Apple, Ginger and Fig Tofu

Last summer I was trying really hard to be a full-time vegetarian (I think I must have watched Babe again and my inner child decided it was evil to eat farm animals). It turned out to be incredibly easy - London has hundreds of restaurants, cafes, and grocery stores that cater to veggies (and wannabe veggies). My favourite of these, hands down, is Tibits. Tucked away just off Regent Street, Tibits is a kind of cafe/bar/hangout with a massive vegetarian buffet - salads, samosas, desserts - all priced by weight. The first time my friend Christina and I went there, we sat on the patio and slowly made our way through the 20-or-so different things on our plates. I took a picture. Variety makes me giddy.

One of my favourite dishes from Tibits is their apple ginger & fig tofu. It's lemony and gingery, spicy and sweet, crunchy and... gorgeous. And it's good for you! What more could you ask for? I made it for lunch today; I'll be dreaming about summer all afternoon.

Apple, Ginger & Fig Tofu

Recipe adapted from the original in the May/June 2011 issue of Fancy magazine 
Serves 4-6

500g (about 4 medium) Gala apples
50ml lemon juice
120g (about 8) dried figs
250g firm tofu
80ml canola oil
3 lemons, juiced, approx 150ml
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce (I used Mae Ploy brand)
Salt, to taste
Bunch of fresh mint, finely chopped

Wrap the tofu in some paper towel and weigh it down with a dish (this will drain some of the water from it).

Chop washed and cored apples into cubes and toss with 50 mL lemon juice to stop them from browning. Trim any stems from the figs; cut into cubes and add them to the apples.

Slice the tofu into 1-inch cubes. Fry in canola oil for 5-8 minutes, or until lightly golden. Allow to cool and add to the apples and figs.

Juice the lemons into a small bowl and add the ginger, sugar and sweet chilli sauce; season with salt. Toss this mixture into the apples, figs, and tofu. Store the salad in the fridge until ready to serve - right before you do, give it a good stir and sprinkle with chopped mint.

Enjoy! No talking farm animals were harmed in the making of this deliciousness.