On days when I have picked up a fresh artisan loaf from a local bakery or have baked a sourdough focaccia at home, I will centre dinner around bread, creating a meal that is either saucy, soupy or dippy. This particular recipe falls into the dip category, with a magical kimchi-whipped tofu that is so creamy and rich, it will leave you wondering how it can be vegan.
Top it off with a melange of spring offerings to create a lively seasonal dish that begs to be mopped up with bread. To make this gluten free, simply opt for gluten-free bread.
If you want to substitute for the sugar snap peas, broad beans, green beans and asparagus work just as well in their place. Likewise, edamame beans and corn are good subs for the peas.
Hetty McKinnon’s whipped kimchi tofu with spring things – recipe
Serves 2-4
Whipped kimchi tofu
½ cup (120g) vegan kimchi
250g silken tofu, drained
Sea salt and black pepper
Toppings
Extra-virgin olive oil
225g sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 cup (150g) peas, fresh or thawed from frozen
Sea salt and black pepper
8 green onions (spring onions), trimmed, white and green parts separated and cut into 5cm pieces
Handful of mint leaves
1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
To serve
Sesame oil, rayu (Japanese chilli oil) or chilli oil
Bread
Place the kimchi and tofu in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Season with sea salt and plenty of black pepper.
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle with olive oil, add the sugar snap peas and peas, season with sea salt and black pepper, then toss until bright green and just starting to char, about three minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.
Slice the white parts of the green onions lengthways, either in half or quarters, depending on thickness.
Drizzle more olive oil into the same pan over medium-high heat, add the green onion (both whites and greens), season with a pinch of sea salt and cook until golden and scorched, about two minutes.
Spread the whipped kimchi tofu over a large plate. Top with the sugar snap peas, green onion and peas and scatter over the mint leaves and sesame seeds.
Finish with a pinch of sea salt and a few drops of sesame oil, rayu or chilli oil. Serve with bread.
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This is an edited extract from Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savour, Together, written and photographed by Hetty Lui McKinnon (published by Plum in Australia; RRP $44.99, and Knopf in the US; RRP $40).
