HITS THE SPOT
Brown rice and tofu taste bland, until you mix in umami-packed sauce,
Brown rice with chicken or tofu and vegetables is a nutrient-dense dinner, but if you’re like me, you probably fell asleep just reading that dish description. I can’t think of anything more boring and bland-o than brown rice and tofu.
You can stock your fridge with the healthiest foods in the world, but if it all tastes like sawdust and bran, you’re not going to stick to that diet in the long run.
That’s why a bit of seasoning goes a long way to make you actually look forward to the next meal. To make this dinner staple less snooze-inducing for your taste buds, here’s an addictive stir-fry sauce that just contains three ingredients: soy sauce, maple syrup and white miso paste.
The umami of miso and sweetness of maple add a depth to brown rice and veggies that plain soy sauce can’t. If you want an extra punch of flavour, add in a bit of minced ginger or garlic when whisking the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together miso paste, maple syrup and soy sauce. Set aside.
In a small covered saucepan over medium heat bring water, rice, salt and garlic to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until most of liquid is evaporated and rice is tender. Remove from heat and fluff rice with fork. Set aside.
While rice is cooking, heat oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Sear tofu until slightly browned, about 8 minutes, tossing often to prevent sticking. Transfer to serving bowl. In the same pan over medium heat, toss edamame and spinach with water until spinach has wilted and edamame is warm, 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer rice, edamame and spinach to serving bowl with tofu. Drizzle with whisked sauce. Garnish with almonds. Serve immediately. Makes 1 serving. Build a better rice bowl: Consider this formula when building a balanced rice bowl: start with a cup of cooked brown rice seasoned with a bit of salt. Add a dose of protein (cooked chicken or beef, tofu, chickpeas, etc.) and steam or stir-fry two cups of colourful veggies such as leafy greens, peppers or shredded carrot. The bright colour of the vegetables break up the drab colours of the rice and protein, making it more appealing to the eyes and, therefore, your stomach. Add a sauce or dressing, preferably something with a salty-tart acidity to bring the flavour out of the rice bowl like the aforementioned maple-miso sauce or even Sriracha. Finally, add some crunch for texture such as almonds, sprouts or, my personal favourite, kimchi. karonliu@thestar.ca