Richard Makin, author of Stress-Free Dinners, presents two versatile vegan dishes featuring tofu: a Vietnamese-inspired pho with a quick broth and crispy tofu, and Thai-style fishless cakes with a peanut slaw. Both recipes are designed for convenience, with make-ahead and freezer-friendly options.
Pho now or pho later
Makin emphasizes that the broth is the highlight of pho but traditionally time-consuming. His streamlined version can be made in 30 minutes and stored in the fridge for up to a week, improving in flavor over time. The dish serves two and requires 10 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking.
Ingredients include 1 tsp vegetable oil, 200g extra-firm tofu (cubed), 2 shallots, 2 garlic cloves, 2.5cm fresh ginger, 2 star anise, 4 cloves, 2 tsp coriander seeds, 2 green cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick, 0.5 tsp chilli flakes, 0.5 tsp fennel seeds, 1.5 litres vegetable stock, 150g long-stem broccoli, 170g flat rice noodles, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp fine sea salt, and 2 tbsp white rice vinegar. For serving: 1 shallot (chopped), 1 red chilli (deseeded and finely chopped), 1 small carrot (julienned), fresh coriander, mint, basil, and 2 lime wedges.
To prepare, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, fry tofu for 5 minutes until browned, then remove. Add shallots, garlic, ginger, and spices to the pan, cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in stock, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Steam broccoli over the pot for 5 minutes, then set aside. Strain the stock, return to the pan, add noodles, and cook for 5 minutes. Divide noodles between bowls, top with broccoli and tofu. Stir soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, and vinegar into the hot broth, then pour over the noodles. Garnish with shallot, chilli, carrot, herbs, and lime. For later use, cool broth and store separately; reheat before serving.
Red curry fishless cakes with peanut slaw
Makin dedicates this recipe to his mother, who went vegan in 2017 and misses seafood. These fishless cakes are gently spiced, fragrant, and have a light, flaky texture. They are freezable and can be fried directly from frozen. Prep time is 15 minutes, cooking time 20 minutes, serving two.
For the fishless cakes: 1 tin (400g) hearts of palm (drained and chopped), 150g medium-firm tofu (drained), 2 spring onions (chopped), 1 tbsp vegan red curry paste, 1 tsp ginger paste or grated fresh ginger, 1 garlic clove (minced), 1 tsp brown sugar, finely grated zest of 0.5 lime, 1 small bunch coriander (chopped), 3 tbsp plain flour (plus extra for dusting), and 1 tbsp vegetable oil. For the peanut slaw: 50g shredded red cabbage, 50g shredded white cabbage, 1 small carrot (thin matchsticks), 50g cooked edamame beans, 1 spring onion (chopped), 40g salted peanuts (chopped), 1 tbsp agave syrup, 1 tbsp rice vinegar or lime juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter, 2 tsp sriracha, and 1 tsp ginger paste.
Wrap hearts of palm and tofu in a clean towel and wring out moisture (tofu will break up). Combine in a bowl with spring onions, curry paste, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, lime zest, coriander, and flour; mix well. Form into six patties, dust with extra flour. To freeze, place patties on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to an airtight container for up to two months. To cook, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, fry patties for 5–8 minutes per side until lightly browned (add a few minutes if frozen). Meanwhile, mix cabbages, carrot, edamame, spring onion, and peanuts in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk agave syrup, rice vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce, peanut butter, sriracha, and ginger paste. Pour half the dressing over the slaw and toss. Serve fishless cakes with slaw, lime wedges, and remaining dressing for dipping.
These recipes are edited extracts from Stress-Free Dinners: Over 90 Quick and Delicious Everyday Vegan Recipes by Richard Makin, published by Bloomsbury at £22.
