This week, we're offering a trio of Asian-inspired recipes that are quick and delicious. Recipes like these are easy to make and filled with lots of great vegetables so you can enjoy a nutritious meal without really trying. We finish our journey with a crispy baked tofu rice bowl that's absolutely brimming with flavor. If you are on the fence about tofu because you have issues with flavor and texture, this is the recipe for you. I love it so much, it's featured prominently in my monthly menu rotation. Give it a try!
If you want the texture of the tofu to be exceptionally firm, press it between two cutting boards with a weight on top for about 30 minutes before beginning to make the dish. This will remove a bit more liquid from the tofu and allow it to crisp up in the oven even more. The cornstarch you toss the tofu with will adhere better as well and aid even more in the baking process. You'll note that the serving list is varied and vague. This is a great dish for using leftovers, that last bit of onion in the crisper drawer in the fridge, chopped nuts or seeds, and so on. Got a little bit of sauce left in the bottom of a jar? Maybe opt for that as a drizzle instead of the suggested sriracha. You get the idea. As is often the case here, make it your own.
I just grab a beverage of my choice to pair with the bowls and call it a meal. The bowls have a little bit of everything in them as it is, so why fuss more with sides? If you're feeling a hankering for something - a bit of spinach or some sliced lemon zest or something else entirely - just pop it in your bowl and dig in. However you choose to present it, enjoy this quick, clever, and entirely tweakable meal in under a half hour!
Sriracha Tofu Rice Bowls
- 16 ounces extra firm tofu, sliced into 1-inch cubes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 4 cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup maple syrup or honey
- 3 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2-3 teaspoons sriracha
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch slurry (1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch and 1 ½ tablespoons cold water stirred together)
- Steamed rice - I used brown basmati rice
- Roasted or stir fried vegetables - I used roasted broccoli and yellow pepper that I tossed with the tofu before adding to the bowls
- Sliced avocado
- Sliced cucumber
- Sliced green onions
- Quick pickled vegetables - I used a combination of coarsely shredded daikon and carrot
- Furikake
- Coarsely chopped cilantro
- Sriracha sauce, for drizzling - I used honey sriracha sauce
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
Add the tofu, spices and cornstarch to a bowl and toss to evenly coat the tofu cubes. Transfer to the baking sheet, liberally spray with oil, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tofu is browned and crispy.
In the meantime, in a pan over medium heat, add the garlic, maple syrup, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sriracha. Bring to a simmer. While that simmers, in a small bowl, add the cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Add the slurry to the sauce and stir until it thickens, like honey or maple syrup consistency.
Once the tofu is cooked, pour it into the sauce and toss to coat. Serve it over over steamed rice, along with roasted vegetables, sliced avocado, cucumber, and green onions, and pickled vegetables of your choice. Sprinkle everything with furikake (or sesame seeds if you cannot find the Japanese rice seasoning) and fresh chopped cilantro and drizzle with extra sriracha sauce as desired.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes