Rice Bowl With Cabbage and Baked Tofu

By Martha Rose Shulman

Rice Bowl With Cabbage and Baked Tofu
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(263)
Comments
Read comments

I cooked up a pot of Thai purple sticky rice that had been lingering in the pantry, and then decided how I would turn it into a meal. It was too sticky to use for stir-fried rice so I made stir-fried vegetables and oven-baked tofu, and served up rice bowls topped with both. I thought it might be an altogether too purple meal, but it was quickly devoured, and we are all the more anti-oxidant rich because of the anthocyanins in the red and purple foods.

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 4

    For the Tofu

    • ¾pound tofu
    • 2tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
    • 2teaspoons minced ginger
    • 1garlic clove, minced
    • 2teaspoons agave nectar
    • 2tablespoons canola oil
    • 2teaspoons sesame oil

    For the Sweet and Sour Cabbage

    • 1cup rice, any color, cooked (2 to 3 cups cooked rice, depending on the type)
    • 1tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
    • 1tablespoon rice wine vinegar
    • 2teaspoons sugar or agave nectar
    • 3tablespoons water or vegetable broth
    • 1teaspoon cornstarch
    • 1tablespoon canola oil or peanut oil
    • 2teaspoons minced fresh ginger
    • 2garlic cloves, minced
    • 1large red pepper, sliced thin
    • 1medium red cabbage (about 1½ pounds), cored and coarsely chopped or shredded (about 5 cups shredded or chopped)
    • Salt to taste
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

312 calories; 17 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 32 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 848 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the baked tofu: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Pat the tofu dry with paper towels and cut into dominoes, about ⅓ inch thick. In a large, wide bowl whisk together all of the marinade ingredients for the tofu. Pat each square of tofu with paper towels, then dip into the marinade, making sure to coat both sides. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to color and the marinade sets on the surface of the tofu. Remove from the heat and keep warm while you stir-fry the vegetables.

  2. Step 2

    Make sure your rice is warm before beginning the stir-fry. In a small bowl or measuring cup combine the soy sauce, wine vinegar, agave nectar or sugar, water or broth, and cornstarch. Mix together well. Have all the ingredients within arm’s length of your pan.

  3. Step 3

    Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and swirling the pan, then add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add the red pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the cabbage and sprinkle with salt. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the vegetables begin to wilt. Stir the sweet and sour mixture and swirl it into the wok. Stir-fry 15 to 20 seconds, then cover and cook 30 seconds. Uncover and stir-fry 1 minute, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender.

Tip
  • Advance preparation: The baked marinated tofu will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator. Cooked rice will keep for about 3 days in the refrigerator. The stir-fry is last-minute.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
263 user ratings
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Comments

Dana

To achieve a firm, golden surface on the tofu, the water needs to be pressed out more aggressively, and it will probably need to be baked for longer than 7-10 minutes. I reduced the amount of agave nectar in the stirfry sauce by 1/4, but still found it too sweet. The veggie mix needed a significant amount of salt and pepper, plus a dash of sriracha, to really come alive. It would also benefit from less cabbage and the addition of another vegetable, like a snow pea or snap pea, to provide variety

ginger

Liked the baked tofu! I dredge the slices in cornstarch then dip in marinade for a crusty effect.

Andrea

A good way to use these ingredients if you happen to have them on hand (I did). I pressed the water out of the tofu for about 15 minutes and then baked it longer than specified (about 20 minutes). I also flipped the tofu halfway through to brown on both sides and make a bit more crispy. It was nice but not spectacular.

Laura

The cabbage was excellent. Would be good with slivers of pork or beef. Tofu should be pressed and then allowed to marinate at least half hour in order to give it any taste.

Besty B

I halved the sugar/agave in the marinade and doubled the sauce ingredients. Since I didn’t have cabbage, I used baby bok choi that I sliced in thirds and two green onions. I found the baked tofu was okay. I tossed it in with the stir fry, that was much better! It’s easy to change out the veggies in this dish, I will likely make it again.

Mary

Dredge tofu in cornstarch before marinade. Sauce was rather bland so needs some spice Used a bag of cold slaw mix, worked great.

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