Vegan Easter treats
Videhi Sivurusan provides Easter-themed and Indianinspired recipes. Follow her on www.videhi.co.za and on Veganise with Videhi on Youtube
For the toufish
300g firm tofu (cut into 2x5cm pieces) 60ml canola oil
½ cup cake flour (seasoned with salt, pepper, 1 tsp each garlic and onion powder)
1 of 19cm x 21cm nori sheet (seaweed)
For the pickle sauce
60ml canola or olive oil
½ tsp black mustard seeds
3 medium onions sliced into rings
1 tsp (5ml) black peppercorns
5 cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
3 star anise
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tbs (15ml) ginger sliced into matchsticks
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbs (15ml) coriander powder
2 tsp (10ml) cumin powder
1 tsp (5ml) cayenne pepper or paprika powder
3-4 dry red chillies
500ml white vinegar
1 ½ tsp (7.5ml) salt
2 tbs (30ml) white or brown sugar 3-4 bay leaves
1 tbs (15ml) cornflour with a little water
Method:
Start with the pickle sauce. Heat the oil in a big, heavy-based pot.
Add the mustard seeds. Once it pops, add the onions and cook until translucent, but still has a crunch. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, star anise and garlic and ginger. Stir and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the coriander powder, cumin powder, cayenne pepper and red chillies. Stir it again. Now carefully add the vinegar, salt, sugar and bay leaves. Stir gently. Cover the pot with a lid.
Bring it to a boil. Pour and stir in the cornflour mixture, cover the pot and let it simmer on low/medium heat for 10 minutes. Once done, turn off the heat.
Slice the nori sheets into 2cm to 3cm thick pieces; along the length of these, cut up 4 strips into small square pieces.
Heat the balance of the oil in a heavy-based pan.
Dredge the tofu in the seasoned flour and fry for 5 minutes on each side on medium heat. Turn off the heat and then add the small pieces of nori. Let it soak for 5 to 8 minutes.
Wrap a strip of nori around each tofu piece and keep aside.
In a small bowl or tray, layer some pickling juice and onions.
Next, place the tofu pieces. Spoon the balance of the pickle sauce and onions over the tofu.
Allow it to cool and then shrink wrap. Let this pickle for two days in the fridge.
When ready, heat in a microwave and serve warm as desired.