Stir-fried tofu, prawns and greens with griddled pineapple

Prep time: 10 minutes, plus 15 minutes weighting time Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves 4

The mixture of prawns and tofu works well, and you can make a packet of prawns go further. The balance of sweet-hot-tart flavours is the key here – you have to keep tasting and adding until you’re happy with it.

INGREDIENTS

– 150g extra-firm tofu

– 15g cornflour, seasoned

– 3½ tbsp groundnut oil

– ¼ tsp chilli flakes

– 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp soft light-brown sugar

– 1 small pineapple, peeled

– 2 tsp caster sugar

– juice of 3 limes

– 2 heads of pak choi, leaves sliced thinly along their length

– 200g sugar snaps, split along their length

– 1 red chilli, halved, deseeded and finely sliced

– 4 garlic cloves, finely sliced

– 1.5cm ginger root, peeled and grated

– 350g raw king prawns

– 2½ tbsp fish sauce

– 10g Thai basil

– 1 tbsp chopped peanuts

METHOD

Drain the tofu, cut it into cubes about 1.5cm square and put into a baking tin on a double layer of kitchen paper. Cover with another double layer of paper. Put a baking tin or sheet on top and weight it (you can use tins). Leave for 15 minutes.

Toss the tofu cubes in the seasoned cornflour and shake off the excess –ifithastoomuch sticking to it, the tofu won’t get crisp. Heat a tablespoon and a half of oil in a wok or frying pan and, when it’s really hot, add the tofu. You need to get a good colour all over it and lovely crisp edges too, so don’t move it at first. Let it colour before turning over to the other sides. Remove with a slotted spoon on to a double layer of kitchen paper (to soak up the excess fat). Season and sprinkle on the chilli flakes and a teaspoon of the sugar, then set aside.

Cut the pineapple lengthways into eight fingers, then cut the hard core out of each. Heat a griddle or frying pan until really hot and cook the fruit, sprinkling on a little sugar, until it’s soft and scorched (about four minutes). Add the juice of two limes. It will bubble away to coat the pineapple. Cover to keep warm.

Heat two tablespoons of oil in another frying pan or wok and add the pak choi. Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the sugar snaps, tofu, chilli, garlic and ginger. Cook for a minute, then throw in the prawns. Cook, tossing everything around, until the prawns have turned pink. Add the fish sauce, the rest of the sugar and lime juice, and then the basil.

Serve the prawns and tofu with rice and the griddled pineapple fingers. Scatter the peanuts on top.