Tofu katsu kare
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- Easy
- Serves 4 as a side dish
Ingredients
- for deep frying groundnut oil, plus a drizzle for the aubergine
- 400g tin coconut milk
- 1 tbsp tonkatsu sauce
- 1 tbsp mild curry powder
- 2 aubergines, diced
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- a thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1 plum tomato, diced
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- 3 tsp white wine vinegar
- 200g edamame beans, podded
- extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon, zested
- 200g enoki mushrooms, trimmed
- 1 radish, sliced
- 1 spring onion, finely chopped
- a few (optional) red shiso leaves
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- a dash (optional) Frank’s chilli lime garlic sauce
- 150g panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp mixed white or black sesame seeds
- 100g plain flour, seasoned
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 400g firm tofu, cut into 3cm cubes
Method
- STEP 1
To make the katsu sauce, simmer the coconut milk, tonkatsu sauce and curry powder for about 20-30 minutes until reduced by half, thickened and saucy. Season well.
- STEP 2
Fry the aubergine in a drizzle of oil until completely soft, then strain out of the pan with a slotted spoon into a bowl. Fry the garlic and grated ginger for a minute, then add the tomato and spices until fragrant. Add the fried aubergine back to the pan with the sugar and 2 tsp vinegar. Simmer for 5 minutes until the aubergine starts to break down. Season well and take off the heat.
- STEP 3
step 3
Blanch the edamame beans for 2 minutes, then drain well. Tip into a small blender and pulse until you get a coarse purée. Mix in 1 tsp olive oil, the lemon zest and some seasoning.
- STEP 4
To make the enoki, mix the mushrooms, radish, spring onion, and shiso, if using. Whisk the dijon mustard with 1 tsp white wine vinegar and 2 tsp olive oil, then toss with the mushroom mix. Add a dash of Frank’s sauce, if you like.
- STEP 5
Heat a pan of groundnut oil no more than 1/3 full to 180C, or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Mix the panko breadcrumbs and sesame seeds on one plate, and put the flour and egg onto two other plates.
- STEP 6
Dip the tofu cubes into the flour, then egg, then breadcrumb and sesame seed mix. Deep fry the crumbed tofu in batches in the hot oil for about 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.
- STEP 7
Put some of the katsu sauce onto 4 plates. Add a dollop of the crushed edamame and aubergine pickle and sit the tofu on top. Top with the enoki mix to serve.
