You will definitely surprise yourself with this one. It is an extremely delicious dish that's quick and straightforward to make, but looks as if it's been prepared at a top Chinese restaurant. It is fiery, both from the chiles and the black pepper; you can moderate this by reducing their quantity a little. However, the whole point is spiciness so don't go too far.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　1 3/4 lbs firm tofu

　　Vegetable oil for frying

　　Cornstarch to dust the tofu

　　11 tbsp butter

　　12 small shallots (12 ounces in total), thinly sliced

　　8 fresh red chiles (fairly mild ones), thinly sliced

　　12 garlic cloves, crushed

　　3 tbsp chopped fresh ginger

　　3 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)

　　3 tbsp light soy sauce

　　4 tsp dark soy sauce

　　2 tbsp sugar

　　5 tbsp coarsely crushed black peppercorns (use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder)

　　16 small and thin green onions, cut into 1 1/4-inch segments

　　

Step 1

Start with the tofu. Pour enough oil into a large frying pan or wok to come 1/4 inch up the sides and heat. Cut the tofu into large cubes, about 1 x 1 inch. Toss them in some cornstarch and shake off the excess, then add to the hot oil. (You'll need to fry the tofu pieces in a few batches so they don't stew in the pan.) Fry, turning them around as you go, until they are golden all over and have a thin crust. As they are cooked, transfer them onto paper towels.

　　

Step 2

Remove the oil and any sediment from the pan, then put the butter inside and melt it. Add the shallots, chiles, garlic and ginger. Sauté on low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients have turned shiny and are totally soft. Next, add the soy sauces and sugar and stir, then add the crushed black pepper.

　　

Step 3

Add the tofu to warm it up in the sauce for about a minute. Finally, stir in the green onions. Serve hot, with steamed rice.

　　From Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi © 2011 by Yotam Ottolenghi. Reprinted with permission by Chronicle Books.Buy the full book from Chronicle Books, or Amazon, or Bookshop.