Tofu can seem like a strange, futurist food that only vegetarians and hippies eat. The truth is that tofu has been around for hundreds, if not thousands of years. It is made by acidulating soy milk, causing it to curdle, then pressing the curds into blocks (similar to making cheese). Tofu is high in protein, calcium, iron, and lots of other good things. If you never tried tofu, it might be the time, and this Crispy Honey Garlic Tofu Bowl is the perfect dish to initiate you. Let’s get to it.
I used brown rice as the base for my Crispy Honey Garlic Tofu Bowl. You can use white rice, quinoa, or even noodles if you’d prefer. I chose brown rice to mix things up a little bit and because it is better for you than white rice.
Start by measuring the rice. A half-cup is enough for two people. Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes before cooking to speed up the cooking process and make the finished rice a little softer. Drain the rice and put it in a medium pot with two and a half times as much water as rice. You want to use one and a half cups of water for half a cup of rice. Add a pinch of salt, pepper, and a tablespoon of butter to the pot with the rice, bring to a boil, put a lid on the pot. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Take the pot off the heat, leave the lid on and let the rice sit for 5 minutes. Cooking instructions may vary by brand, so make sure to read the instructions on the package.
You can use any vegetables you’d like for this, but I opted for carrot, snow peas and green pepper. In total, you want about one cup of each vegetable after they are sliced. Peel one medium carrot, then cut the top and bottom off. Cut the carrot in half, then cut into matchstick. You can slice the carrot instead to make things easier. Pull the string off the snow peas, and slice the green pepper.
To cook the vegetables, heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon of oil to the pan, then the vegetables. Stir-fry the vegetables for 3 to 4 minutes or until they soften and start to brown. Add one tablespoon of soy sauce (or tamari) to the pan, cook for 30 seconds and serve.
Tofu is generally sold in 1 pound (454 g) blocks and comes as silken, soft, medium-firm, and firm. For this recipe, you want to use either medium-firm or firm. Half a block is enough for two people. The other half block of tofu can be stored in the fridge in a ziplock bag for up to 5 days. Cut the extra tofu into small pieces and add to pasta or put it on pizza. Pat the tofu dry with a paper towel, then cut it into 1 cm thick slices. Cut the slices into 1 cm thick sticks, then cut the sticks into 1 cm cubes. In a medium bowl, combine half a cup of cornstarch with a pinch of salt and pepper. Gently toss the diced tofu in the cornstarch, making sure every piece is coated.
Before you start cooking the tofu, peel and slice two to three garlic cloves, you want about one tablespoon of sliced garlic in total. Also, peel and mince a piece of ginger. In total, you want about a teaspoon of minced ginger.
Heat a wok or a large frying pan over high heat. Add in a quarter cup of canola oil and let it heat for a minute. Sake the excess cornstarch off the tofu and carefully add it to the wok. Cook for tofu for 2 to 3 minutes or until it turns golden brown. Stir it every 20 to 30 seconds. Turn the heat down to medium-high and add in the garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 more minute, then add a half teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and a tablespoon of honey. Continue cooking for 20 seconds, then adds two teaspoons of rice vinegar and a tablespoon of soy sauce. Cook for 1 minute and serve.
Divide a medium bowl into three sections. Fill one section with rice, one section with vegetables, and one section with crispy tofu. Serve and enjoy.
If you are new to tofu or just want a new tofu recipe, this is perfect. At no point while you’re eating this Crispy Honey Garlic Tofu Bowl will you think to yourself, “This is tofu.” You will only think, “This is delicious.” But as always, don’t take my word for it. Try it for yourself. Have a great weekend and a happy easter!
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