Crispy Sweet Chilli Tofu with Samphire

We chose to send off 2022 by having a beautiful swim in one of our favourite spots in Wellington; Whitireia Reserve! It was a warm sunny day, we carefully scrambled over rocks, crossed little ravines, and dodged the cawing seagulls nesting on the craggy outcrops. Our special lagoon was a clear turquoise blue, in it you could see anemones, kina, and clusters of seaweed swaying in the gentle current. My partner built a make-shift raft from driftwood and harakeke which we named “The Rig” and spent a good couple of hours paddling around on it, swimming in the ocean, and diving off the sharp rocks into the welcoming cold water below.

This magical time also rewarded us with a lovely harvest of sea beet and samphire. Samphire thrives in rocky shores like these, there were many clusters of the orange and green succulent stems popping up all along the beach. We harvested the tips (as the lower stem can become a bit woody) and chewed on the raw salty sea vegetable as we made our way home.

This recipe has a seaweed tofu coated in a crispy batter and a delicious sweet chilli sauce which pairs wonderfully with the salty crispness of the samphire tips we harvested. Next time you’re rock pooling have a look along the shoreline for this delicious vegetable and add it to your meal when you get home! Enjoy my fellow foragers!

Crispy Sweet Chilli Tofu with Samphire

Ingredients: Serves 4

Tofu:

Vegetable oil, for frying

1 block firm tofu, cubed

1 nori sheet, shredded

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup corn flour

1/4 cup of water, more if needed

Sauce:

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon ginger, grated

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons white wine (optional)

The Rest:

1/2 cup samphire tips

2 bok choy, chopped

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 spring onions, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups white rice, cooked

Directions:

1. Toss the tofu and nori together in a bowl. Heat a couple of inches of vegetable oil in a large wok or pan over a high heat. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, garlic powder, corn flour, and water (add enough water so a smooth but fairly thick batter forms). Fry the tofu pieces until golden and crispy on both sides. Get rid of the oil in the pan and set aside.
2. Cook your rice. In a small pot mix together all the sauce ingredients and simmer over a medium heat for 10 minutes until thickened.
3. In a large pan over a medium heat toss the bok choy and samphire in the soy sauce and sesame oil. Cook for 5 minutes until cooked but still crunchy. Set aside.
4. When you are ready to serve return the tofu to the wok over a medium heat and cover in the sauce. Cook for 5 minutes.
5. Serve the crispy sweet chilli tofu on top of white rice. Add a side of bok choy and samphire and sprinkle with sesame seeds and spring onions.

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