beer-battered tofish and chips

Plate of beer-battered tofu and chips taken from the Vegan Fakeaway book by Katy Beskow

beer-battered tofish and chips

Recipe from Vegan Fakeaway by Katy Beskow (Quadrille, £15) Photography ©Luke Albert.

Cruelty-free doesn’t have to mean flavour-free, with a golden beer batter encasing tender tofu. It’s thanks to nori seaweed sheets that the tofish has a flavour of the ocean (you’ll find nori in the world food aisle of large supermarkets)

Serves 4

For the chips

4 large King Edward potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm (¾in) thick chips

2 tbsp sunflower oil

sprinkle of malt vinegar

pinch of sea salt

For the beer-battered tofish

200g (generous 1½ cups) plain

(all-purpose) flour

2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)

pinch of ground turmeric

small handful of fresh dill, finely chopped

1 tsp sea salt

generous pinch of black pepper

300ml (1¼ cups) cold beer (ensure vegan)

2 x 280g (9½oz) blocks of extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed (see page 14)

4 sheets of sushi nori

500ml (generous 2 cups) sunflower oil

unwaxed lemon wedges, to serve

take-out tip

Tofu requires draining and pressing to give it a firmer texture. See page 14 for detailed instructions on how to do this.

To make the chips, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Rinse the chipped potatoes under cold water, drain and pat dry. Lay the chips on a baking sheet in an even layer. Drizzle with the sunflower oil, then bake for 50 minutes until golden and crisp.

Meanwhile, make the beer batter. Stir together the flour, cornflour, turmeric, dill, sea salt and black pepper in a large bowl. Slowly pour in the beer and whisk to get rid of any lumps. Rest the batter in the fridge while you prepare the tofu.

Slice each block of pressed tofu horizontally, so you have 4 thin rectangles. Press a sheet of nori over one side of each tofu slice. Heat the sunflower oil in a large, deep frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat. Dip the tofu slices in the batter to coat fully then use a slotted spoon to place them in the pan for 3–4 minutes, before turning and cooking the other side until light golden in colour.

Remove the chips from the oven and sprinkle with vinegar and salt. Serve the tofish and chips hot, with wedges of lemon.