Sticky Black Tofu

Method

1. Press the tofu if necessary. Then slice into 2cm cubes and transfer to a dish just large enough to contain the tofu pieces.
2. Peel the ginger and garlic, then add them to a small blender along with the Chinese 5 spice, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar and 2 tbsp of water. Blend until smooth. Alternatively, finely dice the garlic and ginger, and combine everything in a small bowl. Pour the marinade over the tofu and give everything a good mix. It’s important the tofu pieces are submerged at least halfway in the marinade. If they’re not, try using a smaller dish. Cover and marinade in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
3. Transfer the tofu pieces to a mixing bowl, shaking off as much of the marinade as possible (keep the marinade because you’ll be using it later). Scatter 3 tbsp of the cornflour over the tofu and use a spoon to mix the cornflour into the tofu, being careful not to break the tofu.
4. Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. As soon as the oil is hot, carefully add the tofu and fry on each side for 3-4 minutes or until the tofu is crispy on all sides. Avoid moving the tofu around too much, otherwise the sticky coating will get stuck to the pan.
5. Meanwhile cook the rice as per the packet instructions.
6. As soon as the tofu is crispy all over, remove it from the pan and carefully wipe the pan clean with kitchen paper. Return the pan and reduce the heat to low, then pour in the marinade, scooping out as much of the marinade as possible from the dish. Next, mix the remaining 1 tbsp of cornflour in a small bowl with 2 tbsp of water, then pour it into the pan along with the orange juice. Stir the sauce and cook it gently for 10-15 minutes until it thickens into a sticky gravy-like sauce. It’s important you cook it slowly and give it time to cook so the flavours mingle and to remove the bitterness from the garlic. As soon as it’s ready, stir the tofu back in until it’s completely covered in the sticky sauce.
7. Add the cooked rice to the bowls, followed by the sticky black tofu and sprinkle sesame seeds over the top. Chop the spring onion and green chilli, then scatter over the top. Yum!