“As I grow older, I don’t want to be faffing around too much in the kitchen,” says chef Ching-He Huang. “I also want to enjoy myself and not be a slave to the stove.”

That’s why she loves a good stir-fry, which can transform veg into a quick and delicious dish – like this recipe with black bean tofu and baby pak choi…

Vegan stiry-fry recipe with black bean tofu and baby pak choi

Ingredients:(Serves four as a side)

1tbsp cornflour1tbsp rapeseed oil5 garlic cloves, finely chopped1tbsp freshly grated root ginger1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped1 bird’s eye chilli, deseeded and chopped1tbsp fermented salted black beans, rinsed and crushed1tbsp yellow bean paste or miso paste250g ready-fried tofu, quartered1tbsp Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry2 green peppers, deseeded and cut into 1.5cm chunks200ml vegetable stock1tbsp tamari or low-sodium light soy sauceCooked jasmine rice, to serve

For the pak choi:200g baby pak choi, halvedPinch of sea salt1tbsp Shaohsing rice wine1tbsp tamari or low-sodium light soy sauce1tsp toasted sesame oil2.5cm piece of fresh root ginger, sliced into matchsticks

Method:

1. First, prepare the pak choi. Place a heatproof plate inside a bamboo steamer. Season the pak choi with salt, rice wine, tamari or light soy sauce and toasted sesame oil, then lay the ginger slices over the top. Place the lid on the steamer and set over a wok or pan of water. Bring to the boil, then gently steam over a low heat for three to four minutes. In a small jug or cup, mix the cornflour with two tablespoons of water to create a slurry and set aside until needed. Meanwhile, place a wok over a high heat and add the rapeseed oil. When the oil starts to smoke, add the garlic, ginger and chillies and stir-fry for a few seconds. Then add the black beans and yellow bean paste and stir quickly.

2. Add the tofu and stir-fry for one minute, keeping the ingredients moving in the wok, then add the rice wine or sherry and the green peppers and stir-fry for a further minute.

3. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Season with the tamari or soy sauce, then add the cornflour slurry and stir to thicken.

4. Serve the black bean tofu and steamed baby pak choi with jasmine rice on the side and eat immediately.

Asian Green: Everyday Plant-based Recipes Inspired By The East by Ching-He Huang, photography by Tamin Jones, is published by Kyle Books on February 11, priced £20.