Korean sesame tofu, zucchini and kimchi stir-fry

Koreans love their chilli, and kochugaru (Korean chilli powder) lends a great flavour and colour to the cuisine. Nicely spiced and balanced with kimchi and a subtle sweetness from honey, this stir-fry is a no-brainer for an impressive, midweek vegetarian dinner. If there are obstinate carnivores at your dining party, a few slices of Chinese barbecue pork should make them happy.

• serves

  2

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 300 g firm tofu, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 100 g frozen edamame or soy beans (see Note)
• 1½ tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 200 g (2 small) zucchinis
• 120 g (1 large) carrot
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp kochugaru (Korean chilli powder) (see Note)
• 2 tsp honey
• ¼ cup kimchi (see Note), sliced, plus extra to serve
• 3 tsp toasted sesame seeds to serve
• steamed brown rice to serve

Instructions

Cover tofu top and bottom with paper towel and sit a plate on top. Set aside for 10 minutes to drain away excess moisture.

Steam or boil edamame for 5 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, slip the beans from the pod.

Cut zucchini into 1 cm dice. Cut carrot into thin matchsticks. Combine the soy sauce, kochugaru, honey and 2 teaspoons water.

Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook, turning occasionally, for 5–6 minutes until golden on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Increase the heat to high and add the remaining sesame oil and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Add the zucchini and carrot and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until the vegetables are almost tender. Add the kochugaru, soy sauce and honey, and toss to combine. Return the tofu and edamame to the wok with the kimchi, season to taste, and toss until warmed through.

Serve stir-fry sprinkled with sesame seeds and extra kimchi on the side.

Note

• Edamame are soy beans in the pod, mostly sold frozen.

• Kochugaru is a medium-hot chilli powder available in Korea and Asian food stores. If unavailable, substitute 2 teaspoons hot paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

• Kimchi is spicy, fermented cabbage. You’ll find kimchi in the refrigerated section of Korean and Asian food stores. If unavailable, simply omit.

Photography by Benito Martin. Styling by Lynsey Fryers.

Mode 26 cm bowl from Royal Doulton. Morso salad server from Country Road.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.