Tofu Rice Bowl with Pickled Daikon & Dragon Sauce

When I first moved out of my parent's house and started cooking on my own, I ate tofu covered in nutritional yeast a LOT. I don't know why, it's not insanely flavorful but it's easy, quick and covered up the taste of tofu (which I was still a little weary of when served plain). Now I can eat it just about any way, even raw, but there's something about that "beginners" tofu that brings me back to years past.



Simply prepared tofu in a rice bowl filled with pickled daikon radish and carrots, crunchy beets, soft arugula leaves, spicy zucchini and a creamy dragon sauce.


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Tofu Rice Bowl
serves 3-4
1 lb extra firm tofu, drained and pressed, 1" cubes
salt and pepper
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2-3 tbl  extra virgin or coconut oil
1 red chili, minced
1/2" piece fresh ginger, minced
1 zucchini, shaved into ribbons (use a vegetable peeler!)
1 beet, very thinly sliced
1 large handful baby arugula leaves
2 cups cooked long grain brown rice

Heavily season the tofu with salt and pepper. Coat in nutritional yeast. Pan fry until golden brown and crispy. Drain off most of the oil and add the chili and ginger.  Saute for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the zucchini and toss gently in the pan for 1-2 minutes just to warm through.
Serve the tofu over brown rice with zucchini, raw beets, arugula, pickled vegetables and dragon sauce.

Pickled Daikon & Carrot
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup organic cane sugar
1 tsp salt
1" piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped
4" piece daikon radish, halved and thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced

Bring the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and ginger to a boil. Pour over the daikon and carrot and chill. Let pickle for at least 1 hour before serving. The longer it sits, the better!

Dragon Sauce
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tbl tamari
2 tbl maple syrup
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
2 tbl water
2 tbl tahini
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/4" piece fresh ginger, roughly chopped

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.