One of the things I miss the most about life pre-pandemic is just wandering maskless and carefree through different grocery stores. That's how I came upon Lotus Foods brand rice, especially their jade pearl rice, which I bought with no specific purpose in mind at Fresh Market at the beginning of the year (when we had no idea what 2020 would turn into, sigh). Once home, I read a little more about it and decided it needed to be used in a special way, not drowned in sauces where it's delicate flavor would be undetectable. And of course, it's gentle green color would need to shine through as well.
I've never been big into rice bowls but WHY? They are simple, the ingredients are flexible and can be changed according to what you have or like, and include a sauce that's usually the star of the show. Sauce is the best part of most dishes! So this is the year I embrace rice and grain bowls, because why not, especially when I am working from home and these are so easy to make during the lunch hour, then eat once I'm back in front of emails at my desk. And they're even good the next day for re-heated leftovers. There's just nothing not to love about them, so let's get on with loving this one.
Green was the theme for this bowl, based on the rice color. Enjoy it on St. Patrick's Day, enjoy it when you feel like you need to get all the greens in at once, or whenever. You can even add non-green things like matchstick carrots, bell pepper slices, or other veggies that you need or want to use.
Green Rice and Vegetable Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup Thai Lotus Jade Pearl rice
- 1 package extra firm tofu
- 5-8 inches lemongrass stalk
- 1 teaspoons sambal olek
- 1 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 12 ounces broccoli florets cut into small bite sized pieces
- 1 cup frozen edamame thawed
- 3-4 green onions chopped
- 1 ½ cups coconut milk
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- fresh cilantro for garnish
- furikake seasoning for garnish
Instructions
- Drain the tofu by wrapping in a paper towel and gently squeezing, or other preferred method. Set aside to drain more.
- Cook the rice according to package directions. Prepare the rest of the ingredients while the rice cooks.
- Cut the tofu into 1" squares.
- Carefully slice the lemongrass stalk(s) in half lengthwise, or smash to reveal the fragrant interior.
- In a container with a tight fitting lid that's large enough to hold all of the tofu squares, combine the smashed lemongrass, chile paste, lime juice, rice vinegar, ginger, and salt. Mix together well and add tofu. Put lid on and shake to coat. Set aside for 30 minutes, flipping it around occasionally to keep the tofu evenly coated.
- After the tofu is marinated, heat the coconut and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium high heat.
- Add the tofu and the marinade (minus the lemongrass stalks) to the hot pan and saute for 5 minutes.
- To the pan, add the edamame, and let heat for a minute.
- Then add the broccoli and green onions, reserving a handful for garnish.
- Mix the coconut milk, soy sauce, and remaining tablespoon of sesame oil together, then pour mixture into hot pan. Stir to coat the vegetables with this sauce. Cook for 3-5 more minutes, it should be fragrant.
- Remove from heat.
- To serve, divide the rice into four bowls. Divide the vegetable mixture over the rice, and garnish with cilantro, reserved green onions, and furikake as desired.
Notes
I made this bowl on a day after I had spent the past day not eating a single vegetable except for pasta sauce, if I remember correctly. It was just one of those carb-tastic days, and the next day I needed to make up for it. A bowl full of greenery did the trick, and with the leftovers this made, i was able to get the greens in for two more meals as well (I shared the fourth serving with Patrick — he needs greens too).
