EASY FRIED RICE
I made a batch of fried rice that my husband really liked even though it was vegan and he isn’t! I made a double batch. My teenage daughter liked the tofu so much that I made some of the tofu along with brown rice the next day for her as a snack. The method for cooking the brown rice makes the most fluffy brown rice I have ever had.
The recipe is by the “Minimalist Baker”: Easy Vegan Fried Rice. The technique for cooking brown rice that she uses can also be found here:
Cooking rice in a lot of water like you would cook pasta helps remove arsenic. You can read Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s blog for information about arsenic in rice:
EASY FRIED RICE
Ingredients
1 cup extra-firm tofu (8 ounces yields ~1 cup; if you don’t like tofu substitute edamame or extra vegetables)
1 cup long- or short-grain brown rice (I used Lundberg organic short grain)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup finely diced carrots
1 Tablespoon reduce sodium tamari or soy sauce
(I also added some broccoli florets and sliced shiitake mushrooms)
Sauce:
3 Tablespoons tamari or soy sauce or to taste (I used reduced sodium tamari)
1 Tablespoon peanut butter
2-3 Tablespoons organic brown sugar, muscovado sugar, or maple syrup (I used 1/2 TBSP maple syrup)
1 clove garlic, minced (I used 2 cloves)
1-2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, or to taste
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (Dr. McDougall allows a little ie 1/4th tsp if you prefer)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In the meantime wrap tofu in a clean, absorbent towel and set something heavy on top (such as a cast iron skillet) to press out the liquid.
Once the oven is preheated, dice tofu into 1/4-inch cubes and arrange on baking sheet. Bake for 26-30 minutes. You’re looking for golden brown edges and a texture that’s firm to the touch. The longer it bakes, the firmer and crispier it will become, so if you’re looking for softer tofu remove from the oven around the 26-28 minute mark. I prefer crispy tofu, so I bake mine the full 30 minutes. Set aside.
While the tofu bakes prepare your rice by bringing 12 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Once boiling, add rinsed rice and stir. Boil on high uncovered for 30 minutes, then strain for 10 seconds and return to pot removed from the heat. Cover with a lid and let steam for 10 minutes.
While rice and tofu are cooking, prepare sauce by adding all ingredients to a medium-size mixing bowl and whisking to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more tamari or soy sauce for saltiness, peanut butter for creaminess, brown sugar for sweetness, or chili garlic sauce for heat.
Once the tofu is done baking, add directly to the sauce and marinate for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Heat a large metal or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, use a slotted spoon to scoop the tofu into the pan leaving most of the sauce behind. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown on all sides. Lower heat if browning too quickly. Remove from pan and set aside.
To the still hot pan add garlic, green onion, peas and carrots. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, and season with 1 Tablespoon tamari or soy sauce.
Add cooked rice, tofu, and remaining sauce and stir. Cook over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
Serve immediately with extra chili garlic sauce or sriracha for heat (optional). Crushed salted, roasted peanuts or cashews make a lovely additional garnish.
