Crispy Coconut Sesame Tofu Salad with Peanut Salsa

I’ve been grating tofu straight into the pan like this for years, it’s one of my favourite ways to make sure it’s properly seasoned and perfectly crispy. You get that all-important crunch in minutes! This version is salty, sweet, and full of texture, with a zesty Peanut Salsa dressing for a little kick. I made a big batch of it recently to top a lemongrass veggie curry, and it was a total hit. Serve it warm or cold — it’s a proper crowd-pleaser either way.

Serves: 2 | Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 10 mins | Total Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 4 baby cucumbers, sliced into chunky rounds
• 300g roasted or pre-cooked veggies (sweet potato, sugar snap peas, carrots, broccoli, or fried courgette)
• 6 tbsp chickpeas
• 6 tbsp cooked edamame beans
• Small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
• 2 small carrots, peeled or grated
• For the crispy tofu (enough for 2–3 servings):
• 4 tbsp sunflower oil
• 280g firm tofu, grated on the large side of a grater
• 4 tbsp desiccated coconut
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 4 tbsp crispy onions
• Good pinch salt + pepper
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• Pinch dried chilli flakes (optional)

For the dressing:

• 4 tbsp sesame oil
• 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• Juice of 1 lime
• 3 tbsp tamari soya sauce
• 1 tbsp Peanut Salsa

Method

Make the crispy tofu: Set a large frying pan over a medium–high heat. Add 2 tbsp sunflower oil followed by half the grated tofu. Fry for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it starts to crisp. Season generously with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and mix in half the grated garlic and coconut. Return to a slightly lower heat for 1 minute, then stir in half the sesame seeds and crispy onions. Take off the heat, drizzle over half the sesame oil, and check seasoning. Repeat with the remaining batch.

Prep the salad: While the tofu cooks, prepare your vegetables. If you don’t have roasted veg to hand, lightly steam or fry some baby corn, broccoli spears, or anything you fancy. Add all the veg, chickpeas, edamame, and coriander to a large bowl.

Mix the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, lime juice, tamari, and Peanut Salsa. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Assemble: Pour the dressing over the salad along with a few spoonfuls of the crispy tofu mix. Toss everything together well and divide between bowls. Top with more crispy tofu to finish.