Calum Harris’ <internal link> take on a Chinese takeaway comes with a fresh, colourful twist: crispy salt and pepper tofu piled into poke bowls with edamame, avocado, carrot and nori, and drizzled with a punchy ginger, lime and sesame dressing. “All I ask is that you have trust in me, cos this is one of my all-time favourite recipes I’ve made with tofu,” he says. And with good reason.
Even better, the tofu makes four portions, so you can save half for another meal. The finished bowls pack neatly into Tupperware and keep for three days in the fridge, while the crispy tofu will keep for five days – making this one fakeaway that works just as well for meal prep. Simply reheat the tofu for 6-8 minutes at 200C.
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
23 minutes
Salt + pepper crispy tofu serves 4
4
Method
1 For the salt + pepper crispy tofu I ask you to drain the tofu blocks and pop them onto a sheet of kitchen paper. Take them off the sheet, and chop them into small bite-sized cubes, please.
2 Now the cornflour will go into a large mixing bowl, into which we’ll also add the five spice, MSG, a pinch of salt and a few cracks of the pepper. We shall then coat the tofu pieces in the cornflour and set them to the side, ideally on top of a plate, because if you literally set it on the side of your kitchen you’d mess up your countertop.
3 Throw them all into an air fryer basket (or a roasting tray lined with baking paper), cover in a good drizzle of oil and cook at 200C for 13 minutes in an air fryer (or 20 minutes in the oven at the same temperature), flipping them halfway.
4 Ah there’s more. Chop the spring onions, red chillies and garlic into nice thin slices, then fry in a large frying pan in a little glug of oil over a medium heat until they’re crisping and golden.
5 While that’s frying, mix the spice mix ingredients in a small bowl that fits in the palm of your hand. God, you must feel a sense of power right now; believe me, I do, too.
6 Once the veggies are golden, chuck those and the crispy tofu into a large airtight container. You’ll then be required to sprinkle the spice mix all over the top. Close the lid of the container and shake away your troubles, like Zendaya did to Disney when Shake it Up ended. But what could you serve this with, you might be asking…
7 For the poke bowls: OMG. We’re using the salt and pepper tofu that we made earlier! And we’re using it in some stunning pole bowls that take no time at all. WTAF! MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS ME! How lovely are you, Calum?
8 In an air fryer, heat the Salt + Pepper Crispy Tofu for 6-8 minutes at 200C. Then get out a frying pan, stick it over a medium heat and add the edamame, without oil. Let them defrost and cook through; it’ll take 4 minutes.
9 Grate the carrot into thin strands, then slice and cube up the avocado. Sprinkle both with a little salt.
10 In a small jug or bowl, mix all the dressing ingredients and that should make your dressing. If not, then you’ve done it wrong and I’ll complain at you, if you even dare message me.
11 Serve up your bowls, quinoa (or rice) first, tofu on top, then edamame, avo and carrot. Tear over the basil leaves and nori sheets, and that’s you done. Oh and the dressing. Pour evenly over both bowls. And add a helping or sriracha, too. Complete.
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Calum Harris is a vegan recipe creator and bestselling author and recipe taken from Batch: Prep Ahead. Easy Meals. All Plants.
