Vegetable Fried Rice with Crispy Sesame Tofu

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Vegetable fried rice is a staple meal for me during the school week, since it takes minimal effort and time and tastes delicious. This recipe takes barely any time, so it's the perfect meal to make in between your Zoom calls. I usually use leftover rice from the day before when making this to save time, and using day old rice improves the texture of your meal. If you use freshly cooked rice, then more often than not, your rice will become soggy and not very enjoyable. You can really toss in whichever vegetables you have on hand, but I think carrots, peas, broccoli, and corn are the best for fried rice. Now if you're short on time, you can omit the crispy sesame tofu since it adds about 10 more minutes onto your cook time. However, if you have the time, the crispy tofu is not optional. It adds a ton of flavor and protein to your dish.

TOTAL TIME: 10-20 minutes

SERVINGS: 3

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups cooked brown or white rice (preferable day old rice)

3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 onion diced

4 minced garlic cloves

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (¼ teaspoon ground ginger)

⅓ cup peas (defrosted)

⅓ cup corn (defrosted)

½ cup diced carrots

1 cup broccoli florets (chopped)

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

3-4 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sriracha (more/less to taste)

½ block of firm tofu

Salt (to taste)

RECIPE:

1. Crispy Tofu: Cut half of your half block of tofu into small cubes. Place the cubes on a paper towel or kitchen towel to absorb the water. Salt the tofu pieces and place another towel on top of the pieces. While the tofu dries, heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a pan. Transfer the tofu into a bowl, add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of sriracha. Mix until the tofu pieces are well coated. Drop the tofu pieces in your pan and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Then stir and flip the pieces and cook for another 5 minutes, or until crispy and brown. Season with more salt and mix in the sesame seeds. Transfer the tofu to another bowl and set aside.

2. Fried Rice: Add a tablespoon of sesame oil to the pan. Crumble the remaining tofu and add it to your pan with the onions, garlic, ginger, carrots, and broccoli. Cook until the onion starts to turn translucent. Add in the rice, corn, and peas. Add 3-4 tablespoons of soy sauce. If necessary, add more salt to taste. Serve with the crispy tofu and some sesame seeds on top.