Henry Firth - BOSH!

1 x 280g block of firm tofu.

6cm piece fresh ginger.

1 red onion.

1 garlic clove.

1 green pepper.

200ml pineapple juice.

60ml rice vinegar.

60ml tomato ketchup.

70g light brown sugar.

1 tsp garlic powder.

1 tsp onion powder, optional.

4 tbsp cornflour.

2 tbsp vegetable oil.

2 tbsp sesame oil.

½ tsp chilli flakes.

½ tsp salt.

100g tinned pineapple chunks.

Small saucepan on a low-medium heat. Tofu press or 2 clean tea towels and a weight such as a heavy book. 2 x large frying pans on a medium-high heat. Fine grater.

Press the tofu using a tofu press, or place it between two clean tea towels, lay it on a plate and put a weight on top. Leave for at least half an hour to drain any liquid and firm up before you start cooking.

Peel the ginger by scraping off the skin with a spoon and then grate it. Peel and finely slice the red onion and the garlic. Cut the pepper in half and cut out the stem and seeds. Chop the pepper into 2cm chunks.

Put the pineapple juice, rice vinegar, ketchup and sugar in the small saucepan and stir to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat to medium-high and let it bubble away for about 7 minutes until you have a syrupy sauce. Take the saucepan off the heat and set aside.

Put the garlic powder and the onion powder, if using, into a large bowl with the cornflour and mix together. Carefully cut the drained tofu into 1cm chunks and add them to the bowl. Toss them gently in the cornflour mix until they’re well covered.

Heat the vegetable oil in one of the large frying pans. Add the tofu chunks and fry until they have started to brown and formed a crispy coating, about 7–10 minutes (be delicate as you stir the cubes, you want to keep them intact). Take the pan off the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the sesame oil in the second frying pan. Add the onion slices and stir until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the green pepper, chilli flakes, salt, garlic and ginger and continue to cook for another 3–5 minutes, stirring all the time. Drain the pineapple and add to the pan, continuing to stir until the pineapple is warm. Tip the tofu into the pan and heat. Pour over the sweet and sour sauce and fold it around the vegetables so that everything is well covered and warmed through, another 1–2 minutes.

This risotto is bursting with colour, flavour and healthy goodness. We’re big fans of getting as much green into our bodies as possible to give us the vital nutrients we need. This dish is testament to that, but it’s also delicious. Cook slowly, add the stock bit by bit and you’ll have a dish guaranteed to please!.

SERVES 4.

60g macadamia nuts.

1 medium red onion.

2 large garlic cloves.

3 tbsp mixed fresh herbs, such as sage, parsley and mint.

75g green beans.

60g asparagus.

60g kale.

½ lemon.

900ml vegetable stock.

2 tbsp olive oil.

225g risotto rice, such as Arborio or Carnaroli.

125ml dry white wine.

75g garden peas.

3 tbsp nutritional yeast.

1½ tbsp dairy-free butter.

salt and black pepper.

Preheat oven to 160°C. Small baking tray. Medium saucepan on a low heat. Medium saucepan on a medium heat.

Spread the macadamia nuts over the small baking tray, put the tray in the oven and toast for 5–8 minutes, until golden. Leave to cool slightly, then roughly chop.

Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the red onion and garlic. Chop the herbs. Slice the green beans into 2cm pieces. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and cut the stems into 1cm pieces. Remove the tough stems from the kale and roughly chop. Finely grate the zest of the lemon.

Pour the stock into the medium saucepan on a low heat and keep warm.

Add the olive oil to the other pan. Add the chopped onions and cook until they begin to soften, about 10–15 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for another minute. Pour in the rice and toast for a further minute.

Turn up the heat slightly and pour in the white wine. Simmer until the liquid has almost completely evaporated, stirring frequently. Add the green beans and asparagus to the pan and give everything a stir.

Now start adding a ladleful of stock at a time, stirring continuously and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding the next ladleful. After 8 minutes, add the peas and kale to the pan and continue to cook for a further 6–8 minutes, until the rice is just cooked and the vegetables are tender (you might have a little stock left over)

Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the chopped herbs, nutritional yeast, lemon zest, macadamia nuts and dairy-free butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

This was Henry’s dish of choice as he travelled around Thailand. The healthy, spicy Thai classic just feels like holiday. As a soup it’s surprisingly filling, and it’s best eaten when it’s so hot and spicy it’s hard to continue and you break into sweats! Slurping is good here. Let this gorgeously hot, spicy soup warm you to your core!.

SERVES 4.

4 tbsp olive oil.

1 small onion.

4 garlic cloves.

2 fresh red chillies.

2½cm piece fresh ginger.

1½ litres vegetable stock.

1 tsp tomato purée.

2 lemongrass stalks.

6 lime leaves.

2 limes.

1 x 250g pack chestnut mushrooms.

100g enoki mushrooms (2 bunches).

200g cherry tomatoes.

1 x 225g tin water chestnuts, optional.

4 spring onions, to serve.

small handful fresh chives, to serve.

small handful fresh coriander, to serve.

FOR THE TOM YUM PASTE.

2 tbsp vegetable oil.

100g Thai Red Curry Paste.

3 tbsp palm sugar.

1 tsp salt.

Wok on a medium heat. Kettle boiled.

First make the tom yum paste. Add the vegetable oil to the wok. When it’s hot add the red curry paste, palm sugar and salt and fry for 3 minutes, until the paste goes a darker red colour. Remove from the heat and scrape into a bowl. Give the wok a quick rinse and put back on the heat.

Add the olive oil to the clean wok. Peel and roughly chop the onion. Peel the garlic. Rip the stems from the chillies and finely slice one, removing the seeds if you prefer a milder flavour. Peel the ginger by scraping off the skin with a spoon and finely chop. Crush the garlic into the wok, add in the onion, chilli and ginger and cook for 4 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.

Pour 500ml of the stock into the wok and bring to the boil. Add the tom yum paste and mix well. Add the remaining stock and the tomato purée. Bash the bases of the lemongrass stalks and add them to the pan. Slice the lime leaves and throw them in. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Cut the limes in half and squeeze in the juice, catching any pips in your other hand. Halve the chestnut mushrooms and add them to the pan with the enoki mushrooms and the tomatoes. Slice the water chestnuts, if using, and add them to the pan. Finely slice the remaining chilli into long diagonal slices, removing the seeds if you prefer a milder flavour, and add to the pan. Simmer for a further 5 minutes.

Divide the soup between bowls. Trim and slice the spring onions and chop the chives. Sprinkle over the soup along with the coriander leaves and serve.