Black Pepper Tofu

== Description ==
This recipe is from Yotam Ottolenghi's vegetarian cookbook "Plenty". It was published in guardian.co.uk
* Serves four.
== Ingredients ==
* 800 g firm tofu
* vegetable oil, for frying
* cornflour, for dusting the tofu
* 150 g butter
* 12 shallots (350g), thinly sliced
* 8 mild red chillies, thinly sliced
* 12 garlic cloves, crushed
* 3 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
* 3 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
* 3 tbsp light soy sauce (shoyu)
* 4 tsp dark soy sauce (tamari)
* 2 tbsp caster sugar
* 5 tbsp black peppercorns, coarsely crushed (use a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder)
* 16 small, thin spring onions, cut into 3cm segments 
== Directions ==
# Start with the tofu.
# Pour enough oil into a large frying pan or wok to come 5mm up the sides; heat up.
# Meanwhile, cut the tofu into large cubes, about 3cm x 2cm, toss them in cornflour and shake off any excess.
# Add the tofu to the hot oil in batches (so it doesn't stew) and fry, turning it around as you go, until golden all over and with a thin crust.
# As each batch is cooked, transfer the tofu pieces to kitchen paper.
# Remove the oil and any sediment from the pan, then add the butter.
# Once it has melted, add the shallots, chillies, garlic and ginger, and sauté on a low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients have turned shiny and are totally soft.
# Next, add the soy sauces and sugar, stir, then add the crushed black pepper.
# Add the tofu to warm it up in the sauce for about a minute, stir in the spring onions and serve hot, with steamed rice.
Category:Tofu Recipes
Category:Main Dish Recipes
Category:Side Dish Recipes