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asparagus

Dinner Lunch & Light Bites Recipe Sides & Savoury Snacks

Asparagus and Tofu Stir Fry

asparagus and tofu stir fry vegan

Asparagus and Tofu Stir Fry with Chilli and Sesame

Asparagus and crispy tofu stir fry made with ginger, garlic and chilli oil. Perfect as a side dish or as part of a main if served with noodles or rice. Made in less than 15 minutes this recipe is perfect for a week night meal or as a light lunch option. This easy stir fried recipe can be prepared the night before to make it really quick to make on the day.

What’s in the recipe?

Asparagus- When asparagus is in season it’s beautiful to cook with. I’ve bought locally grown asparagus, roughly chopped and added to the stir fry.

Tofu- I like using Cauldron Tofu which is soaked in a water bath, simple drain the water and press. If you don’t have a tofu press, just wrap in a bit of kitchen roll and allow to soak the excess water.

Cornflour- If you toss the tofu in cornflour and fry in sesame oil, it’ll create a lovely crispy coating before adding the marinade. It’s a good cooking hack to help absorb any excess moisture in your tofu.

Chilli oil- I love using Pippy Eats chilli oil, it’s perfect for garnishing tofu or stir fried vegetables such as this. If you don’t have chilli crisp oil, definitely look out for some next time you’re in the supermarket.


 

tofu and asparagus stir fry

Cooking tips:

Medium Heat- It’s tempting to whack the heat right up to get ‘crispy’ tofu however you run the risk or burning the marinade. I would suggest a good quality non stick pan, medium heat and allow the tofu to crisp on each side before turning.

Fry First then Coat- I prefer to fry the tofu in a bit of corn flour to crisp and turn golden before adding the marinade. It helps prevent the garlic and ginger from burning and give it just enough time to cook off the ingredients.

Don’t overcook the asparagus- By adding the asparagus to fry only for the last 3-4 minutes will allow it to cook until a little tender without burning.


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asparagus and tofu stir fry

Asparagus and Tofu Stir Fry

Asparagus and crispy tofu stir fry made with ginger, garlic and chilli. Perfect as a side dish or as part of a main if served with noodles or rice. Made in less than 15 minutes this recipe is perfect for a week night meal.
Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Servings 2 People

Ingredients
  

  • 350 g block of tofu
  • 1 heaped tbsp cornflour
  • 200 g asparagus locally grown if possible
  • 3 large cloves garlic
  • 1 thumb sized piece of ginger
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp chilli crisp oil if you don’t have this, add 1 tsp chilli flakes to the marinade

Instructions
 

  • Drain & cube the tofu block and toss in the cornflour, fry in a non stick pan with a drizzle of sesame oil
  • Prepare the marinade by mincing the garlic and ginger then add to a bowl with the oil and tamari and whisk together
  • Once the tofu has crisped, add the marinade to the pan and continue to fry on a medium heat
  • Chop the asparagus and add to the pan to fry for a further 2-3 minutes
  • Serve up and drizzle the chilli crisp oil over the top & enjoy

Notes

  • If you don’t have chilli oil, add 1 tsp chilli flakes to the marinade
  • I used Pippy Eats chill crisp oil
  • Serve as a side or add sticky rice or noodles with more chilli oil

If you like this recipe why not try my Easy Tofu Ramen

Tofu easy vegan ramen recipe

gluten free asparagus and tofu stir fry

tofu and asparagus stir fry vegan

Dinner Lunch & Light Bites Recipe

Asparagus and Shiitake Risotto

asparagus and shiitake vegan risotto

Vegan Asparagus and Shiitake Mushroom Risotto

This asparagus and shiitake risotto is vegan and gluten free.  It’s easy to make and just takes 30 minutes of stirring to create a delicious hearty week-night meal. Asparagus season  is here so let’s celebrate with a recipe that works perfectly with the shiitake mushrooms.

What’s in the recipe?

Asparagus – Celebrating the season of asparagus, try and find locally grown asparagus to help cut down on air miles.

Shiitake Mushrooms- I’ve used shiitake as the texture is slightly meaty agains the fluffy rice, however you could easily swap this for whatever mushrooms you have available.

 Arborio Rice- This short grain rice is perfect for risottos and is readily available in most supermarkets. You can swap this for bulgar wheat, follow the same process but remember to soak the wheat for a few hours before.

Vegan Butter- I’ve used the flora salted butter because it is a really good vegan alternative to butter. You want at least 2 heaped tbsp in this recipe to make a delicious creamy risotto.

Stock- I use boiled water and vegetable stock cubes for this, it’s cheap and easy to make. You can use a home made stock if you prefer.

Lemon- To cut through the salty, herby, creamy risotto, you need a good squeeze of lemon juice for acidity to really help the risotto have a full and round flavour profile.

Seasoning- I can’t express how important salt and pepper is to this recipe – don’t be scared of seasoning! Get generous with the seasoning and enjoy.

vegan risotto asparagus and shiitake


Risotto Cooking Tips

Absorb- Letting the rice absorb each ladle of stock before adding the next is crucial. It’s important not to add it all at once, it may mean taking time to stir it through but it’s worth it.

Seasoning- Don’t be shy of the salt and pepper for this recipe.

White wine- I’m not fussy when it comes to what wine you use for risotto. I won’t pretend to be a connoisseur  so just choose a wine anywhere from £4-7 and it’ll do the job!

 


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asparagus and shiitake vegan risotto

Asparagus and Shiitake Risotto

Vegan and gluten free asparagus and shiitake risotto recipe perfect for batch cooking. Easy to make, just takes 30 minutes of stirring and you have a delicious hearty week night meal.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 250 g asparagus
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 120 g shiitake mushrooms chopped
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 150 g arborio rice risotto rice
  • 550 ml veg stock I used boiling water and a stock cube
  • 200 ml white wine
  • Squeeze 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to top when serving

Instructions
 

  • Start by finely chopping the garlic and add to a large pot with the butter, place on a low- medium heat
  • After a few minutes add the chopped shiitake mushrooms and fry for a further five minutes
  • Add the seasoning and the dried herbs then add the risotto rice and toss in all of the flavours before adding the white wine, then leave to absorb
  • Add the vegetable stock a ladle at a time allowing it to absorb before adding the next bit, continue this process until all of the stock has been used
  • When add the last ladle of stock add the asparagus stalks so they can soften for the last few minutes of cooking
  • After 3 minutes squeeze in 1/2 lemon juice, season generously season with black pepper and salt before serving and enjoy. Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to the top of each bowl when serving (optional)

Notes

If you snap the ends off your asparagus, finely chop them up and add to the pot along with the mushrooms to prevent food waste

If you like this recipe why not try my easy tomato and garlic risotto recipe

vegan tomato and garlic risotto

 

vegan asparagus and shiitake risotto lucy and lentils

asparagus and shiitake risotto