Tofu with lime, ginger and chilli

This tofu dish was a very quick addition to our dinner a few nights ago. (Please note that I am not a hippy or a vegetarian, but I don't mind the occasional feed of tofu.)

Man of the house said he was extra hungry and needed 'feeding up' which I took as a personal affront to my cooking skills (but of course he did not mean that), so I thought, "I'll fix you fella!"

I had already planned to cook steamed chicken with Asian noodles, but I thought the tofu might go along nicely, and as I had it in the fridge it was a no-brainer.

This recipe takes five minutes to make; it is super quick and has some wonderful Asian flavours. We had the tofu cold this night, but in the past I have pan-fried the tofu to warm it up a little, and this is also a lovely way to eat it.

And the man was very plump afterwards, so my mission was successful.

This tofu is also really excellent eaten the next day after marinating overnight in the fridge. It soaks up the flavours wonderfully.

What you'll need

*Serves two to four people as part of an Asian banquet.

500g packet firm tofu (don't use silken tofu as you'll end up with soup)
Juice and zest of one lime
2 tbl soy sauce
1 tbl vegetable oil
Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled, then grated or minced
1 large clove of garlic, minced
2 medium-sized red chillis, finely chopped, with seeds (or less or more depending on how hot you like it)
1 tbs rice wine or plain white vinegar
1 tbl Japanese Mirin (or substitute with 1 tsp caster sugar)

What to do

Place the piece of tofu on a plate or serving platter. Cut it into cubes approximately 5cm square.

Mix all the other ingredients in a bowl until combined, then pour over the tofu.

Leave to marinate for five minutes, then serve in the middle of the table as a part of an Asian banquet.

The marinade from the tofu is really tasty, so I suggest you don't waste it, but pour it over rice or something else you are eating at the time.