Sesame Vegetables and Rice with Crispy Tofu

I've made a lot of different versions of this dish and each and every time it's so delicious. The key to making crispy tofu is to wrap the tofu block in paper towels to pull all the moisture out of the tofu. You might need to change the paper towels 5 or 6 times, but once moisture free the tofu with crisp up nicely while the inside stays soft and creamy. Secondly, add the sesame oil to the vegetables just before serving so you get the most flavor.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice

1 block extra firm tofu

1 large or 2 medium zucchini

1 head bok choy

1/2 red bell pepper

1 can sliced water chestnut

1/2 diced yellow onion

4 chopped garlic cloves

2 tablespoons sesame oil

Salt and pepper

 

Preparation:

Cook the rice according to instructions, which is 1 cup rice, 2 cups water and some salt. The rice will be done when you're done preparing the rest of the dish.

 

Remove the moisture from the tofu by wrapping in paper towels. Repeat the process until the moisture is removed from the tofu. Cut the tofu into 1-1/2" blocks. Heat a large skillet and add the canola oil. Cook the tofu until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.

Heat a 12" sauté pan to medium high. Add some canola oil and the diced yellow onion and cook for just a minute. Add the diced zucchini, chopped bok choy, bell pepper, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the vegetables start to soften up. Add the sliced water chestnuts and cook an additional 2 minutes. Lastly, check for proper seasoning, add salt and pepper if necessary and add the sesame oil. Toss to mix in the sesame oil and you're done.

 

To serve, place some rice on a serving plate and add portion of sesame vegetables and crispy tofu. Garnish the dish with chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.