It started with some yummy cubes of pan-seared garlic tofu that I didn’t want to waste. I found the recipe in the Oh She Glows cookbook by Angela Liddon. It’s pretty straightforward. Just press the brick of extra-firm tofu, cut it into cubes, sprinkle on some garlic powder, salt and pepper, and sauté in a hot skillet. Voila! Pale, flavorless, squishy tofu is transformed into crispy, golden nuggets of deliciousness.
To the tofu I added a container of almost forgotten cooked black rice that I had previously served with a stir fry. Chinese black rice is sometimes referred to as forbidden rice, in reference to the legend that it was once eaten only by Chinese Emperors for health and longevity.
Turns out it is a powerfully healthy food. Black rice cooks up to a beautiful dark purple. What makes fruits and vegetables purple? Anthocyanins! These same antioxidants make blueberries blue. Black rice is a whole grain with the bran intact, making it a good substitute for white rice. It’s also high in magnesium and phosphorus.
To the bowl I added some diced red bell pepper and chopped green onions from the produce drawer. Then I remembered a half-used bag of edamame in the freezer. After a quick defrost, into the bowl they went.
I was in a hurry to get back to work and didn’t want to spend the extra 5 minutes to make a dressing, so I drizzled on some bottled Spicy Thai Mango Sauce (Thai Kitchen.)
This colorful rice bowl is so beautiful! I snapped a picture for you before I dug in.
- 1 cup chinese black rice, cooked as directed (I used Lotus Foods Heirloom Forbidden Black Rice)