Tomato, Tofu and Soy Bean Stew

Tofu is not celebrated enough for its key competency – texture. This recipe is a perfect vehicle for its creamy, yielding nature, accompanied by a sour, sweet, salty symphony of Chinese flavours. You may not automatically associate tomato as a common ingredient in Chinese food, but in the hot summer months, the tomatoes of China are ripe and bountiful flavour bombs found in soups, stews and salads. Use a medium firm or soft tofu for this, and add it at the end, letting it sit and poach in the sauce before serving.

I like the chilli in this amped up to 10 with chilli oil drizzled over the top and some steamy jasmine rice to soak up the goodness. Boiled soy beans (edamame) can be bought pre podded and ready to throw in the mix, making this a quick and tasty way to get a shiz tonne of protein into your life. Small caveat. I rarely cook food like this with measurements, I use my eye and my palate to decide, but in the interests of guidelines, I’ve popped in some measurements, but feel free to subvert how best suits you.

 Ingredients

4 ripe tomatoes cut into large pieces

2T finely julienned ginger

2 cloves garlic finely sliced

1 bag frozen soy beans

300g or 1 packet silken or soft tofu, cut into large cubes

1T sugar

1t salt

¼ cup water

2T red wine vinegar

1T Sesame oil

1T soy sauce

1 red chilli sliced

1 red onion, sliced finely

1t white or black pepper

Chilli oil and finely sliced spring onions to serve

Vegetable oil

Let’s DO This!

1.     Heat oil in a wok or frypan, when hot, add onion, chili, ginger, garlic and stir till fragrant.

2.     Add tomatoes, sesame oil, salt, sugar, pepper, vinegar, soy and water, stir and taste, amp it up to suit your palate.

3.     Add in soybeans and stir through, tomatoes should be firm but cooked through.

4.     Add in tofu and  swirl the pan letting it gently coat, then set aside for flavours to mingle.

5.     Serve over jasmine rice, garnished with chilli oil and spring onions.

6.     Devour.