Floral bedspread (used as tablecloth), $75 at Morningstar Trading Co. Ltd. Chopsticks and melamine dish, stylist’s own.BARRY & KIRN
When making chickpea tofu, tasting is essential.
As long as there's a tacky, floury taste left on your palate, it still needs time on the stove.
Servings: 3 to 4 as side or starter
Tofu
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup superfine
chickpea flour
1 tsp (heaping) ground turmeric
1 tsp (heaping) salt
1½ cups lukewarm water
1½ cups water simmering
in a deep sided, heavy-bottomed pot on
medium heat
To garnish:
3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
½ bunch coriander,
roughly chopped
2 tbsp Chinese
black vinegar
2 to 4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
¼ cup toasted peanuts, crushed
1 to 2 tbsp toasted
chili oil
2 tbsp fried garlic with oil (recipe below)
Fried garlic
½ cup vegetable oil
10 garlic cloves, finely minced
Method
Tofu:
Grease a high-sided glass or plastic square container with vegetable oil. Set aside.
Place chickpea flour, turmeric and salt into a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. In three parts, whisk in the lukewarm water until a smooth paste with almost no lumps is formed. Slowly pour the paste into the simmering water, whisking the whole time.
Continue whisking. In 3 to 4 minutes, bubbles should start forming in the middle of the pan. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Taste the mixture and continue cooking until the flour has been fully cooked through.
Pour the mixture into the greased container. Place a piece of cling film directly on the surface. Cool to room temperature and place in the fridge to allow it to fully set (1 to 2 hours).
Loosen the edges around the container with a paring knife and flip the tofu onto a cutting board. Cut into bite sized pieces.
In a bowl, add 3 cups of the tofu, sesame seeds, coriander, black vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and peanuts. Gently mix together so as not to break up the tofu. Taste. The mixture should be salty, then sour with a hint of sweetness. Adjust seasoning as needed.
Spoon the tofu mixture onto a serving dish and garnish with chilli oil and fried garlic.
Fried garlic:
Heat the oil in a small pot over medium heat. Place a pinch of the garlic in the oil. When it gently sizzles, add the rest and cook, stirring constantly. When the garlic is a light golden colour, remove it from the heat but keep it in oil where it will continue to cook.