Tofu in Blackbean Sauce with Rice Noodles

Here is a recipe from the book "Vegetarian 30 minute Thai cookbook" by Sarah Beattie. The dish goes particularly well with the wide flat rice noodles that are commonly used for pad thai. You can add an extra crunch by scattering a tablespoon of chopped peanuts or cashews over the top before serving if you like. 

Serves 4-6

2 T vegetable oil 

250g/9oz/ 1 1/2 cups cubed firm beancurd(tofu) 

3 medium onions, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 t grated root ginger

1 fresh chilli, crushed and finely chopped

1 t shredded lemongrass (if you are using the leaf rather than the stalk it's easiest to do this with a pair of clean scissors - i used the leaves because I have lemongrass in my garden and its easier to get to than the stalk) 

3 medium carrots,sliced

125g/4oz/1cup mangetout (snow peas) (I used broccoli instead)

140g/5oz/ 3/4 cup blackbean sauce

90ml/ 3fl oz/ 1/3 cup water

1. heat the oil. Pat the beancurd dry and fry in batches in the oil until nicely browned. Drain. (I like to heat under the grill with no oil for a oil-free version.)

2. Fry the onions, garlic, ginger, chilli and lemongrass for 1 min. Stir in the carrots and cook for a further minute.

3. Add the mangetout and cook for a further minute. 

4. Add back the fried beancurd. Stir in the blackbean sauce and water. Allow to simmer briefly, then serve. 

(if you are serving with noodles you can add them to the pan at this point and fry for a further 2 minutes or so.)