Ingredients

1½ cups brown rice

½ tsp salt

2½ cups water

600g medium or firm tofu (see tip)

2 tbsp chilli jam paste

1 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp peanut oil

½ cup toasted slivered almonds

¼ cup white sesame seeds, toasted

1 tbsp black sesame seeds

1 medium zucchini, julienned (see tip)

1 medium carrot, peeled, julienned

2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage

3 green onions, thinly sliced diagonally

½ cup coriander sprigs

Chilli sesame dressing

2 tsp finely chopped coriander root

1 tbsp peanut oil

1 tbsp sesame oil

3 tsp chilli jam paste (see tip)

2 tbsp rice vinegar (see tip)

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp honey

Method

1.

Rinse rice in a strainer under cold water. Place rice, salt and water in a medium saucepan over a high heat and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to low. Gently boil for 25 minutes or until tender but still moist. Turn off heat and stand, covered in pan for 15 minutes. Spread rice out in a large bowl and allow to cool.

2.

Whilst preparing rice, preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Line a shallow oven tray with baking paper. Drain tofu then cut blocks into 2cm wide slices and place on tray. Combine chilli jam, soy and oil and spread a spoonful over the top of tofu slices, reserve remaining sauce. Bake for 12 minutes, carefully turn tofu over with a metal spatula and spread with remaining sauce. Bake for a further 10-12 minutes or until sauce darkens. Baste with sauce in tray.

3.

To make dressing, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

4.

Add almonds, white and black seeds to rice and stir to combine. Spoon into a large shallow serving bowl. Top with zucchini, carrot, cabbage, onions and coriander. Break or cut tofu in half diagonally and place on top. Spoon over some of the dressing and leave remaining dressing for guests to ad themselves. Serve.

Tips

We used a medium firmness, classic tofu but you can use firm tofu if preferred.
Use a julienne slicer to prepare zucchini and carrot.
Ayam chilli jam paste is available in the Asian section of supermarkets. Rice vinegar is available in some supermarkets and all Asian supermarkets. If unavailable, use rice wine vinegar.

Recipe Kerrie Worner

With over 20 years in magazines, Kerrie’s work has adorned HB’s pages as contributing food editor, along with BHG, Elle Cuisine, Australian Women’s Weekly and Family Circle. “It is so important to encourage people to learn simple food skills so they can learn how easy it is to fall in love with their creative side,” she says.