

It’s been a while since I last posted… I blame a combination of Christmas, work and having a wisdom tooth removed… So last night I made up for it with three oriental recipes: Tofu and Vegetables with Sweet and Sour Sauce, Tenderstem Broccoli in Oyster Sauce and Salty Spicy Tofu with Peanuts, served with plain rice (i will link other posts once written).

This recipe came from a Madhur Jaffrey cookbook I found some time ago and I made it for two people.

Ingredients:

• Deep fried tofu (available from Chinese supermarkets, or check here)
• One carrot
• 1/2 red pepper
• 1 green pepper
• 2 spring onions

For the Sauce:

• 1tsp cornflour
• 100ml vegetable stock
• 2tbs white wine vinegar (or white vinegar)
• 2tbs sugar
• 1tbs tomato ketchup
• a dash soy sauce (preferably light)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• some ground black pepper
• tiny pinch cayenne pepper
• 1tbs vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic, peeled (not crushed)
• a small piece of ginger, depending on taste

Mix the cornflour with a little of the stock and set aside.

Combine the remaining stock, vinegar, sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper in a bowl – mix.

Heat the oil in a small pan over a medium flame. When hot put in the garlic and ginger. Fry gently until the garlic begins to brown then take off the heat. Pour the vinegar mixture into the pan and return to a low flame, allowing the sauce to heat gently for about 4 minutes. Make sure the cornflour mixture is stirred then add bit my bit to the sauce as it heats until it reaches the desired consistency. Add more salt if you think it needs it – you may want to remove the garlic and ginger. Set the sauce aside.

Peel and chop the carrot in thing diagonal strips, cut in half if necessary. Slice thin strips of pepper and cut the spring onion into pieces about 1 1/2 cm long.

To heat the tofu, cut the pieces, if necessary, then bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Place the tofu in the pan and turn the heat down.

Fry the vegetables in 2tsbs of oil over a medium flame.  Stir fry for about two minutes and turn off the heat.

Remove the tofu using a slotted spoon and let the pieces drain. Gently press with absorbent kitchen towel to remove excess water. Gently heat the sauce.

Serve by placing the tofu on the plate, adjacent to rice. Cover with the vegetables and finally use a spoon to pour sauce over both.

Sweet and sour – easy, home made, delicious.