Bright Asian seasonings such as ginger, lime, chile sauce and fresh herbs help delicate tofu and rice shine in this satisfying vegetarian dinner. Peanuts add richness and crunch. Sautéed shiitake mushrooms are a delicious addition.
Asian-Style Tofu, Rice & Broccoli Salad
Coarse kosher salt
1 1/2 cups brown basmati or jasmine rice
1/4 cup fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce or Asian fish sauce
1 Tbs. chile sauce such as sriracha or sambal oelek
2 tsp. Asian sesame oil
14 to 16 oz. firm tofu, drained, patted dry and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 lb. baby broccoli, broccoli rabe or broccoli
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1/2 cup fresh mint, minced
1/2 cup fresh basil, minced
Dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped, for garnish
In a saucepan, bring 2 cups salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the rice and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork, transfer to a large bowl and cool.
Meanwhile, in the work bowl of a food processor, combine the ginger, lime juice, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons water, chile sauce and sesame oil. Process until the ginger is finely minced. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Mix in the tofu and let marinate while preparing the remaining ingredients.
If using baby broccoli or broccoli rabe, cut into 2-inch pieces. If using broccoli, peel the stalks by inserting the edge of a small sharp knife under the edge of the peel and pulling toward the florets. Cut the florets off the stems, and cut the stems into 2-inch pieces. In a steamer over boiling water, steam the vegetable until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes for baby broccoli or broccoli rabe, or about 6 minutes for broccoli florets and stems. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl of cold water, let stand briefly to cool and then drain well.
Cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces and add to the rice. Stir in the tofu mixture and herbs. Garnish with peanuts and serve right away. Serves 4.
by williams-sonoma