Crispy Five Spice Tofu Strips

Tofu is one of those ingredients that takes on whatever you season it with, which is why it suits a spice coating so nicely. Firm tofu is pressed soybean curd, made by curdling warm soy milk and pressing the curds into blocks. That mild, slightly nutty flavour is a blank page, so the five-spice does the talking. Chinese five-spice is usually a mix of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel seed and Sichuan pepper, and a heaped teaspoon in a small amount of chickpea flour gives the strips a warm, slightly sweet scent without any heat that lingers.

The two-stage coating is the part I'd pay attention to. The seasoned flour gives the tofu something dry to grip, and the coconut milk acts as the glue for the crumbs. If you skip the flour, the crumbs slide off in the oven. If you're tempted to dunk the strips in the coconut milk straight from the tin, don't, because the thick part can clump and leave bare patches. Pour it into a shallow bowl and it will coat evenly.

A few small habits make a real difference. Pat the tofu dry with kitchen paper before you start, because surface moisture pushes the flour into a paste. Keep one hand for the dry coating and one for the wet, so your fingers don't end up clogged with crumbs. And give the strips room on the tray. If they touch, the sides go soft instead of crisp, and the bottoms won't brown.

Leftovers keep well for a day in a sealed container in the fridge. Reheat them on a tray in a hot oven rather than in the microwave, which turns the coating chewy. They also turn into a decent lunch: chop them over a bowl of rice with some shredded cabbage and a splash of soy. If you want a bigger plate, these go nicely with a bowl of Hearty Chickpea and Tofu Ragout on the side, or slipped into a wrap next to some Turkey and Bean Burritos if you're feeding a crowd and want something to pick up.

For dipping, a simple sweet chilli sauce or a squeeze of lime with a little soy works well. Scatter spring onion over the top at the end for freshness.