A tofu Italian starter?
It’s a Japanese and Chinese way to combine tofu and avocado. The bland pulpiness can take a little getting used to for a Western palate – but persevere and you will be rewarded with subtle soft textures and tastes that are a revelation. Think of the tofu as a savoury panna cotta with the avocado providing the main flavour and bite – once we take our taste bud meter away from expecting 11 with each bite, you will see that this is a soothing and restorative delight. A refined delicacy that is very Japanese. But I wanted to see if this can be extended to include other tastes and thereby enter the flavour vocabulary of other cuisines. So, tomato and basil for an Italian starter using tofu? It works a treat – in fact, it is even better than using mozzarella because it is not so heavy and rich. The basil oil is the secret. Just as the soy combines the Oriental tofu and avocado, so the intense basil brings all three flavours together. Try it.