For a micronutrient rich diet

I'm repeating myself here with a rant about types of tofu, but happy to keep up the broken record act until tofu becomes more of a mainstream thing here in the UK. Yes, it can be a total b**ch to cook with, but the trick is to make sure you're buying the right type. As my sister says, silken tofu is really the MVP (minimum viable product), and in my opinion only really fit for scrambling as you would egg. Buying smoked (flattened) tofu instead is a total game changer. I've yet to find this type in any of the bigger supermarkets, but any Asian or health food shop usually has stacks of the stuff.

Tofu is a fantastic source of non-animal protein. Pretty much the only plant-based protein to contain all of the essential amino acids, and versatile to boot. Plus, any soya scaremongering you've read is pure nutribollocks. The compunds found in soya 'isoflavones', often termed phytoestrogens due to the fact they have a chemical structure similar to the hormone oestrogen, in fact act quite differently in the body to oestrogen. So no need to swerve tofu products as part of your diet.

What's the A to V?

Tofu is a fantastic source of calcium, as well as magnesium and (non-heam) iron. Soya beans also contain zinc and vitamin K, plus the carrots here add a bit of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene which the body can cleverly convert.

Ingredients (serves 2):

200 g smoked tofu (I like the Taifun brand)

3 carrotts, sliced very finely into skinny batons

200 g pak or bok choi (chopped)

2 cloves of garlic, sliced into rounds

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

1/2 an onion (optional) - finely diced

1 tbsp of sesame seed oil

1 tbsp of black sesame seeds

1 tbsp of soya sauce (or tamari)

1 tsp of mirin

1 tsp of tamarind

1 tsp of miso paste or fish sauce (optional)

Handful of coriander to finish