Black Pepper Tofu Stir Fry With Rice

Drain your tofu and pat it dry with kitchen paper

Tear the tofu into bite-sized pieces

Add the torn tofu to a large bowl with most of your cornflour (save a little for later!), your five-spice mix and umami seasoning and give everything a good mix up until all the tofu is coated – this is your coated tofu

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a generous drizzle of vegetable oil over a high heat

Once hot, add the coated tofu to the pan and cook for 8-10 min, turning occasionally or until golden and crisp – this is your crispy tofu

Once done, transfer the tofu to kitchen paper and set aside, reserve the pan

Meanwhile, add your white long grain rice to a pot with a lid with 225ml [300ml] [450ml] cold water and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 12-15 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once done, remove from the heat and set aside (lid on) to steam until serving

Meanwhile, peel and finely slice your brown onion[s]

Deseed your pepper[s] (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and cut into thin strips

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Trim, then slice your spring onion[s] finely on the diagonal

Combine the remaining cornflour and your soy sauce in a bowl with your Chinese rice wine, red chilli relish, 75ml [100ml] [130ml] cold water and 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar – this is your stir fry sauce

Return the reserved pan to a high heat and once hot, add the sliced onion and pepper strips with a small pinch of salt and cook for 4-5 min or until softened

Once softened, reduce the heat to medium and add your ginger paste and cracked black pepper (not a fan of pepper? Just add a little!) with the chopped garlic

Cook for a further 1 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, return the crispy tofu to pan with the stir fry sauce and cook for 1-2 min or until the sauce has thickened and the tofu is well coated – this is your black pepper tofu stir fry