Warm Rice & Quinoa Salad with Pan Fried Tofu

This recipe was inspired by a Savoury Rice Salad in my much loved Entertaining with Cranks book. Even though I’m not a vegetarian I have always loved vegetarian food and in some ways find it much more adventurous than cooking with meat. My Warm Rice & Quinoa Salad with Pan Fried Tofu uses the softer variety of Tofu and not the more rubbery one, therefore after the crispy exterior there is a divinely light soft centre to die for! We are all new to eating tofu and this was our first experience eating it – everyone loved it and the warm salad which was both nutritious and delicious.

I’d be interested to find out what you do with your tofu as it’s a food I have yet to fully explore! I did however make a very lush Blackberry Tofu Brulee recently which again went down a storm!

For some more inspiring vegetarian salad ideas you might like to check out:

• Goi Chay – Vietnamese Noodle Salad
• Barbecued Tofu Salad, 
• Warm Dressed Noodle Salad 
• Tea Smoked Tofu Gado-Gado (Indonesian Peanut Sauce Vegetable Salad 
• Egg Noodles with Purple Broccoli and Grilled Tofu.

I am entering my Warm Rice & Quinoa Salad with Pan Fried Tofu into Extra Veg a blog challenge run by Helen and Michelle and hosted by Emily this month.

Disclaimer: I won the Clearspring Tofu in a Twitter competition and received the other Clearspring products as samples.

4.67 from 9 votes

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Warm Rice & Quinoa Salad with Pan Fried Tofu

A delicious warm salad or long grain brown rice with quinoa, grated courgette, carrot and red pepper topped with crispy pan fried tofu for a light and delicious vegetarian meal.

Course Main

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword tofu, vegan

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 4

Author Camilla

Ingredients

• 250 g Quick Cook Rice & Quinoa I used Clearspring or a mixture of long grain brown rice & red quinoa
• 2 Medium Onions finely sliced
• 2 tbsp Rapeseed oil + extra
• 2 tbsp Soya Sauce I used Clearspring Tamari
• 1 Small courgette grated or make matchsticks with a mandolin
• 1 Carrot grated
• 1 Red pepper finely chopped
• 1 300 g Block of Tofu I used Clearspring firm & silken which is actually soft
• Salt flakes & freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. Slice the tofu into 8 pieces (or more if wished).
2. Put on a plate lined with folded kitchen paper and pat dry the tofu with lots more kitchen paper.
3. Once dry, put in a large dish and scatter with salt flakes then gently pour in enough boiling water to cover and leave for a minute. (This will firm up the tofu slightly and extract more moisture).
4. Drain the tofu, pat dry again with more kitchen paper and set aside.
5. Boil the rice and quinoa according to instructions and then drain.
6. Meanwhile fry the onions in 2 tbsp oil until golden.
7. Add the rice to the pan along with the freshly ground pepper and soya sauce, leave to one side.
8. In a large frying pan or wok add enough oil to coat the bottom and then fry the tofu on both sides until golden (it may break as it’s very fragile).
9. Put the fried tofu onto kitchen paper to drain.
10. Add the courgette, carrot and red pepper to the rice mixture and mix thoroughly.
11. Place into 4 bowls and top with the fried tofu.
12. Serve with an extra splash of soya sauce if wished.