GUOTA TOFU SESAME PASTE DUMPLINGS

INGREDIENTS

SERVES 2

• 60g sesame paste/sauce

This is an extract from Vegan Chinese Food by Yang Liu. Published by Hardie Grant Books, RRP $45.00, available in stores nationally.

Photography by Katharina Pinczolits.

Ingredients

SERVES 2

• 500g tender or semi-firm tofu, cut into 1cm thick slices

• 250ml sparkling soda water

• 100g cornflour (cornstarch)

• 120ml canola (rapeseed) oil

• 3 garlic cloves, sliced

• 15g piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced in long, thin strips

• 250ml warm water

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons vegan oyster sauce

• 2 fresh red chillies, destemmed and sliced

• 1 spring onion (scallion), sliced

Method

Dip the tofu first in the sparkling water then coat evenly in the cornflour. Heat a wok and, once hot, add 90ml of the oil and pan-fry the tofu until both sides are golden. Remove and set aside.

Add the remaining oil and fry the garlic and ginger over a medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the fried tofu, mix, then add the water, soy sauce and vegan oyster sauce. Mix the tofu well with the sauce.

Allow the sauce to come to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for a few minutes, stirring carefully so the tofu doesn’t stick to the wok.

When most of the sauce has been absorbed by the tofu, add the chilli, mix, and let it simmer for 1 more minute, then add the spring onion.

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 3 tablespoons chilli oil

• ½ teaspoon five spice

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon Chinese dark vinegar

• 1 spring onion (scallion), sliced

• 40 vegan dumplings

• 1 coriander (cilantro) stalk, chopped

METHOD

Divide the sesame paste, chopped garlic, chilli oil, five spice, soy sauce, dark vinegar and spring onion between two bowls.

Bring 2 litres water to the boil. Add the dumplings, stirring regularly so they don’t stick to the pot. When the water comes back to the boil, add 250ml cold water. Stir carefully, and when the water boils again the dumplings should be done. Remove the dumplings with a sieve and divide equally between the two bowls. Mix everything together well and top with the coriander.