Black Pepper Tofu. May well be the nicest tofu I’ve ever eaten.

Ingredients
400g firm tofu, cut into large (1-inch square) cubes and well-dried with paper towels
Corn flour to dust the tofu
3 tablespoons cooking oil
50g butter
12 shallots, thinly sliced
2 fresh red chiles, thinly sliced, or less to taste
12 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
3 tablespoons sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
4 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons coarsely crushed black peppercorns (use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder)
16 spring onions, sliced
Cooked brown rice for serving

In a large bowl, spinkle the tofu with the corn flour and toss well to lightly coat. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or work over medium-high heat, until almost smoking. Add the cubes of tofu and cook, turning the pieces occasionally, until golden and crisp all over. Transfer to a bowl lined with paper towels and set aside. Wipe out the pan with a paper towl and add the butter. Heat over medium, then add the shallots, chiles, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring often, until completely soft. Add the soy sauces to the pan, along with the sugar and peppercorns. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, then add the tofu back to the pan and stir to coat it well. Add the spring onions and stir, then serve with brown rice. Serves 4. From an original recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi.

Need a quick, easy, healthy dinner idea (and who doesn’t)? Try this Stuffed Aubergine.

For 2 people: Preheat oven to 190C. Cut aubergine (eggplant) in half lengthwise. drizzle cut side with olive oil. Rub some olive oil onto a yellow or red pepper. Roast the aubergine and pepper in the oven for about 25 minutes. Meanwhile saute a red onion til soft. When the aubergine and pepper are roasted – remove from the oven. Scoop the flesh out of the aubergine, taking care not to cut the skin, and chop. Peel the roasted pepper and chop. Mix the pepper and aubergine into the onion, season and pop back into your two aubergine halves. Top with slices of tomato and chunks of goats cheese. Drizzle with olive oil, a few torn basil leaves and a bit of black pepper. Pop back in the oven for 20 minutes. Enjoy with a nice big green salad. Gorgeous! Adapted from an original recipe by Neven Maguire.