Tofu and mushroom skewers

Use two metal skewers, or two wooden ones that have soaked in cold water for 10 minutes or more so that they won't burn in the heat.Serve with a herby raita (page 71) and some cumin-roasted sweet potatoes(page 46) if you're not slimming.

Serves 2

250g (9oz) tofu

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon mirin

1 teaspoon greated ginger

1 garlic clove, crushed

85g ( 3 oz)baby chestnut mushrooms

Drain the tofu, pat the dry on kitchen paper and cut into cubes – about 10 is ideal. In a shallow dish that will hold the tofu, mix the soy sauce, olive oil,mirin, ginger and garlic to make a marinade. Add the tofu and turn it around so that it get's coated.

Wash the mushrooms but don't remove the stalks. Cut them in half, if necessary. Thread a mushroom onto a skewer followed by a cube of tofu, then another mushroom and so on – pack them well together. When both skewers are crammed full, brush them with the remaining soy sauce mixture. They can wait, sitting in their marinade, for some hours, or you can grill them straight away.

When you're ready,prepare a hot grill or barbecue. Put the skewers on a tray under the grill or on the barbecue and spoon any extra marinade over them. Cook until they're stickly brown and lightly caramelized and smell gorgeous- about 6 minutes under a hot grill, turning them after about 4 minutes. Serve at once.