Serves 4
Ingredients:
Smashed Cucumber Salad:
2 large English cucumbers
Pinch salt
Pinch sugar
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp Staffords Thick Soy Sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp white sesame seeds, lightly toasted
Pinch dried chilli flakes
Handful fresh coriander leaves
Tofu:
400g extra-firm tofu
75g cornstarch
75g flour
½ tsp baking powder
Pinch sea salt
125ml vodka
125ml water
Neutral oil, for frying
1 Tbsp neutral oil
1 tsp Staffords Garlic Paste
1 tsp Staffords Ginger Paste
1 tsp Staffords Chilli Paste
125ml Staffords Thick Teriyaki Sauce
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
4 Tbsp water
2 tsp white sesame seeds, lightly toasted
To serve:
White rice, optional
1 spring onions, sliced
Method:
For the cucumber salad:
Slice each cucumber lengthwise into 4 and cut out the seeds.
Place the pieces skin side up on a chopping board.
Lay a clean dish cloth over them to reduce splatter.
Using a rolling pin or similar, smash down along the cucumber pieces breaking them down as you go along.
Once smashed, slice into diagonal pieces.
Place cucumber pieces in a metal strainer set over a bowl.
Toss with a big pinch of salt and sugar.
Allow to sit for 30 minutes at room temperature, or in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
In a small bowl, combine the rice vinegar, sesame oil, Staffords Thick Soy Sauce, salt and sugar.
When ready to serve, shake cucumbers well to drain off any remaining liquid.
Toss with the dressing and transfer to a serving bowl.
Sprinkle with chilli flakes, sesame seeds and garnish with fresh coriander.
For the tofu:
Heat neutral oil in a medium sized pot or wok to 180˚C / set deep fryer to 180˚C.
Line a baking tray with paper towel.
Slice the block of tofu and place tofu slices on top in a single layer.
Cover with another layer of paper towel and press gently to remove excess moisture.
Once dried, slice into bite sized cubes.
Whisk together the cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add water and vodka and whisk until smooth.
Working in batches, add tofu cubes to the batter and carefully turn to coat.
Remove tofu one piece at a time and allow excess batter to drip off.
Carefully lower into hot oil.
Repeat with remaining tofu.
Fry until evenly pale golden and crisp all over, about 5 minutes.
Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking tray.
Repeat until all tofu is fried.
In a large frying pan heat the tablespoon of neutral oil.
Fry off the Staffords pastes for a minute until fragrant.
Pour in the Staffords Thick Teriyaki sauce, the rice wine vinegar and water.
Bring to a simmer.
Add a little extra water if you reduce accidentally – you want the sauce thick and glossy but be able to evenly and easily coat all the tofu.
Add the fried tofu to the teriyaki sauce mixture.
Toss to coat well.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
To serve:
Spoon some fluffy white rice into bowls.
Top with a generous heap of glossy glazed teriyaki tofu.
Spoon in some smashed cucumber salad and sprinkle the bowls with spring onions.
Serve and enjoy!