Crispy black bean chilli tofu

Method

1. Mix the pork mince with the light soy sauce, oyster sauce and white pepper. Set aside to marinate.

2. Rinse the rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. Put the rice in a saucepan and add enough water to reach your first knuckle above the level of the rice. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, cover with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook without lifting the lid for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave, still covered, for 5 minutes.

3. For the tofu, cut the egg tofu into rounds and pat dry with kitchen paper. Lightly coat each piece all over with the cornflour.

4. Heat a generous layer of vegetable oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat. Shallow-fry the tofu for about 2 minutes on each side, until lightly golden and crisp. Transfer to kitchen paper to drain.

5. For the sauce, carefully remove most of the oil from the pan, leaving 2 tablespoons in the pan. Add the garlic, ginger and spring onion whites and fry for 1–2 minutes.

6. Add the marinated pork mince and fry, breaking it up as it cooks, until browned, slightly crisp at the edges and cooked through.

7. Pour in the Shaoxing wine and let it bubble, then stir in the chilli bean paste and fry for 1 minute. Add the light soy sauce and sugar.

8. Pour in 350–400ml/12–14fl oz water, depending on how thick you want the sauce, and simmer for 2–3 minutes.

9. Mix 1 tablespoon cornflour with 2 tablespoons sauce from the pan. Gradually stir the mixture back into the pan until the sauce thickens, adding more cornflour mixture if needed.

10. Stir in the black bean chilli oil, then add the crispy tofu. Gently spoon the sauce over the tofu rather than stirring, so the pieces keep their shape.

11. Top with the spring onion greens and serve straight away with the rice.