2020-08-13 / test@t

Basmati brown rice with tofu, bell pepper and orange

I love brown rice. Properly cooked, it provides saturation for long hours, reduces appetite, is rich in minerals, especially potassium, and vitamins B, E, PP, and in combination with tofu, bell pepper and orange notes, it is simply irresistible. Can be cooked 2-3 days in advance, the taste will remain the same if stored in a vacuum container. During the preparation process, you will need an electronic balance and measuring bowls

Ingredients

tofu (hard, drain thoroughly, cut into 1 cm cubes) 395 g
orange peel (for an amateur: from a pinch to ½ tsp without top) 0.5 tsp.
freshly squeezed orange juice 100 ml
yellow or red bell pepper, straws or chopped lengthways 145 g
bell pepper green, strips or chopped lengthways 135 g
onions, chopped into half rings 140 g
red pepper flakes (or red pepper powder 1/3 tsp) 0.5 tsp
clove of garlic, finely chopped 2 pcs.
soy sauce 50 ml
ordinary rice vinegar (without sugar and salt as for sushi) 2 tbsp.
brown sugar (in extreme cases, white) 1 tbsp.
sea salt, fine (no top; vegetables) 0.5 tsp.
fine sea salt (no top; rice) 1.5 tsp
brown rice Basmati long grain (see brand Mistral, indica brown rice) 370 g
butter 25 g
water 800 ml
corn or potato starch (preferably corn; for tofu) 40 g
corn or potato starch (preferably corn) 1 tbsp
vegetable oil (4 tablespoons for tofu, 2 tablespoons for vegetables) 6 tablespoons
cilantro (small bunch; to taste)

STEP-BY-STEP COOKING RECIPE

Step 1

Because the cooking process will take place at a pace, arrange the ingredients in bowls in advance. Very important! In no case should brown long-grain rice be substituted for white round, parboiled, for sushi or mixed with other rice. If the store does not have the brand Mistral Indica brown (brown), you can only replace it with Jasmine white long-grain. You can't make high-quality crumbly rice from round rice, and we don't need porridge. We are preparing a base side dish. Also, note that we need rice vinegar without additives, pure. All "sushi" vinegars already with the addition of salt and sugar are not good for us. Soy sauce is also an essential ingredient.

Step 2

Let's get down to the base. Rinse rice in cold water, fold in a colander

Step 3

Put a container of water (800 ml) in the microwave, add 1.5 tsp. salt and bring to a boil. At a power swing for about 3-5 minutes

Step 4

Meanwhile, heat a thick-bottomed ladle (1.5-2L) over medium heat, 5 minutes. Melt the butter (25g)

Step 5

Add the rice to the ladle and cook for 4 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. You will smell a slight nutty smell by the end of the 4th minute

Step 6

Pour hot water into a ladle, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover tightly. Leave the rice to swell for 30 minutes without removing the lid or interfering

Step 7

After the time has passed, remove the rice from the heat, cover with a towel and let stand for another 5 minutes. Loosen the rice with a fork, add a little salt if desired. Leave the lid on for another 5 minutes, then cover and set aside. Long grain rice, well washed, fried in butter, cooked over low heat, undisturbed during the cooking process, it will turn out fluffy and light

Step 8

Heat over medium-high heat (4 out of 6 electric stove) medium skillet with a thick bottom, cast iron can be used, 5-7 minutes. It is important that the surface of the pan is warmed up, otherwise the tofu's crust will not seize and it will stick to the bottom.

Step 9

Pour 40 grams of starch onto a wide plate. Put a paper towel on another plate, put our chopped tofu, blot on top with a towel. Carefully and gently wipe off excess moisture with a towel

Step 10

Now put the dried tofu into a bowl of starch and roll in it

Step 11

When our frying pan is warm, add 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, heat for another minute. Place the tofu and fry the next way. Do not touch the tofu for the first 2 minutes, let it form a crust, then turn it over with tongs one by one or with a spatula and fry for another 2 minutes. Repeat 2 more times. As a result, frying with turning over should take no more than 8-10 minutes, tofu should be fried evenly on all sides

Step 12

Remove the tofu from heat, place on a serving dish, and cover with a paper napkin. Set aside

Step 13

In a bowl, combine orange juice and remaining starch, 1 tbsp. without top. Set aside

Step 14

Place the same or a new pan over medium-high heat (electric stove 4 out of 6). Heat up. 5-7 minutes Pour in the remaining vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons. Warm up 1 minute until light ripples. This is important because vegetables contain a lot of water and if you put them in a cold frying pan, then instead of frying, you will start to stew them. Add the onions and all the bell peppers. Fry, stirring constantly (otherwise it will burn), 5 minutes

Step 15

Add garlic, orange zest and paprika to vegetables and cook for 1 minute. Important! Fresh orange peel has a strong aroma, so dose to your taste from a pinch to 0.5 tsp at your discretion

Step 16

Add to the vegetables a mixture of orange juice and starch, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, salt (0.5 tsp without top). Stir and bring to a boil

Step 17

As soon as the liquid in the pan boils, add the tofu and stir gently. Remove from heat

Step 18

Serve as follows: put warm rice on the bottom of a plate, top with the desired amount of tofu with vegetables, garnish with cilantro. Or, if you like cilantro, I recommend chopping 7-10 branches into small pieces and stirring in tofu in step 17. Bon appetit!

Preparation time

15m

Cooking time

35m

Servings

Catalog