Five Spice Kentucky Fried Tofu with Kim Chi Coleslaw

 

WELL somehow it's the first week of MARCH already, which is somewhat terrifying and yet, on the upside, it means we have a brand new TT contributor for you!  Today we introduce the delightful Catie Gett, who has been on our radar for quite some time.  Catie is a clinical naturopath and proprietor of Melbourne's much loved whole foods shop 'The Staple Store' in Ripponlea!  With her unstoppable drive, down-to-earth approach to nutrition and wellness, and an infectious sense of humour, Catie has won legions of loyal customers (and instagram followers!) since opening her little store in 2012.  After meeting Catie recently I can wholeheartedly say that this is one girl truly living her passion - she's a game changer.  We're thrilled to share Catie's recipes and some of her wisdom with you this month! - Lucy.

Five Spice Kentucky Fried Tofu with Kim Chi Coleslaw by Catie Gett of The Staple Store.  Speckled bowl and plate by Sarah Schembri from Craft Victoria, Bridget Bodenham Mortar and Pestle, Georg Jensen fork. Styling - Lucy Feagins, styling assistant - Nat Turnbull, photo - Eve Wilson for The Design Files.

Catie Gett of The Staple Store photographed in her Ripponelea store.  Photo - Sean Fennessy for The Design Files.

I have a couple of well kept secrets, until now. One is that I love deep fried foods. However, it's an an unrequited love affair, so I don’t eat them that often. Two, is I love foods that resemble meat dishes my mum used to make, like home-made chicken nuggets. So in essence, this recipe is the tale of two colliding past loves. Romance aside, these tofu nuggets are set to convert even the most stoic of carnivore. I even made sure there was 11 herbs and spices, if you get my proverbial drift. To fulfil a functional food profile I had to add a fermented food. I believe that every meal should compile of protein, rainbows, good fats and probiotics. As a naturopathic foodie, specialising in gastrointestinal diseases, I believe food is medicine, and a fermented component is the corner-stone of nearly every one of my meals, from miso to vinegars to pickles to kefir. It’s not hard to implement, just ask my fermenting hero Sandor Katz (who just recently graced us with a visit here in Melbourne!) When we are mentoring a fermenting novice in the store, we often recommend that they add fermented veggies to salad dressings, allowing their taste buds to acclimatise to the new flavours. This Kim Chi coleslaw made from Pat’s Veg raw traditionally fermented Kim Chi is an excellent addition to any newby's repertoire. (On a soap-box side note, please buy organic Australian tofu, it’s really accessible from healthfood shops and even Asian grocers. There really are some beautiful producers like Earnest Bean, right here in Melbourne.)

Ingredients

Five Spice Kentucky Fried Tofu with Kim Chi Coleslaw ingredients.  Speckled bowl and plate by Sarah Schembri from Craft Victoria, all other plates stylist's own. Recipe by Catie Gett of The Staple Store, styling - Lucy Feagins, styling assistant - Nat Turnbull, photo - Eve Wilson for The Design Files.

For the Five Spiced Kentucky Fried Tofu 350g of firm organic tofu, drained for 5 mins on paper towel 1/3 cup of organic flour or a gluten free plain flour 1/3 cup of almond meal 1 tsp of all spice 2 tsp salt 1 tsp of paprika 1 tsp of turmeric 1 tsp cracked black pepper 1 tsp of coconut sugar (or agave/brown sugar/ palm sugar) 2 cloves of micro-planed garlic 1/2 tsp of the following oregano, thyme, Tabasco (I use Hunted and Gathered organic chilli sauce) and sumac 1-2 cups (enough to deep fry with) + 3 tbsp of rice bran or coconut oil (melted) 1/3 – 1/2 cup water (until it’s the consistency of pancake batter) For the Kim Chi Coleslaw 1/2 a small red cabbage, thinly sliced 1/2 cup of Kim Chi (bought or homemade, preferably a raw ferment and MSG free i.e Pat’s Veg), chopped if needed For the dressing 2 tbsp of rice bran/ olive/ macadamia oil 1 tbsp of roasted sesame seed oil 2 tsp of coconut/ palm/ brown sugar Juice of 1/2 a lime For the topping 1 handful of cashew pieces 1 handful of black sesame seeds

Method

For Kim Chi Coleslaw Combine the dressing ingredients and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Toast the cashews and black sesame seeds in a dry pan, and allow to cool. Combine all of the coleslaw ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. To make the Five Spiced Kentucky Tofu Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the oil and the water, you might need to whisk out any lumps. Now tear the tofu up into bite-sized pieces and add to the batter.

Dipping the tofu in Catie's delicious spicy batter!  Shiko Wide Bowl from Monk House Design, saucer top right by Dawn Vachon.  Recipe by Catie Gett of The Staple Store, styling - Lucy Feagins, styling assistant - Nat Turnbull, photo - Eve Wilson for The Design Files.

Heat the oil in a saucepan or wok. Test the oil with a drop of batter when it rises to the top the oil is ready for frying. Drop a well coated piece of tofu into the oil one piece at a time. Do not over crowd the oil or you’ll end up with soggy tofu. When the tofu is golden brown, with a slotted spoon remove the tofu from the oil and allow to drain. Serve with the coleslaw immediately. HUGE THANKS to Catie for this delicious recipe incorporating amazing fermented Kim Chi!  Do check out Catie's website and instagram for more of her nutrition philosophies, wit and wisdom (and a healthy dose of Ryan Gosling, from time to time!).

Speckled bowl and plate by Sarah Schembri from Craft Victoria, Bridget Bodenham Mortar and Pestle, Georg Jensen fork, Pat’s Veg traditionally fermented Kim Chi. Recipe by Catie Gett of The Staple Store, styling - Lucy Feagins, styling assistant - Nat Turnbull, photo - Eve Wilson for The Design Files.