Vegetarian Chinese Banquet With Salt & Pepper Cauliflower

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7

Cut approx. 400g [800g] cauliflower into large florets and line a baking tray with tin foil or baking paper

Combine 3 tbsp [6 tbsp] flour and 100ml [180ml] milk in a bowl with a generous pinch of salt and mix everything together – this is your batter

Add the panko breadcrumbs to a plate with 1 tsp [2 tsp] salt and 3 [6] generous grinds of black pepper – this is your salt & pepper coating

Add the cauliflower florets to the batter, coating them all over, then dip them in the salt & pepper coating and transfer to the lined baking tray – this is your salt & pepper cauliflower

Drizzle with vegetable oil and put the tray in the oven for an initial 15 min

While the cauliflower is in the oven, boil a kettle

Drain the tofu, then pat it dry with kitchen paper and cut into strips

Add the tofu strips to a bowl with half the soy sauce (you'll use the rest later!) and mix everything together then set aside to marinate

While the tofu is marinating, combine the white long grain rice with 300ml [600ml] boiled water in an oven-proof dish

Cover the rice tightly with tin foil and once the cauliflower has had an initial 15 min put it in the oven

Cook both for 30 min or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked and the cauliflower is golden and crispy

Meanwhile, slice the chestnut mushrooms finely

Trim, then chop 2 [4] spring onions into thirds

Slice the remaining spring onion[s] finely

Chop the red chilli[es] into rounds

Reboil a kettle

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

Once hot, add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 4-5 min or until beginning to brown

Once browned, add the spring onion thirds with half the ginger & garlic paste (save the rest for later!) and cook for a further 1-2 min or until the spring onion has slightly softened

Remove from the heat and set aside for later – this is your chow mein-style veg

Combine the hoisin sauce and remaining ginger & garlic paste with 150ml [250ml] boiled water in a bowl – this is your hoisin stock

Chop the Tenderstem broccoli into thirds

When the cauliflower and rice have 15 min left, heat a separate, large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the marinated tofu strips to the pan and cook for 3 min on each side or until golden

Meanwhile, add the fine egg noodles to a large bowl, cover them with boiled water and stir for 10 secs to separate the noodles

Set aside to soak for 4 min, then drain

Once the tofu is golden, add the Tenderstem broccoli thirds with 1 tsp [2 tsp] flour and cook for a further 2 min

Add the hoisin stock and toasted sesame oil and cook for 3-4 min or until the sauce has thickened and the Tenderstem broccoli is tender with a slight bite – this is your hoisin Tenderstem broccoli & tofu

While the hoisin tofu is cooking, return the chow mein-style veg to a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the drained noodles to the pan with the remaining soy sauce and 80ml [120ml] boiled water and cook for 2-3 min or until the noodles are coated in sauce – these are your chow mein-style noodles

Tip: Gently separate the noodles with a fork!