Name: Tofu peanut lettuce cups
Ingredients: 10g dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in 85ml boiling water for at least 15 minutes; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 400g block firm tofu, patted dry and crumbled; 1 medium carrot, trimmed, peeled and finely chopped (130g); 50g spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced; fine sea salt; 50g roasted salted peanuts; 3 tbsp kecap manis, or 1½ tbsp soy sauce mixed with 1½ tbsp soft brown sugar; ½ tsp sesame oil; 2 tbsp rice-wine vinegar; 15g coriander leaves, roughly chopped; 2 baby gem lettuce, leaves separated

Starter Easy Vegetarian

Serves 4-6 as a snack

Prep 15 min

Cook 20 min

These are great picnic fare. Pack the filling and lettuce cups separately, then assemble them in situ, or serve as a salad with the lettuce chopped up and the tofu mixture stirred through it. The filling keeps well for up to three days, so can be made well in advance, if that helps.

Ingredients

10g	dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in 85ml boiling water for at least 15 minutes
3 tbsp	vegetable oil
400g	block firm tofu, patted dry and crumbled
1 medium	carrot, trimmed, peeled and finely chopped (130g)
50g	spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
	fine sea salt
50g	roasted salted peanuts
3 tbsp	kecap manis, or 1½ tbsp soy sauce mixed with 1½ tbsp soft brown sugar
½ tsp	sesame oil
2 tbsp	rice-wine vinegar
15g	coriander leaves, roughly chopped
2	baby gem lettuce, leaves separated

Method

Lift the shiitake out of their soaking water (save the liquid for later), then slice the mushrooms and set aside.
Put the vegetable oil in a frying pan on a high heat, then fry the tofu, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until lightly golden all over.
Add the sliced shiitake, the carrot, half the spring onions and three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt and fry, stirring, for three minutes, until the vegetables have softened slightly.
Add the peanuts, two tablespoons of kecap manis, the sesame oil and the reserved mushroom soaking water, and fry, stirring, for two minutes more, until the liquid has reduced and coats the tofu nicely. Take off the heat and leave to cool.
Once the tofu mix is cool, stir in the remaining kecap manis and spring onions, and add the vinegar and coriander. Decant everything into a suitable container, cover and refrigerate until needed.
To serve, spoon one or two tablespoons of the tofu mix into each lettuce leaf, wrap and tuck in.