Tofu banh mi rice bowl (from Canada's food guide)
This vegetable-packed bowl is the homemade version of your favourite take-out rice bowl. You will learn how to make a quick pickle. Bonus!
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Servings: 4
Kid-friendly
Vegetarian
Ingredients
Quick pickle:
1 carrot
3 radishes, thinly sliced
250 mL (1 cup) water
125 mL (½ cup) white vinegar
3 cloves garlic
2 mL (½ tsp) black pepper
15 mL (1 tbsp) salt
15 mL (1 tbsp) sugar
Tofu crumble:
375 mL (1 ½ cups) uncooked brown rice
15 mL (1 tbsp) sesame oil
10 mL (2 tsp) grated ginger
1 package (400 g/14 oz) firm tofu, crumbled
30 mL (2 tbsp) hoisin sauce
15 mL (1 tbsp) lime juice (about ½ lime)
30 mL (2 tbsp) lower sodium soy sauce
2 mL (½ tsp) dried basil
45 mL (3 tbsp) water
Sriracha dressing:
5 mL (1 tsp) sriracha
85 mL (⅓ cup) lower fat Greek yogurt
5 mL (1 tsp) lime juice
To assemble:
½ large cucumber, sliced
½ bell pepper, cut into thin strips
½ bunch cilantro (optional)
Directions
Prepare the quick pickle: Use a vegetable peeler to slice carrots into ribbons. Place them into a small bowl or mason jar. Place radishes in a separate bowl or mason jar.
In a small pot, bring water, vinegar, garlic, pepper, salt and sugar to a boil. Pour over carrots and radishes and let marinate for at least 20 minutes.
Cook rice per package instructions.
Prepare the tofu crumble: In a large pan, heat sesame oil and ginger over medium heat and cook for 1 minute. Add crumbled tofu and warm through while stirring.
Pour in hoisin sauce, 15 mL (1 tbsp) lime juice, soy sauce, and basil. Stir well and add water. Cook until half of the water has evaporated. Remove from heat.
Prepare the sriracha dressing: Mix sriracha, yogurt, and 5 mL (1 tsp) lime juice together.
Serve the tofu on rice. Top with cucumber, bell peppers, cilantro, pickled carrots, pickled radishes, and dressing.
Tips
Little chefs can enjoy crumbling tofu. Older kids can peel carrots into ribbons.
This pickling technique can be used for other vegetables including red onions, bell peppers, and green beans.
The “quick pickle” can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 4 weeks.
Kids can’t handle the spice yet? Use Italian seasoning instead of sriracha.
Recipe developed by the Food Innovation and Research Studio at George Brown College for the Guelph Family Health Study’s cookbook and Health Canada.
Source: © All rights reserved. Canada’s Food Guide: Recipes. Health Canada. Reproduced with permission from the Minister of Health, 2022.