Tofu Schnitzel Fingers with Idiot Slaw
Some dishes are like a conjuring act – you can’t believe they are possible. This is one of them. Cook it and be amazed that it tastes any good at all. This is perhaps the greatest proof of the famous ‘everything is better crumbed’ dictum that I espouse. BTW, as I sometimes dress like a camp music hall magician who has seen better days this recipe seems doubly right. Tah-dah! Serves 4 Prep 20 mins (plus 20 mins chilling) Cooking 25 mins
50g (1/3 cup) plain flour 100g (2 cups) panko
breadcrumbs
2 eggs
600g firm tofu, cut into
1cm-thick slices
1/4 white or red cabbage, hard core removed and leaves finely shredded
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar sea salt grapeseed or vegetable oil,
for shallow-frying coriander leaves, to serve
Fake “HP” Sauce
80g (1/4 cup) finely chopped
plump Medjool dates
2 whole cloves
60ml (1/4 cup) malt vinegar
115g tamarind purée
60ml (1/4 cup) tomato sauce 2 tbsp treacle
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp brown sugar, plus extra
if needed
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground allspice sea salt
Sprinkle the flour and breadcrumbs over separate plates. Lightly beat the eggs in shallow bowl. Dip the tofu slices in the flour and shake off the excess. Dip in the egg and then in the breadcrumbs, pressing firmly to coat. Arrange on a plate in a single layer and place in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make your sauce. Combine the dates, cloves, vinegar and 60ml (1/4 cup) of water in a small saucepan and cook gently over low heat for 3–5 minutes or until the date has softened and broken down. Press the date mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. Discard any solids. Wipe out the pan, then add the sieved liquid.
Add all the remaining sauce ingredients (except the salt) and cook gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until thickened. Taste and adjust the flavour by adding salt and more brown sugar if required. The flavour should be fruity, then tangy, then sweet. Leave to cool.
Toss the cabbage with the vinegar and season with salt.
Pour enough grapeseed or vegetable oil into a heavy-based frying pan to come 1cm up the side and heat over medium heat. Working in batches, carefully add the tofu and cook for 2–3 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain.
Divide the tofu and cabbage among plates, scatter a few coriander leaves over the cabbage and serve with the sauce.
Tip While people will be impressed by the impression of HP Sauce, don’t worry if you don’t have time to make it. Just use a shopbought version instead. Okonomiyaki sauce from your local Japanese supermarket will work just as well.