This recipe is ideal when the family is about to cook a BBQ dinner and the vegetarians need to whip up something – and quickly – to go with the salads.

Start with a packet of firm tofu – definitely not the silken variety that is more gelatinous and falls apart at the first sign of heat.

Slice the tofu into thick, generous “steaks” of about 1cm in width. Getting this right is important – too wide and the tofu will take longer to absorb the flavour of the marinade, too narrow and you risk compromising the structural integrity of the tofu once it hits the barbie.

Make up the marinade. All sorts of variations are possible but a good starting point would be half a cup of soy sauce, 1-2 teaspoons of sesame oil, half a cup of boiling water, 3-4 finely chopped garlic cloves, a knuckle of grated fresh ginger, 1-2 shallots, 1 small chilli, some pepper. I also like to add star anise for its aroma and flavour.

Stand the tofu steaks in the marinade for as long as you have got. For best results, marinate for at least half an hour, turning if necessary to ensure that the tofu gets a good soak. You could leave it in for 24 hours if you are planning ahead.

When you are ready to cook, put a little oil on the BBQ plate and cook the tofu through on both sides. Once you have done that you can pour the rest of the marinade on the tofu and let the tofu sizzle in it (both sides) to pick up some extra flavour. You can also cook this on a stove grill or in a fry pan if a BBQ is not at hand.

Serve and deal with the compliments with sophistication and dignity.

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