Rice Salad With Peanuts and Tofu

Name: Rice Salad With Peanuts and Tofu
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients: 1/2 cup red rice, soaked for 1 hour and drained; 1 cup basmati or jasmine rice, rinsed; 2 1/2 cups water; Salt to taste (I use about 3/4 teaspoon); 1/2 cup chopped cilantro; 1/2 cup lightly toasted unsalted peanuts, chopped (about 2 ounces); 1 cup English peas, steamed for 5 minutes if using fresh, thawed if frozen; 1 bunch green onions or, chopped, or 1/4 cup chopped chives; 1 to 2 serrano chiles or bird chiles, minced; Romaine or leaf lettuce for the platter or plates; 1 avocado, sliced, avocado for garnish (1 avocado); Black sesame seeds for garnish; 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger; 2 tablespoons soy sauce, preferably tamari; 1 14-ounce block of organic extra-firm tofu (find one that is not too dry); 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/2 tablespoon minced shallot; 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground; 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne; 1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar; 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice; 3 tablespoons toasted peanut oil; 3 tablespoons grapeseed grape seed oil or canola oil (use 6 tablespoons if toasted peanut oil is not available); Chopped cilantro (whatever is left of the bunch you use for the salad) or cilantro sprigs

By Martha Rose Shulman

Total Time: 30 minutes
Rating: 5(88)
Notes: Read community notes

With a little advance preparation, this spicy salad can be made in 30 minutes. You can cook the two kinds of rices together if you soak the red rice for an hour first; the antioxidant-rich pigment from the red rice will bleed into the white rice, turning it an attractive pale rusty color, which is nice. The marinade and the rice will keep for about 3 days in the refrigerator. The baked tofu will also keep, in the marinade, for a couple of days.

Learn: How to Make Rice

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 6 to 8

For the Salad

½cup red rice, soaked for 1 hour and drained
1cup basmati or jasmine rice, rinsed
2½cups water
Salt to taste (I use about ¾ teaspoon)
½cup chopped cilantro
½cup lightly toasted unsalted peanuts, chopped (about 2 ounces)
1cup English peas, steamed for 5 minutes if using fresh, thawed if frozen
1bunch green onions or, chopped, or ¼ cup chopped chives
1 to 2serrano chiles or bird chiles, minced
Romaine or leaf lettuce for the platter or plates
1avocado, sliced, avocado for garnish (1 avocado)
Black sesame seeds for garnish

For the Tofu and the Dressing

½tablespoon minced ginger
2tablespoons soy sauce, preferably tamari
114-ounce block of organic extra-firm tofu (find one that is not too dry)
1garlic clove, minced
½tablespoon minced shallot
½teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground
⅛teaspoon of cayenne
1tablespoon honey or agave nectar
2tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
3tablespoons toasted peanut oil
3tablespoons grapeseed grape seed oil or canola oil (use 6 tablespoons if toasted peanut oil is not available)
Chopped cilantro (whatever is left of the bunch you use for the salad) or cilantro sprigs

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Combine the two kinds of two rices in a medium saucepan. Add water and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until rice is tender and all of the liquid in the pan has been absorbed. Remove from heat. Remove lid, place a clean dishtowel across the pan (not touching the rice) and return lid to the pan. Let sit undisturbed for 15 minutes or longer. Remove lid and towel, transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Add cilantro, peanuts, peas, scallions or chives and chiles and toss together.
Step 2
While rice is cooking, preheat oven to 375 degreesºF. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Pat tofu dry with paper towels and cut laterally into 4 equal squares, then cut squares into strips.
Step 3
In a large, wide bowl whisk together soy sauce, ginger, garlic, shallot, cumin, cayenne, honey or agave nectar, 2 teaspoons of the lime juice, 3 tablespoons of the grape seed or canola oil, and cilantro to taste. Pat each square of tofu dry with paper towels, then dip into marinade, making sure to coat both sides. Transfer to baking sheet. Do not drain the marinade.
Step 4
Bake tofu for 10 to 15 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to color and marinade sets on the surface. Remove from heat.
Step 5
Add remaining lime juice to the marinade and whisk in remaining oil. Add to rice mixture and toss.
Step 6
Line a platter or wide bowl, or individual plates with lettuce leaves and top with rice mixture. Lay tofu strips on top, garnish with avocado slices, black sesame seeds if desired, and cilantro, and serve.

Ratings

5 out of 5

88 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

ellen5 years ago

Labor intensive--way longer than 30 minutes. Worth trying again, a hit for summer weeknight. Marinate tofu overnight or a few hours. Switch ratio of red rice to white, rice not chewy enough as cooked, so will soak less next time. Needed 2x more Thai peppers, lime, sesame oil, and fish sauce to pop. Served with torn leaves of mint, Thai basil, and cilantro along with pea shoots, extra peanuts.

chris1 year ago

Make with basmati rice. Made with wild rice and rice was too mushy and did not work with the Asian flavors of the dish

chris1 year ago

Made with wild rice and was too mushy. In addition wild rice does not work with flavors of dish. If red rice is not available, suggest trying with all basmati rice.

mischa2 years ago

This is great! Used 1/2 cup black rice and 1 cup Korean mixed rice, and it's excellent. Make a little extra dressing. Added cucumbers.

Kati2 years ago

Made it with left-over brown rice simmered in broth. Tofu wouldn't take on color, broiled it instead. The spicing is wonderful. Will return to this recipe often.

Nicole2 years ago

I substituted shaved, raw Brussels sprouts for the lettuce and peas, and cut the red rice out. It was crunchy and delicious.

SandraJG3 years ago

Really good! Double or triple dressing recipe and marinate tofu overnight. Used rice cooker on regular rice setting. Baked tofu for about 25 minutes and was nice and crispy. Don't bake any longer than that. Rice reheats well.

Margot4 years ago

This is a great rice and tofu dish served hot.... Just forget the salad stuff!

SandraJG4 years ago

I substitute toasted sesame oil for the toasted peanut oil. Our local PCC (Pacific Northwest) carries the red rice. It is worth finding the red rice it adds a delicious note to this recipe. I have made this recipe at least 4 times and we are having it again tonight. A bit labor intensive but if you make the marinade up the night before and marinate the tofu over night it helps with the prep work.

ellen5 years ago

Beth5 years ago

HELP! Where, oh where can you buy toasted peanut oil? All I can find at the store is ROASTED peanut oil. Is that the same thing? I have found only one source of toasted peanut oil online, and the product description refers to it as roasted, although the bottle says toasted. I'm so confused...

mizbrown2u6 years ago

Alan6 years ago

Where the heck do you find red rice? I've tried Whole Foods, Giant, and a local Asian market – no luck at any of those stores.

good6 years ago

Shrimp would have been better.

Tanya liked it, took a long time to make (1.5 hours)

Erica6 years ago

I made this and thought it was EXCELLENT! Some notes/substitutions:

- Couldn't find red rice, subbed Lundberg Wehani rice. Didn't presoak (because I'm lazy). Worked great!

- Used frozen regular peas (not English) since I already had them on hand.

- The leaf-lettuce garnish looked nice but was tiresome once I started eating. Forego it, or chop and add in.

- Used roasted sesame oil instead of roasted peanut oil.

Leftover rice mix was SO tasty with a fried egg on top!