Vegan 'Flaky' Fish & Chips

Ingredients

• 1 block firm or extra-firm tofu (The block size is not specified; cut widthways into thin slices.)
• fine sea salt (For sprinkling over the tofu; amount not specified.)
• 1 tbsp nori sprinkles (Alternatively, use 1 nori sheet, blended or finely chopped; more gives a fishier flavor.)
• 8 toothpicks (Skewer the fillets at both ends to hold the tofu layers together; remove before eating.)
• 0.5 L sunflower or vegetable oil (For shallow frying, or similar oil. The stated 0.5–1 litre is a range.)
• 1 lemon (Cut into wedges for garnish and tartare sauce.)
• 60 g plain flour
• 60 g cornflour (Can be replaced with more plain flour instead.)
• 0.5 tsp salt (For the batter.)
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 125 ml ice-cold water (Use 125–175 ml as needed for a double-cream consistency; 125 ml is also stated as half a cup.)
• 3 Maris Piper potatoes (Medium, washed; source gives a weight range of 600–650 g.)
• sunflower or vegetable oil (For coating the chips; use generously.)
• salt (To taste, for the chips.)
• lemon wedges (For serving; the ingredient list also includes one lemon cut into wedges.)
• tomato ketchup (For serving; amount not specified.)
• malt vinegar (For serving; amount not specified.)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F), or 200°C (390°F) for a fan-assisted oven. Prepare ice-cold water for the batter by adding ice to cold water or placing cold water in the freezer for about 20 minutes.

2. 2

   Slice the tofu widthways into thin slices, about 3 mm thick. Lay them on a tea towel or kitchen paper, cover, and press lightly to remove excess water.

3. 3

   Lightly sprinkle the tofu slices with fine sea salt, then sprinkle over the nori. Use more nori for a stronger fish-like flavor.

4. 4

   Stack the tofu slices into two even piles. Cut each pile lengthways to make four fillets, then secure each fillet at both ends with toothpicks. Set aside.

5. 5

   Cut the potatoes into 1 cm slices, then cut each slice into 1 cm-thick chips.

6. 6

   Optional: add the chips to a saucepan of boiling water, cover, and return to a rolling boil. Cook for 90 seconds, then drain. Cover the pan and shake vigorously to roughen and break up the outside of the chips.

7. 7

   Put the chips on a baking tray, coat generously with oil, and toss to coat. Spread them out so they are touching as little as possible.

8. 8

   Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until signs of caramelisation appear. Flip or jostle the chips, then bake for another 10–15 minutes, until yellowed and caramelised in places.

9. 9

   While the chips bake, combine the plain flour, cornflour, batter salt, pepper, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.

10. 10

    Pour sunflower or vegetable oil into a frying pan or large saucepan to a depth of about 1 cm. Heat over high heat for 2–3 minutes, until the oil ripples gently.

11. 11

    Add about 125 ml of the ice-cold water to the dry batter mixture and stir until it reaches a double-cream consistency. Add more water as needed, up to the stated 175 ml.

12. 12

    Drop a small blob of batter into the oil to check it is hot enough. It should bubble immediately and turn light golden within about 60 seconds.

13. 13

    Dip a tofu fillet in the batter and coat it fully. Let excess batter run off, then carefully lay the fillet away from you into the hot oil. Repeat with the remaining fillets.

14. 14

    Shallow-fry the fillets for 2–3 minutes, keeping the oil gently bubbling rather than violently bubbling. Adjust the heat as needed. While frying, you can slowly spoon more batter around the edges to build up a crispier coating.

15. 15

    Flip the fillets and fry for another 2–3 minutes, until golden brown all over. The source notes that they may need about an extra minute on each side.

16. 16

    Remove the fillets from the oil and let them drain on kitchen paper or a tea towel. Cook the remaining fillets in the same way.

17. 17

    Toss the cooked chips with salt and any other seasoning to taste.

18. 18

    If needed, keep the battered fillets warm in the oven with the chips for up to 10 minutes.

19. 19

    Serve the tofu-fish fillets and chips with lemon wedges, tomato ketchup, and malt vinegar. Remove the toothpicks before eating.

Notes

The source also describes an optional technique of slowly spooning batter around the fillet edges while shallow-frying for a thicker crisp coating. Small lumps in the batter are acceptable. Baking powder helps the batter expand, cornflour makes it crispier, and ice-cold water helps create a lighter, crisper coating. The source's chip parboiling details differ: the written method specifies 90 seconds after returning to a rolling boil, while the spoken transcript describes a longer boil; the written description was followed. Do not pour used cooking oil down the drain; check whether a local recycling centre accepts it. The source mentions serving with macho peas and tartare sauce, but their recipes are provided separately.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegan
• dairy-free
• egg-free
• British
• shallow-fried
• oven-baked
• comfort food