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Firm
(I like the Organic Smoked Tofu from Dragonfly, which is handmade in Devon.) This is the type you need for the nuggets. You’ll find it in the chiller cabinet in a cardboard box, inside which there’s a shrink-wrapped block of tofu with a bit of liquid. Cut open the pack and pour away the water. Sandwich the tofu between a few layers of kitchen roll or a clean tea towel and gently press down for about 20 seconds to get rid of the excess moisture. If you’re using it for a stir fry, it won’t crisp up until you’ve got it really dry, so change the paper a few times and press for longer. For the nuggets recipe, you don’t need to worry so much as the moisture is actually essential for puffing up the crispy shell.
Smoked and marinated
This sort of tofu is what I call ‘beginner’s tofu’ and you can’t go wrong. It also comes in a shrink-wrapped packet but is not at all wet. It can be eaten hot or cold, doesn’t need pressing and it has a stronger flavour than plain tofu (so more interesting for those who consider tofu a wobbly, bland blob). I’ve used this type with the lentil dahl. (I like the Taifun brand, the one with almonds and sesame seeds.)
This chapter contains 25 recipes – five different freezable base recipes, each with four different ways to serve them.
These ways to serve aren’t just ‘serving suggestions’ but proper, full recipes that incorporate the base recipe as a main element. The idea is that you can make big batches of the base but avoid eating the same thing over and over again. The bases are all ‘wet’ things that freeze well and then defrost and reheat quickly and easily. Some of the ways to use them are casual and perhaps best suited to a weeknight dinner or a speedy lunch when you’re just cooking for yourself. Others are smarter and would certainly be up to scratch if you have guests. They’re all simple, easy and nothing takes very long. You’ve invested the time in batch-cooking the base, so the ‘serving suggestions’ are designed to be quick and stress-free.
If you’ve got a big enough pot and enough freezer space, you can, of course, double or even triple these recipes. Just don’t forget to alter your cooking times accordingly.
So, equip yourself with plenty of plastic tubs and a permanent marker to label everything, stick the radio on, grab a drink and let’s cook!
Lentil, tomato and coconut dhal
As a soup with roasted peppers and toasted cashews
With a 6-minute egg and toasted breadcrumbs
With wilted greens, lemon and yoghurt
With seared tofu, avocado, pickles and seeds
Lentil, tomato and coconut dhal
Learn how to make a dhal (a lentil-based curry) and you are opening up a whole world of nutritious, delicious, cheap meals. It is quick to make, so you can whip this up from scratch after work even if you’ve not had time to batch-cook in advance. All the warming spices make this ‘spiced’ (think fragrant and aromatic) not ‘spicy’ (think chilli heat). Add extra chilli flakes if you like it hot.
I’ve used whole tinned plum tomatoes in this one, to add a nice contrast in texture. You can use a ready-made garam masala spice blend or make your own. Either way, make sure your spices are fresh and not from an open packet, shoved in the back of your cupboard, six years out-of-date. Mentioning no names.
Makes 6 portions (approx. 460g each)
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4 tbsp oil (vegetable, sunflower, olive or coconut) or ghee
2 medium onions, peeled and finely diced
5cm piece of root ginger (approx. 30g), peeled and grated or finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and grated or finely chopped
3 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
2 tbsp garam masala (make your own, see here, or buy)
1–2 tsp chilli flakes, to taste
2 tbsp black mustard seeds
500g red lentils, rinsed
2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
1 x 400g tin coconut milk
flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Garam masala
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
½ tsp black peppercorns
4 cardamom pods
2 star anise
2 bay leaves
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat, add the onion, ginger, garlic and a big pinch of flaked sea salt and cook for 10 minutes until softened but not coloured, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, if you’re making your own garam masala, toast the ingredients in a dry pan over a low heat for 1–2 minutes until smelling fantastic, keeping the spices moving. Tip into a pestle and mortar or spice grinder and grind to a fine powder.
Dissolve the bouillon powder in 1 litre of boiling water for the stock. Add the garam masala, chilli flakes and mustard seeds to the onion mixture in the saucepan, stir thoroughly, then add the lentils. Give everything a good mix. Add the tomatoes and the stock and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to low and cook for 20–25 minutes until the lentils are tender and retain no bite, stirring frequently and deeply so the lentils don’t stick and crushing the tomatoes a bit as you go. Add the coconut milk, remove from the heat and season to taste with flaked sea СКАЧАТЬ