Sweet & Sour Crispy Tofu Rips with Sticky Fried Rice

Make the sweet & sour sauce - peel and grate the garlic clove and ginger. Place into a small saucepan over a medium heat, along with the soy sauce, tomato purée, ketchup, harissa, brown sugar, pineapple juice and a pinch of salt | Mix well until everything comes together and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for a couple of minutes until the mixture turns into a thick, sticky sauce - you can add a dash of water if it ever becomes too thick.

Cook the rice - place a small saucepan over a medium heat and add the plant-based butter. Once melted, add a tablespoon of olive oil and the rice, mix well and fry for a couple of seconds before pouring in the water and adding the turmeric and mirin. Bring the rice and the water to the boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to a low simmer and cover the rice with a lid. Cook for 12 minutes, or until all of the water is absorbed by the rice. After 12 minutes, leave the rice to rest for 10 minutes with the lid on.

Prepare the tofu rips and peppers - rip the tofu into long chunks and place into a mixing bowl. Add the cornflour and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Toss (or stir) to completely coat the tofu pieces. Roughly chop the peppers into bite-sized chunks.

Cook the tofu - warm 1cm of vegetable oil in a pan over a medium heat until the end of a wooden spoon bubbles gently. Once warm enough, add the coated tofu chunks to the pan and fry, turning constantly with tongs until golden and really crispy (approx 10 mins). Once cooked, transfer the tofu pieces to the plate and leave to drain.

Cook the peppers - place a separate pan over a medium heat (we use the one we used previously for the sweet & sour sauce) and add a drizzle of olive oil. Once warm, add the peppers and a pinch of salt, mix well and cook for a few minutes until soft.

Time to serve - fluff the rice with a fork and mix through the soy sauce and a squeeze of lime juice. Finely slice the spring onions. Add the tofu and peppers to the sauce and toss to coat.

Transfer the tofu pieces to a serving plate, garnish with spring onions, sesame seeds and some lime wedges on the side. Serve immediately.