It's hard to say exactly what the star ingredient is in this dish, as they all come together in such delicious harmony. Nutty brown rice, a velvety and tangy avocado cream, peppery radishes, and fragrant fresh herbs simply make this Meatless Monday recipe sing. And the tofu, piping hot from the pan with just a kiss of soy sauce seared into its flesh (or tamari if you're gluten free), lends a lovely umami flavor. This bowl won't stay pretty for long. It begs to be dug into and mixed up so that each bite is the perfect combination of flavor and texture.
Brown Rice Bowl with Seared Tofu, Herbs and Avocado Cream
Makes 4 perfect for lunch or dinner bowls
Avocado Cream:
1 small avocado
The juice of one lime
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bunch (about 1 cup loosely packed) cilantro, stemmed
2 tablespoons low fat plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
A good glug (about 3-4 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
A pinch of salt
8 radishes, thinly sliced
4 cups arugula
1-2 cups edamame, shelled
Fresh mint, dill, cilantro, and snipped chives - as much as you’d like!
1 block medium or firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch thick rectangles
Olive oil or olive oil spray
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
4 cups cooked brown rice (hot)
For the avocado cream:
Cut avocado in half, remove the pit and scoop out the flesh with a spoon into a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and puree and until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. The consistency should be like pancake batter, not too thin or too thick. If it’s too thick, gradually add a little water. Set aside.
Remove the stems from the radishes and thinly slice with a mandolin.
Sear tofu:
Cut tofu into 1/2-inch rectangles and drizzle (or spray) both sides with olive oil. Place tofu in a single layer in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Once tofu begins to turn golden brown gently flip over and sear the other side. Just before removing, add the soy sauce and let cook for about 10 seconds.
While tofu is cooking, divide hot brown rice between 4 large bowls (we use ramen bowls). Add a generous dollop of avocado cream onto each mound of rice. Top each bowl with arugula, radishes, edamame and fresh herbs. Remove tofu from pan and divide among bowls.
Serve immediately.
