Crispy Peanut Tofu & Cauliflower Fried Rice

Skip the rice and go meatless with this vegetarian cauliflower fried rice topped with crispy tofu and a peanut-soy sauce. With all that flavor you won’t notice that it’s not real rice!

What a crazy World Cup game yesterday! I had my bets on Germany but was expecting a close game, as I am sure most people were. After the 4th goal I was completely at a loss for words. By the 6th goal I stopped paying close attention and was attending to other things, therefore missing the final two goals making it a 7-1 win for Germany. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a score that high ever in soccer, even when playing on my own club teams growing up. What a sad way for the hosting country to be booted out of the race. At least they get to play in the third-place game. On the up side, I’m even more impressed with the USA team keeping Germany to one goal in our game!

But moving on to this stir fry. After seeing a couple recipes for cauliflower rice I was sold. All I needed was to get my hands on some cauliflower, and after my broccoli/cauliflower/cabbage U-picking adventure that mission was completed. The texture of the cauliflower may not exactly resemble rice but it was close enough that neither myself nor my dad were overly aware of the substitution. As for the tofu, it was so sufficiently drained and dried that it sucked up all the flavors from the peanut-soy sauce, resulting in some of the best tofu I’ve ever had. If you’re been looking for a super-vegged out meatless meal, I highly recommend trying this.

One year ago: Salted Nutella Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

CRISPY PEANUT TOFU & CAULIFLOWER FRIED RICE

Serves 4

Ingredients:

TOFU & SAUCE

14 oz. extra firm tofu

1-1/2 Tbsp sesame oil

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2-1/2 Tbsp peanut butter

1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce

FRIED RICE

1 medium (about 24 oz) cauliflower, rinsed and dried

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1/2 small onion, diced fine

1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 scallions, diced, whites and greens separated

Directions:

1. Drain the tofu for 1-1/2 hours before you want your meal ready. After draining, roll tofu in an absorbent towel several times and then place something heavy on top to press (such as a heavy flat-bottomed pot/pan). Let sit for 15 minutes.
2. Near the end of draining, preheat oven to 400 degrees and cube tofu. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Bake for 25 minutes to dry/firm the tofu. Once baked, remove from oven and let cool.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients until combined. Add cooled tofu to the sauce and stir to coat. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes to saturate the tofu and infuse the flavor.
4. In the meantime, shred your cauliflower into rice by using a large grater or food processor. Set aside.
5. Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Using a slotted spoon, place tofu into the preheated pan. Add a few spoonfuls of the sauce to coat. Cook, stirring frequently for a few minutes until browned. It will stick to the pan a bit. Remove from pan and set aside and cover to keep warm.
6. Rinse pan under very hot water water and scrape away any residue. Return to heat. Add the eggs to the pan, turning a few times until set; set aside and cover to keep warm.
7. Add the sesame oil and saute onions, scallion whites, peas and carrots and garlic about 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft. Add the cauliflower along with a few spoonfuls of sauce. Mix, cover and cook approximately 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower is tender. Stir in the egg then remove from heat and mix in scallion greens.
8. Serve tofu over cauliflower rice and any leftover sauce.

Source: Adapted from Minimalist Baker and Gina’s Skinny Taste.