Tofu Rice Bowl With Peanut Sauce (Print Version)
Crispy tofu over jasmine rice with fresh veggies and creamy peanut sauce. A satisfying vegetarian Asian bowl.
# What You'll Need:
→ Rice Bowl Components
01 - 1 1/2 cups uncooked jasmine or brown rice
02 - 14 oz firm tofu, pressed and cubed
03 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
04 - 3 tbsp vegetable oil
05 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
06 - 1 large carrot, julienned
07 - 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
08 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
09 - 1 cup cooked and shelled edamame
10 - 2 tbsp sesame seeds
→ Peanut Sauce
11 - 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
12 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
13 - 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
14 - 1 tbsp maple syrup
15 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
16 - 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
17 - 1 garlic clove, minced
18 - 2 to 3 tbsp warm water
# How to Cook:
01 - Prepare the rice following package directions. Once cooked, cover and keep warm until ready to assemble.
02 - Pat the cubed tofu dry with paper towels. Place the cubes in a medium bowl, sprinkle with cornstarch, and toss gently until every piece is evenly coated.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the tofu in a single layer without crowding the pan. Cook, turning every couple of minutes, until all sides are deeply golden and crisp, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, maple syrup, rice vinegar, grated ginger, and minced garlic. Add warm water one tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition, until the sauce reaches a smooth, drizzle-worthy consistency.
05 - Shred the red cabbage, julienne the carrot into thin matchsticks, slice the cucumber into thin rounds, thinly slice the green onions, and ensure the edamame is fully thawed and shelled.
06 - Divide the warm rice among four bowls. Arrange the crispy tofu, shredded cabbage, julienned carrot, sliced cucumber, green onions, and edamame in neat sections over each bed of rice.
07 - Drizzle the peanut sauce generously over each bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve right away while the tofu is still warm and crisp.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The peanut sauce tastes like something from a restaurant but takes about ninety seconds to whisk together.
- Everything cooks in under forty minutes, and most of that is the rice doing its own thing while you prep vegetables.
- It is endlessly flexible, so you can empty your crisper drawer into a bowl and call it dinner.
02 -
- Wet tofu in a hot pan causes aggressive splattering, so press it between paper towels under something heavy for at least ten minutes.
- The peanut sauce thickens as it sits, so whisk in another splash of warm water if you make it ahead.
03 -
- Do not move the tofu around too much in the pan because patience is what gives it that shatteringly crisp exterior.
- Taste the peanut sauce before adding water because some peanut butters are runnier than others and you may need less than you think.