Beancurd and Beansprout Spicy Salad

Marinade for tofu:

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup pineapple juice

1/4 brown sugar

1 tablespoon sriracha or other hot sauce

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon grated ginger

300 grams/10 ounces tofu, cut into thin rectangles, pressed and patted to dry

Canola oil for frying

1 cucumber, grated

1 red bell pepper, cut into fine strips
200 grams/7 ounces beansprouts
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1-2 green chilies, thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lime
125 grams/4 ounces shelled skinned peanuts, dry-roasted in a pan and then chopped
Handful of cilantro leaves, chopped

Mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the tofu and marinate for about 30 minutes (or longer if you want). When tofu is removed from marinade, reserve 3 tablespoons of the marinade for the dressing.

Heat oil in a pan either to pan-fry or to deep-fry the tofu. Fry until it is fairly crispy and browned. Allow tofu to cool.

Combine grated cucumber, bell pepper strips, and beansprouts in a salad bowl.

Using about a tablespoon of the frying oil, fry the garlic and chilies for a few minutes, until the garlic is slightly browned. Add the lime juice and the reserved 3 tablespoons of tofu marinade. Stir until the dressing ingredients are combined. Remove from heat.

Add the fried tofu to the salad. Add the dressing and mix. Sprinkle with the crushed peanuts and chopped cilantro leaves.

Serves 4-6.

From World Food Cafe Vegetarian Bible by Chris and Carolyn Caldicott, with some changes