Crispy Peanut Tofu + Oyster Mushrooms With Coconut Rice

Cozy enough to curl up with on a chilly fall day fall, but brightly flavored enough to feel invigorated. This is comfort food that won’t weight you down. Prep time varies due to tofu pressing + marinating. Please see notes and directions prior to planning for this meal.

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Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 1 20

Author: Killing Thyme

Ingredients

For the rice:

1 cup of Basmati or Jasmine rice prepared as per packages instructions, but with coconut milk instead of water

For the tofu + marinade:

16 oz extra firm tofu see notes, pressed + cut into 1/2 x 1/2 inch cubes.
2 tablespoons Kikkoman soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
2 cloves of garlic minced
Juice of one lime
2 teaspoons Sambal oelek can omit if you don't like spiciness
2 teaspoons organic honey
2 teaspoons natural peanut butter
3 tablespoons corn starch
1 tablespoon coconut oil

For the vegetables:

1 Baby bok choy chopped
4 oz Oyster mushrooms sliced thin
1/2 cup frozen peas
6 oz yellow pepper julienned
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Kikkoman soy sauce

For garnish:

1/2 cup unsalted peanuts chopped
1 scallion thinly sliced
Sesame seeds
Microgreens optional

Instructions

Preparing the tofu + marinade:

Drain and remove the tofu from it's packaging, and press (see notes). This will be 30 minutes of idle time.
In the meantime, prep the marinade: place the marinade ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
Once the tofu is good to go, cut into cubes and toss into a freezer bag with marinade.
Let marinade for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

Rice:

Cook the rice as per the packages instructions, in coconut milk. Once ready, stir in the frozen peas, cover and set aside.

Tofu:

Remove the tofu cubes from their original freezer bag (reserve what marinade is left) and place into a new freezer bag or a large container with a lid.
Spoon the corn starch over the cubes and shake/toss until all cubes are evenly coated. Add more corn starch if necessary.
Heat coconut oil in a skillet over moderate heat.
Place the tofu cubes into the skillet and fry until they are golden brown and crispy on each side — approx. 2 minutes per side.
Transfer the tofu to a bowl and drizzle the remainder of the marinade over the tofu.
Toss to coat.

Vegetables:

Using the same skillet you used for the tofu, heat sesame oil and soy sauce over moderate-low heat.
Add the oyster mushrooms, bok choy and bell peppers.
Cook until tender — approx. 5-7 minutes.
Remove from heat.

Assembly:

Spoon coconut rice into bowls or onto plates.
Top with veggies, crispy tofu, sesame seeds, scallions, chopped peanuts and (optional) microgreens.

Notes

Tofu acts as a sponge and, since it's been sitting in water, it's full of water. You need to press out the water in order to let other liquids in — like your marinade. If you skip this step, you'll end up with a flavorless tofu. Pressing tofu is easy peasy, you just need to sort of plan a head — but just a bit! !Pressing the tofu: Slice the package of tofu open and drain out all of the water. Cut the block of tofu, length-wise, into 1/2 inch thick slices. You should get 6-7 of them. Place a dish towel on a flat surface, such as a cutting board, cookie sheet or tray. Set down a few paper towels on top of the towel. Place the tofu slices on top of the towels and add more paper towels on top. Set some heavy objects on top of the tofu. The best way to go about this is to set another cookie sheet on top, and then set heavy things on top of the cookie sheet — such as a heavy pot or canned goods. Let it be for at least 30 minutes or up to a few hours.