BOSH!: Simple Recipes. Amazing Food. All Plants. The fastest-selling cookery book of the year. Henry Firth
(check the packet instructions to make sure you don’t fully cook them) | Drain and run under cold water | Set aside
Peel and chop the onion and garlic | Rip the stem from the chilli and chop, removing the seeds if you prefer a milder flavour | Trim the carrot and cut into matchsticks
Put the wok back on a high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil | Add the onion, garlic and chilli and cook, stirring regularly, for 1–2 minutes | Add the carrot and cook for another 1–2 minutes | Add the noodles, dressing and a splash of water | Fry for a few minutes until the vegetables are tender
Return the tofu to the wok with the beansprouts | Cut 1 lime in half and squeeze in the juice, catching any pips in your other hand | Add the soy sauce | Stir-fry until the vegetables are slightly soft but still crunchy | Remove from the heat | Taste and add soy or chilli sauce if needed
Slice the green part of the spring onions into long, thin strips | Break up the peanuts | Cut the remaining limes into wedges
Divide the pad Thai between bowls with piles of sliced onion, peanuts, lime wedges and chilli flakes | Serve with sweet chilli sauce or sriracha on the side, if using
PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM BURGERS
The herbs are absolutely delicious in this dish and perfectly complement the earthy, rustic flavour of the portobello mushrooms. You could make these with pitta bread if you want a healthier option, then fill the bread with as many veggies as you see fit.
SERVES 4
8 portobello mushrooms (about 325g)
4 garlic cloves
6 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 tsp olive oil
4 tsp balsamic glaze
4 good-quality burger buns
1 beef tomato
1 baby gem lettuce
½ small red onion
4 tbsp ketchup
4 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
salt and black pepper
Preheat oven to 200°C or heat the BBQ | Cut 8 squares of foil big enough to wrap your mushrooms | Baking sheet
Lay the mushrooms out on a clean surface with the stalks pointing up | Peel and mince the garlic and spread it evenly over the mushrooms | Remove the leaves from the herbs by running your thumb and forefinger from the top to the base of the stems (the leaves should easily come away), then finely chop and sprinkle evenly over the mushrooms
Drizzle each mushroom with olive oil and balsamic glaze and lightly season with salt and pepper | Wrap each mushroom in a square of foil and place them on the baking sheet or on the hot BBQ | Put the tray in the oven, if using, and cook for 20 minutes
Meanwhile, slice the burger buns in half | Slice the tomato, separate the lettuce leaves and peel and thinly slice the onion | Drizzle some ketchup over the base of each bun and vegan mayo over the tops
Take the mushrooms out of the oven or off the BBQ | Carefully remove the foil (watch out for steam) and place 2 mushrooms on each bun base | Add the tomato slices, a couple of lettuce leaves and a few slices of onion, put the tops on and enjoy
CRISPY CHILLI TOFU
This is our take on one of our favourite Chinese takeaway dishes. It’s spicy, full of umami flavour, sticky, gooey and incredibly moreish. Often when you buy this kind of dish it’s filled with MSG, but ours is much healthier, with a base of orange juice and sweet chilli sauce adding the main sweet tang. Serve with Perfectly Boiled Rice (see here) or Special Fried Rice (see here).
SERVES 2–4
1 x 280g block firm tofu
150g cornflour
vegetable oil, for frying
2 lemons
250ml orange juice
100g sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp sriracha or other chilli sauce
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 spring onion, to serve
1 tsp sesame seeds, to serve
Tofu press or 2 clean tea towels and a weight such as a heavy book | Large, deep frying pan on a high heat | Large plate covered with kitchen paper
First, press the tofu using a tofu press or place it between two clean tea towels, lay it on a plate and put a weight on top | Leave for at least half an hour to drain any liquid and firm up before you start cooking
Carefully slice the pressed tofu into 1cm-wide sticks and spread them out on a board | Sift cornflour over the top, coating the pieces generously | Use tongs or two forks to turn the pieces and sift over more cornflour until the tofu is covered on all sides | The thicker the better with the cornflour as this coating gives the cooked tofu its crunchy texture
Pour enough oil into the pan to fully coat the bottom and heat until it makes the tip of a wooden spoon sizzle | Carefully place the tofu pieces in the pan, with a bit of space around each one (you may need to cook them in batches) | Cook for 5 minutes, turning the pieces every minute or so until they are starting to turn golden brown | Transfer to the plate lined with kitchen paper | Tip away the excess oil in the pan and reduce the heat to medium-high
Cut the lemons in half and squeeze the juice into the pan, catching any pips in your other hand (be careful as the pan may spit) | Add the orange juice, sweet chilli sauce, sriracha and soy sauce and bring to the boil | Simmer for 5–7 minutes until the liquid has reduced to a syrupy consistency
Add the tofu strips back to the pan and stir until fully coated | Continue to cook, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes and then remove from the heat | Finely slice the spring onion and sprinkle over the tofu along with the sesame seeds before serving
JACKFRUIT TACOS
Jackfruit is a fantastic and crowd-pleasing ingredient with a fibrous texture and flesh that soaks up flavour brilliantly, but it can be hard to find. Try your local Asian supermarket and be sure to choose green jackfruit in water. These tacos are perfect finger food, combining tasty jackfruit with a Mexican combo of zingy salsa and creamy guacamole.
SERVES 6
1 x serving Guacamole (shop-bought or see here)
1 x serving Salsa (shop-bought or see here)
1 x 400g tin young green jackfruit in water
1 white onion
4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
100ml vegetable stock
½ tsp Tabasco sauce
4 limes
1½ tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp smoked paprika
½–1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp salt
handful