Cooktop Cove: How to make jasmine rice and sesame tofu vegetarian buddha bowl
By Robin Donovan
Buddha bowls – those vegetarian one-dish meals that look like they were made for Instagram and taste as good as they look – are known for combining hearty, nutritious grains with a rainbow of flavorful plant-based toppings. The recipe below tops fragrant jasmine rice with a simple but delicious pan-fried tofu, pretty purple cabbage, creamy avocado and crunchy carrots and cucumber.
The wonderful thing about Buddha bowls is that they are infinitely customizable. For extra protein, you can add a handful of cooked, shelled soybeans (edamame) to each bowl. A sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds or chopped peanuts provides a nice extra crunch, too.
Jasmine Rice and Sesame Tofu Buddha Bowls
4
10 minutes
10 minutes
20 minutes
1 block extra firm tofu, drained and with excess water pressed out, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions
For the sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Toppings
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 cup thinly shredded red cabbage
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
2 carrots, grated on the large holes of a box grater
Prepare the tofu. In a medium bowl, combine the sesame seeds, salt and pepper. Add the tofu and toss to coat well.
Heat the vegetable and sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook, turning occasionally, until it is browned on all sides, about 8 minutes.
To make the sauce, in a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, vegetable oil and sugar.
To serve, spoon the rice into four serving bowls. Arrange the tofu, cabbage and other toppings over the rice. Drizzle the dressing over the top.