Salad of Lightly Poached Mung Beans, Shoots, Sprouts and Sesame Fried Tofu

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 cups/500 ml water
1/2 cup/125 ml soy sauce
2 ½ inch/6 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
8 ounces/225 g sprouted mung beans
2 ounces/60 g onion sprouts
2 ounces/60 g alfalfa sprouts
6 ounces/170 g pea shoots
3 tablespoons/50 ml soy vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons/25 ml mirin
5 tablespoons/75 ml grapeseed oil
3 cups/750 ml vegetable or peanut oil for deep frying
8 ounces/225 g thinly sliced lotus root, patted dry with paper towels
14 ounces/400 g firm tofu
3 ½ ounces/100 g sesame seeds

Method:

In a medium saucepan, place the water, soy sauce and ginger. Add the mung beans and bring the cooking liquid nearly to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and strain the beans. Allow the beans to cool. Discard the ginger. The beans should still be crunchy. Mix the onion sprouts, alfalfa sprouts and pea shoots together in a large bowl.  Add the mung beans and toss to combine.

Place the vinegar and mirin in another large bowl. Slowly add the grapeseed oil, whisking constantly until the mixture is well blended. Set the salad and dressing aside while preparing the tofu and lotus root.  Cut the tofu into 8 finger-length rectangles. Place the sesame seeds in a medium bowl and roll the tofu in the sesame seeds to coat. Heat the vegetable or peanut oil in a medium saucepan or deep fryer to 375°F/190°C.

Add the lotus root slices to the hot oil and cook until golden and crisp. Using tongs, transfer the fried lotus root chips to paper towels to drain. Deep-fry the tofu in the hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden. 

Using tongs, transfer the fried tofu to paper towels to drain. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat. Mound the salad in the center of four plates. Top with the fried lotus root chips and tofu and serve.