It’s fair to say I’m a pretty big fan of Asian food. Whether it’s a spicy stir-fry or a crispy katsu curry, I love the warming blend of aromatic flavours. Plus, they’re often super-quick to throw together – chuck a few ingredients in a pan with the right spices, and you’ll have a tasty, slimming-friendly meal in a fraction of the time it takes for a takeaway to turn up.
To celebrate Chinese New Year, I’ll be grabbing my wok and knocking up this easy tofu recipe. I love experimenting with tofu, as it’s great at absorbing flavours – that’s why it tastes so good after being marinated in this sweet, sticky teriyaki sauce. Our members have some fantastic Slimming World Chinese recipe ideas, too, if you’re planning a brilliant banquet to bring in the Year of the Rat.
Matt’s teriyaki tofu
Makes 4
2 Syns per serving
Ready in 20 minutes
Ingredients
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 level tbsp sweetener
20g fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 level tbsp cornflour
500g firm plain tofu, cut into 5mm-deep strips
275g dried basmati rice
low-calorie cooking spray
2 red onions, finely sliced
2 red chillies, deseeded and sliced
300g mangetout
2 level tsp sesame seeds, to serve
Method
1. Put the soy sauce, 80ml water, the sweetener, ginger, garlic and cornflour in a bowl. Add the tofu to the mixture and leave to marinate for 5-10 minutes.
2. Cook the rice according to the pack instructions, then drain and cool under cold running water.
3. Meanwhile, spray a large non-stick frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a medium-high heat. Add the onions and chillies to the pan and cook until softened. Add the tofu and marinade, mixing well. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the tofu is warmed through and the sauce has thickened.
4. Add the mangetout and cook for just a couple of minutes – you want the mangetout to still be crunchy.
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve hot, with the rice.
You’ll find some tasty teriyaki recipes on Slimming World’s member website – as well as loads of other delicious meal ideas – so it’s well worth joining your local group or signing up to our online community if you’re not already a member.