This recipe is a loving homage to the simple, clean flavors of faraway Asian lands. It uses staples (rice, tofu) and other popular ingredients in Asian cuisines (soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger).

It’s a very filling bowl that comes together very easily and requires very little skill. The hardest thing to make in the whole dish is debatably the rice, and you can always use a rice cooker or follow the instructions on the rice packet, so it’s not a big deal anyway.

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Ingredients:

• 1 block extra firm tofu
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 1 cup frozen edamame (2 cups salted water)
• 1 hass avocado
• 2-3 stalks of green onions
• 2 cups chopped purple cabbage
• 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced
• Sesame seeds and/or furikake

For the tofu marinade:

• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 inch piece of ginger, grated
• 2 garlic cloves, grated or mashed
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar

For the dressing:

• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp agave syrup
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp mustard
• ¼ cup olive oil

Preparation:

1. One day before, or early morning (if having this for lunch), prepare the tofu by draining and patting it dry, then slicing it into 1/16 thick slices. Place the slices in a leakproof container.
2. Combine all the marinade ingredients and pour the marinade over the tofu slices. Close the container and give it a good shake in all directions so that all the tofu slices are coated. Place the marinating tofu in the fridge.
3. When you’re ready to start making this dish, remove the tofu from the fridge and add 1-2 tbsp of a neutral oil (like sunflower). Cover the container and shake it again to coat all the tofu slices in the oil. Line a baking tray, arrange the tofu slices in a single layer, and bake for 30 minutes at 395°F until golden, flipping the slices halfway.
4. While the tofu is cooking, wash the rice until the water is clear, then place it in a pot with 1 ½ cups water (you might need to adjust depending on where you live) and 1 tsp salt. Cook on medium-high heat, and once the water has almost evaporated, lower the heat to minimum and cover the pot with a lid. Let it steam for 10 minutes, then remove the pot from the stove and keep it closed for at least 6 minutes to allow the rice to finish cooking. You can also prepare the rice your usual way if you know how to make it.
5. While the rice is cooking, finely slice the cucumbers, cabbage, and green onions.
6. To prepare the edamame, place a small pot with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt on medium heat. Once the water is boiling, pour in the frozen edamame and cook for 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water, then set aside.
7. Combine all the dressing ingredients and set aside, adjusting the seasoning to your taste.
8. Now it’s time to put everything together: start by placing the rice on the bottom of the bowl, then top with the tofu slices, shredded cabbage, cooked edamame, cucumber slices, finely sliced green onions, and cubed or sliced avocado. This recipe is for 2 people, so divide all the components equally for 2 bowls. Pour a few spoonfuls of dressing (however much you like) over the whole thing, and finish off by sprinkling sesame seeds and/or furikake, if you have any.
9. Eat immediately.

Hot Tips:

• We typically use whichever rice we have on hand (we used jasmine), so feel free to use any kind you like.
• We add oil to the tofu slices after it has marinated because if you do it before, the oil will make it more difficult for the marinade to be absorbed by the tofu. When it’s time to bake the tofu, you can use one of those oil sprays if you prefer, or drizzle some oil on the parchment paper and over the laid-out tofu slices.
• Instead of baking the tofu, you can also sauté it in a skillet until golden.
• Feel free to experiment with adding other veggies, such as shredded carrots and red bell peppers. A spoonful of pickled ginger would also go very well with this recipe.