Tofu Rice Bowl with Broccoli & Mushrooms
Quick & easy family food! Salt and pepper fried tofu with veggies, brown rice and a lovely sweet and salty marinade, perfect spoon food.
I love a rice bowl and its the perfect opportunity to use any veggies you have in the fridge, a quick mid week supper as all the components come together in the time it takes to cook the rice.
A note on tofu
Now, I have to confess when I became a veggie I was not the biggest tofu fan, let’s face it, it is really bland and the texture is just not great. BUT behold, once you coat the tofu in some well seasoned flour before gently frying it – it transforms into something delicious.
I prefer smoked tofu which is widely available.
Crispy tofu
Coating the tofu in cornflour will ensure crispier tofu pieces but more often cornflour is GMO, I opt for organic arrowroot in this recipe and the result was delicious but definitely less crispier.
What is gochujang?
Korean gochujang is a spicy and sweet red pepper paste. It’s amazing in anything stir fried and it makes a great marinade and great in dressings too. A little goes a long way so aim to buy a small tub rather than a huge one. There are plenty of variations, I prefer this authentic brand, visual here and smaller versions will be in a jar. It’s widely available, even from woolies. Alternative, would be miso.
Tofu Rice Bowl with Broccoli & Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups brown rice
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 packet firm tofu cut into bitesized blocks
- 2 tbsp arrowroot/corn flour
- 1/4 tspn salt
- 1/4 tspn all spice
- 2 cups mushrooms finely sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp grated ginger
- 2 peppers finely sliced
- 1 bunch spring onions chopped (reserve some as a garnish)
- 200 g broccolini/1 small head broccoli chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds toasted (opt)
- spring onions to garnish
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes garnish (opt)
Marinade/Dressing
- 4 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp vegan 'fish' sauce or more soy
- 2 tbsp gochujang
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 tbsp maple syrup/sugar
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Cook the rice in 3 cups of water until soft and fluffy.
- Add the cornflour/arrowroot to a bowl, add the salt, pepper and allspice and mix well, add the tofu making sure all the pieces are coated with the flour.
- Mix all the marinade ingredients together, taste, we are looking for the right combination of salty, sweet and tangy. Adjust as needed. If you find it too salty, you can add a tablespoon of water, but the marinade needs to be punchy - have faith.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan until hot, in batches, add the tofu pieces and cook until golden and crispy, remove and drain, continue until all the tofu are cooked.
- In the same frying pan or wok, add the mushrooms and stir fry until golden, you need a medium to high heat here, once soft & golden, add the ginger and garlic and cook for 3 minutes until fragrant. If the mixture seems dry, you can add a tablespoon or two more oil.
- Add the peppers, spring onions and the broccolini, cook until soft. Add the most of the marinade (reserving some for garnish) and the tofu and stir until everything is well coated and thickened and the broccolini are al dente.
- To serve, divide the rice to four bowl and top with the vegetables. Garnish with sesame seeds, chopped spring onions and the reserved marinade. Enjoy!
