Vegetarian Set Menu Recipe

Arrange mixed salad greens on a large platter. Thinly slice cucumber and julienne carrot; place around the platter edges for garnish and freshness.

Place finished salt & pepper tofu, satay skewers, spring rolls, wontons, and crispy seaweed in separate clusters on the platter for a shared appetizer presentation. Provide small bowls of sweet chili sauce, peanut satay sauce and soy dipping sauce alongside with lime wedges.

Prep tofu

Press tofu between paper towels or a clean kitchen towel with a weight on top for 15–20 minutes to remove excess water. Cut pressed tofu into 2 cm (3/4 in) cubes.

Coating

In a wide bowl, mix cornstarch, sea salt, black pepper and crushed Sichuan peppercorns (if using). Toss tofu cubes gently to coat all sides in the cornstarch mixture. Shake off excess.

Fry

Heat oil in a deep pan or wok to 180°C (350°F). Fry tofu in batches so pieces don’t touch; cook 3–4 minutes per batch until golden and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer tofu to a paper towel-lined tray to drain.

Finish and garnish

In a clean skillet, reserving 1 tbsp oil, quickly stir-fry minced garlic for 10 seconds, add fried tofu and toss to warm. Add an extra pinch of salt and a crack of black pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with sliced green onions.

Make satay sauce

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, minced garlic, minced ginger and chili flakes. Whisk and warm gently until smooth and slightly thickened, about 5–7 minutes. If sauce is too thick, thin with up to 60 ml water to reach dipping consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with more soy or lime as desired. Reserve 1 cup for dipping; set remaining aside to baste if desired.

Prepare skewers

Thread mock chicken pieces onto soaked skewers, 3–4 pieces per skewer depending on size. Brush lightly with a little oil to prevent sticking to grill or pan.

Cook skewers

Preheat a grill, griddle or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook skewers 2–3 minutes per side until lightly charred and heated through. If desired, baste once with reserved satay sauce toward the end of cooking to caramelize slightly (do not over-baste to avoid burning sugar).

Serve

Arrange skewers on a platter and serve with the reserved satay dipping sauce and lime wedges.

Prepare filling

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and stir 10 seconds, add shredded cabbage, julienned carrot, sliced shiitake mushrooms and bean sprouts. Stir-fry 3–4 minutes until vegetables are softened but not mushy. Add soy sauce and sesame oil; stir. If mixture seems wet, add a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water) and cook 30–60 seconds to bind. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Roll spring rolls

Place a wrapper on a clean surface with one corner pointing toward you. Spoon about 2–3 tbsp filling near the corner, fold corner over filling, fold sides in, then roll tightly to seal. Use a dab of water or cornstarch slurry to seal the final edge. Repeat until wrappers or filling are used.

Fry spring rolls

Heat oil to 175°C (350°F) in a deep pan. Fry rolls in batches 2–3 minutes until golden brown and crisp, turning as needed. Drain on paper towels. Alternatively, to reduce oil, bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15–20 minutes, turning halfway, brushing lightly with oil.

Serve

Serve hot with sweet chili sauce on the platter.

Make wonton filling

Combine crumbled tofu, finely chopped cabbage, green onions, minced ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and 1 tsp cornstarch in a bowl. Mix thoroughly until mixture holds together slightly; adjust seasoning to taste.

Assemble wontons

Place one teaspoon of filling in the center of a wonton wrapper. Moisten edges with water, fold into a triangle and press to seal. You can then bring the two outer corners together and press to form a classic wonton shape or leave as triangles.

Cook wontons

Options: (a) Boil — bring a pot of water to a gentle boil, add wontons and cook 3–4 minutes until wrappers are translucent and filling is hot. (b) Steam — steam for 6–8 minutes. (c) Pan-fry — heat 2 tbsp oil in a nonstick pan, arrange wontons flat, fry until bottoms are golden, then add 60 ml water and cover to steam for 3–4 minutes. Choose preferred method.

Serve

Transfer cooked wontons to a serving plate and serve with soy dipping sauce.

Prepare seaweed

Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). If using snack-style seaweed, arrange sheets on a baking tray lined with parchment. Lightly brush each sheet with a thin layer of vegetable oil, sprinkle a little sea salt and sesame seeds if using.

Bake or crisp

Bake for 6–10 minutes just until seaweed becomes crisp but not burnt. Remove and cool completely — seaweed will crisp further as it cools. Alternatively, briefly fry (10–20 seconds) in hot oil until crisp and drain immediately, but oven method is gentler and consistent.

Serve

Break into bite-sized pieces and place on the appetizer platter as a crunchy element.

Place sweet chili sauce in a small bowl for the spring rolls. Reserve 1 cup of satay sauce from the satay section for dipping. For soy dipping sauce, whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil and optional sliced green onion; taste and adjust. Serve all sauces alongside the assembled platter.