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Sticky Lemon Cauliflower and Tofu

By OcadoLife
Award-winning author and cook Anna Jones created this budget-friendly, vegan Sticky Lemon Cauliflower and Tofu, which is inspired by a Chinese takeaway favourite of her youth. “The punch of lemon in the sauce really…
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Time and servings

Total time
Servings
Prep time
Cooking time

Ingredients

17 total
  • 250g brown basmati rice, rinsed
  • 120g plain flour
  • 2 tbsp rice flour
  • 1 large garlic clove, crushed or grated
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tbsp nigella seeds
  • 1 cauliflower, cut into small florets
  • 1 tsp (approx.) sea salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil, to drizzle
  • 280g firm tofu, cut into 2 cm pieces
  • 4 baby cucumbers, thickly sliced
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp brown sugar, plus 60g for the lemon sauce
  • 25g mint, leaves picked, large leaves torn
  • 25g coriander, leaves picked, large leaves torn
  • 3 unwaxed lemons, 1 thinly sliced (reserve 2 whole slices for the salad) and quartered, zest and juice of 2
  • 1.5 tsp cornflour

Method

6 steps
  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6; line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Cook the rice to pack instructions.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, whisk the plain and rice flours, garlic, turmeric and nigella seeds with 200ml water to make a thick batter; season.

  3. Step 3

    Toss the cauliflower florets with a good pinch sea salt, drop into the batter and stir to coat. Transfer to a baking tray, drizzle with oil and bake for 35 mins. Repeat with the tofu; bake for 20 mins.

  4. Step 4

    Toss the cucumbers with the vinegar, ½ tsp sugar and a pinch of salt. Finely chop the reserved lemon slices; add to the cucumber along with the mint and coriander.

  5. Step 5

    For the lemon sauce, put the quartered lemon pieces in a pan with the zest, juice, 60g brown sugar, ½ tsp sea salt and 160ml water. Simmer for 4 mins or until the sugar dissolves. Mix the cornflour with 1½ tbsp water; gradually stir into the sauce until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

  6. Step 6

    Pour the warm sauce over the cauliflower and tofu. Serve with the rice and salad.