Description
A savory tofu rice bowl with mushrooms, kale, cucumbers, and peanut sauce – i.e. the lunch of my dreams.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Tofu
- One 14-ounce block extra-firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon avocado, organic canola, or another neutral-tasting oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup or honey
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Bowls
- 1 cup brown rice* (see note below)
- 1 tablespoon olive or neutral-tasting oil
- 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
- 4 cups finely chopped curly kale*
- 1 English cucumber, sliced*
For the Sauce
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar* (see note below)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated or minced
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed, grated or minced
- 1/3 cup water
Instructions
- Press the tofu. Drain tofu and place on a plate, then top with another plate or cutting board and weigh it down with something heavy (like a couple of cans), to squeeze out as much water as possible. Let stand for about 15 minutes, periodically draining off the excess water. (Or use a tofu press.)
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 425ºF.
- Cook the rice. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small pot. Add 1 cup rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt, cover tightly with a lid, and simmer gently over low heat [with zero stirring] until all the water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let stand covered for another 10 minutes to steam.
- Marinate the tofu. After the tofu is pressed, in a medium bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon each oil and soy sauce, 1 teaspoon each garlic powder, smoked paprika, and maple syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes and add to the bowl. Gently toss to coat and let stand for at least 10 minutes.
- Bake the tofu. Arrange tofu in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing the cubes about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
- Cook the mushrooms. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. At the end, add 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Stir to glaze the mushrooms and turn the heat off.
- Make the sauce. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients from peanut butter through garlic. The sauce will seem lumpy at first, but keep stirring and it’ll eventually come together into a thick paste. Add about 3 tablespoons of the water and whisk until incorporated. Gradually add more water as needed, until your desired consistency is reached.
- Assemble. Divide the rice, tofu, mushrooms, kale, and cucumbers among bowls. Serve with peanut sauce.
Notes
- You can sub brown rice with wild rice, quinoa, or barley.
- If you don’t like kale, sub with romaine or mesclun greens.
- Feel free to toss in other crunchy veg, like carrots, radishes, or bell peppers.
- Seasoned rice vinegar has some salt and sugar added to it. If you don’t have any, skip it and compensate with extra citrus juice plus a tiny splash (~1/2 teaspoon) of maple syrup/honey.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 525