Crispy tofu with spring onions recipe

With just five basic ingredients, you really can create a dish that your family and friends will think you’ve spent days preparing. Aromatic spring onions and crispy tofu are served with a rich, tasty, fermented chilli bean sauce. This is traditional Chinese cooking at its simplest.

Prep time: 2 minutes | Cooking time: 10 minutes

SERVES

Three to four

INGREDIENTS

• 340g firm tofu

• 2 tbsp groundnut oil

• 300g spring onions, cut into 2½cm lengths

• 2 tsp chilli bean paste

• ½ tsp sugar

• 1 tsp light soy sauce

METHOD

1. Slice the tofu into 2cm cubes and pat dry.

2. Heat a non-stick wok with half of the oil and fry the tofu cubes until golden brown on all sides.

3. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Heat the remaining oil over a medium heat, then add the spring onions and fry for one minute.

4. Return the fried tofu to the pan with the chilli bean paste, sugar and soy. Fry for a further one or two minutes. Serve hot.

Recipe from The Veggie Chinese Takeaway Cookbook by Kwoklyn Wan, published by Hardie Grant (£15). Order your copy from books.telegraph.co.uk