Recipe: Hot and sour tofu broth with bamboo shoots and rice noodles

INGREDIENTS

For the hot and sour paste

2 garlic cloves – peeled and chopped

2 red chillies – chopped

40g root ginger – peeled and chopped

4tbls rice wine vinegar

25g honey

2tblsp sesame oil

1 lemon grass spear

20g coriander stalks

For the vegetable stock

2 onion – peeled and chopped

2 leek – peeled, washed, and chopped

3 sticks celery – washed and chopped

2 carrots – washed, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic – peeled and chopped

1 bay leaves

3 star anise

6 white peppercorns - crushed

6 pink peppercorns - crushed

5g coriander

10 coriander seeds

10g parsley

125ml white wine

1/2 litre water

To finish

3/4 litre vegetable stock

4 bamboo shoots – sliced

25g sliced red peppers

25g sliced red onions

75g shitake mushrooms – de-stalked and sliced

75g shimeji mushrooms

225g tofu – diced into 1cm cubes

125g rice flour noodles – blanched

4 baby sweetcorn – blanched and chopped

1tbsp chopped coriander

1 bunch spring onions – chopped

METHOD

For the hot and sour paste

Place all the ingredients into a food blender

Liquidise to a smooth paste

Reserve

For the vegetable stock

Place all ingredients except herbs and wine into a suitably sized stainless-steel pan

Add the water and bring to the boil

Add the wine and bring back to the boil

Take off the heat and add the soft herbs

Leave to cool down and infuse for at least 24 hours

TO FINISH

In a frying pan, fry the tofu until golden and reserve

In a suitable sized pan, heat the sesame oil and lightly brown the mushrooms, peppers and onions

Add the paste and lightly fry for one minute

Add the bamboo shoots and vinegar and boil for one minute

Add the stock and bring back to the boil

Simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the flavours

Add the noodles, tofu, chopped coriander and the sweetcorn, and bring back to the boil

Strain the stock from the solids and then divide the solids evenly between the bowls

Pour over the stock, garnish with the spring onions and dribble a little extra sesame oil over

Season to your taste and serve at once

Note: You can add or take away the chilli and vinegar to suit your taste