Vegan Tofu Karaage

Ingredients

For 5 portions

• 🧈 600g firm tofu
• 🥣 60ml soy sauce
• 🍶 30ml wine, rice
• 🍶 15ml mirin
• 🪴 15g ginger
• 🧄 6g garlic
• 🌾 100g potato starch
• 🏺 60ml vegetable oil
• 🍚 320g white rice (dry)
• 🥬 200g green cabbage
• 🍋 30ml lemon juice

Method

1. The day before, freeze the tofu in its pack, then thaw it in the fridge. This gives it a spongy, chewy texture that soaks up the marinade. The minutes given leave out the freezing and thawing.
2. Squeeze out as much water as you can, then tear the tofu into rough bite-sized pieces.
3. Mix the soy sauce, sake, mirin, grated ginger and grated garlic. Add the tofu, toss gently and marinate for 30 minutes.
4. Cook the rice. Shred the cabbage very finely and keep it in iced water until needed, then drain.
5. Lightly squeeze the tofu and toss in the potato starch, pressing it on so each piece is well coated.
6. Heat 3 cm of oil in a deep pan to 170°C. Fry a few pieces at a time for 3 minutes, until pale golden, and rest on a rack for 3 minutes.
7. Heat the oil to 190°C and fry the pieces again for 1 minute, until deep golden and very crisp. The quantity of oil given is what the tofu absorbs.
8. Serve straight away with the rice, cabbage and lemon juice.