Jerk Tofu with Rice and Peas

Ingredients

For the jerk marinade

• 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
• ½ onion, roughly chopped
• thumbnail of ginger, peeled
• 1 bunch spring onions, ends removed
• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce, or tamari if gluten-free
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, e.g. rapeseed oil
• 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons allspice
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, optional

For the tofu

• 600 g/21 oz form tofu (approx..), drained and patted dry then cut into slices around 0.5cm thick
• 6 tablespoons soy sauce, tamari if gluten-free
• 6 tablespoons nutritional yeast

For the rice and peas

• 300 g/10.5 oz basmati rice
• 1 x 400 g/14 oz tin coconut milk
• 450 ml/2 (scant) cups cold water
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 x 400 g/14 oz tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 bunch spring onions, ends removed and finely sliced

For the mango salsa, optional

• 1 large ripe mango, diced
• 1 large avocado, diced
• ½ red onions, finely diced
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
• juice of 1 lime
• bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
• drizzle of olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• salt and pepper, to taste

Method

For the jerk marinade

Blitz all the ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Don’t be tempted to add water as the sauce needs to be thick.

Try the marinade and then add more sugar, soy sauce or lime juice, if necessary, until the flavours are balanced.

For the tofu, marinating stage

Cover the sliced tofu in the marinade on both sides and rub it in. Leave in the fridge for a minimum of an hour, ideally. If you don’t have time, you can use it immediately, but the flavours won’t have absorbed quite as much.

For the rice and peas

Rinse and drain the rice using cold water.

Add all the rice and peas ingredients to a medium-sized saucepan apart from the kidney beans.

Put the lid on the pan, bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the kidney beans after 10 minutes and then simmer for another 5 minutes with the lid off.

For the tofu, frying stage

Whilst the rice is cooking, heat some oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat and then add the marinated tofu slices to the pan.

Stir through the soy sauce and nutritional yeast.

Fry on both sides until golden.

For the mango salsa

Mix all the salsa ingredients all together with a drizzle of olive oil and the juice of 1 lime. Add salt and pepper, to taste.