Panko Crusted Tofu with Lemongrass Broth, Noodles and Poached Eggs.

I've had a weekend of solitude and of relaxation, mix that with the return of Masterchef the Professionals and I start cooking - a lot! I had some smoked tofu to use up from earlier in the week and on researching tofu recipes, I came across this interesting Japanese influed recipe frmo Bon Appetit (all recipe credit goes to them, of course). This is a very nourishing and healthy recipe with a lot of interesting flavours and textures. I have changed the text in the recipe a litte bit as well as teh ingredients to match what I had to use on the day.

Panko Crusted Tofu with Lemongrass Broth, Noodles and Poached Eggs.

I have tried to organise this in sequential order for you to follow.

Serves 1 


Radishes and Tofu

• 5 small radishes, trimmed, sliced
• 50ml organic cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 packet of firm tofu - sliced thickly
•  2 tablespoons cornstarch
•  2 large egg whites
• 1/2 box of panko breadcrumbs 
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon  sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• Vegetable oil

• Mix radishes, cider vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt in small bowl. Cover; leave to absorb for 1 hour.
• Stack several layers of paper towels on work surface. Arrange tofu on towels; drain 30 minutes, patting tops dry occasionally.
• Whisk cornstarch and egg whites in shallow dish until cornstarch dissolves. Put panko breadcrumbs into another shallow dish. Mix salt, sugar, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder in small bowl.
• Working with 1 piece at a time, sprinkle tofu on both sides with salt mixture. Dip tofu into egg-white mixture, then crumb mixture to coat on all sides. Put to one side.

Lemongrass Broth

Ingredients

• 500ml water
• 1 handful of coarsely chopped cabbage
• 1 large white onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 fresh mushrooms
•  2 large whole lemongrass stalks, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 1 large head of garlic, cut crosswise in half
• 1/3 cup (packed) chopped fresh basil
• 1/3 cup (packed) chopped fresh mint
• 1/3 cup (packed) chopped fresh tarragon

• Combine first 6 ingredients in large pot. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes.
• Turn off heat under broth. Add basil, mint, and tarragon. Steep for 15 minutes. Strain into another large pot, pressing on solids in strainer. Boil until reduced to enough for cover your portion of noodles. Season with salt and pepper.
  Noodles, Garnishes and Poached Eggs
  • Soba Noodles (enough for one portion - personal preference!)
  • 1/2 tablespoon hoisin sauce 
  • 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg
  • Lemongrass Broth
  • 6 Radicchio leaves coursely chopped
  • Cook noodles in large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water to cool quickly and drain again. Transfer to large bowl; mix in hoisin and oil to coat.
  • Add enough oil to a pan to reach depth of 3/4 inch. H. Fry tofu, 4 pieces at a time, until golden brown and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
  • Bring Lemongrass Broth to simmer in large pot. Add radicchio. Add noodles; simmer 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Poach your egg (http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/technique/how-poach-egg)
     Transfer each egg to small bowl. Add broth, noodles, and vegetables.  Top with 2 tofu pieces. Serve pickled radishes and eggs (eggs should be added to soup so yolks will enrich broth).
  
  
  
  
  
  

Chilli Chicken Ramen

Every once in a while I get a massive craving for Wagamamas. There's something about their chilli beef ramen that I go mad for. But the prices are something I'm not so keen on. I'd been feeling a little run down, so I decided that a home version of Wagamama's Chilli Chicken Ramen was the answer. I loved it so much that I ate it for three meals in a row. This is a really quick and easy version to do at home but probably not the most authentic.

Chilli Chicken Ramen

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 Chicken Thighs

Chicken Marinade: 2 tbsp Five Spice, 2 tbsp soy sauce and a pinch of salt

Ramen Noodles (or Soba if you want a healthy alternative)

1 packet of mixed vegetable stirfry (must include beansprouts!)

Broth: 1 tsp Five Spice, 1 tsp Oregano, 1 tsp crushed black peppercorns, 2tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 2 fresh red chillis that have been ground into a paste, chicken stock, 500ml water.

Garnishes: Fresh coriander, 4 fresh red chillis, 4 spring onions, 1 red onion, half a fresh lime.

Method

Mix together your marinade ingredients and smother over the chicken thighs. Cover and leave in the fridge for a minimum of one hour.

Chop your fresh garnishes so that they are ready for distribution!

In a small ramekin, mix the dry ingredients for the broth.

Put the chicken thighs in the oven at 180C for 30 minutes.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove the bones and place them in a large pot.

Add the dry ingredients of the broth to the pot, along with the stock and the water. Bring to the boil and let simmer for 30 minutes.

Slice the chicken into pieces, removing any skin that remains. 

Remove the chicken bones from the broth and discard.

Add the noodles, the stir fry veggies and the chicken to the pot and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Dish up into big bowls and garnish with coriander, fresh chili, spring onion, red onion and a squeeze of lime juice.