Cashew Fried Rice with Crispy Baked Tofu

by | 0 comments

Trust me – you will need to make an extra-large batch. This dish is great packed into school lunches, as an after-school snack or even heated up for next-day dinners. It is nutritionally well balanced and satisfying. Full bellies and smiles = happy parents!

• SERVES: 4-6

• PREP TIME: 10 mins

• COOKING TIME: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups uncooked brown rice
  • 2 cups firm tofu, pressed
  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 brown onion, finely chopped
  • 3 spring onions, sliced
  • 1 tsp smoky paprika
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1⁄2 cup sugar snap peas, sliced
  • 1 long red chilli, deseeded and chopped (optional)
  • 1⁄2 cup roasted cashew nuts
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari to taste

Sauce

  • 5 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
  • 2 Tbsp smooth nut butter
  • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed diagonally

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 180°C and lightly grease a baking tray with cooking spray or coconut oil. Bring the water to the boil and add the brown rice. Leave to simmer, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes. Try to avoid stirring the rice. Meanwhile, wrap the tofu in absorbent paper towel and place something heavy on top to squeeze out the water. Cut the tofu into 2 cm cubes and arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking tray. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn once during baking so that they brown on both sides.

While the tofu is baking, heat the sesame oil over a medium-high heat in a large pan. Add the garlic, onion, spring onions and paprika and lightly sauté for 3–4 minutes. Add the red pepper, carrot, peas and cashew nuts, and sauté for a further 3 minutes.

To make the sauce, combine the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Place the baked tofu in a bowl and pour over the sauce. Mix well until the tofu is evenly coated. Once the rice is tender, rinse and drain in a colander or sieve until completely cool. Ensure that all the water is drained. Add the rice and tofu to the sautéed vegetables in the pan, mix and fry for 4 minutes over a high heat. Add soy sauce or tamari to taste. Serve, topped with chopped fresh chillies, if using.

Get more delicious plant-based recipes from my new book ‘Made with Love and Plants’ from Takealot, Amazon, or select independent bookstores.