It’s Meatless Monday, ya’ll!
Today’s recipe was inspired by a recipe I’ve been dying to try since I saw it on The Lunchbox Bunch. I’ve been slowly collecting the ingredients as I came across them–some unsweetened coconut here, some coconut milk there–and I finally had everything I needed to make the recipe. It was my first time cooking with coconut milk, and let me just say, I’m a believer! I used light coconut milk to save calories; I love how it smells kind of tropical but doesn’t taste like a bottle of sunscreen. The original recipe is here (with far better pictures), but I played with it a bit to make a single portion, simplified some things, and added veggies and fruit to the recipe.
Ingredients (Serves One)
1/4 cup light coconut milk (I used Trader Joe’s)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup dried brown rice
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch onion powder
Pinch garlic powder
1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/8 cup cashews
1 tbsp unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup chopped red and green peppers
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/4 cubed pineapple
Fresh grated ginger (optional)
4 oz firm tofu, cubed
Bring water and coconut milk to a boil and add rice, cinnamon, garlic and onion; cook according to package directions.
Put cashews in a plastic bag and beat with a mallet until they are in small pieces. (Fun!!)
When rice is about 75 percent done, add vinegar, vanilla, cashews, coconut flakes, honey, and stir. Add peppers, broccoli, pineapple, and tofu cubes on top of rice and let steam cook.
Cover pot and allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes. (If the rice looks dry, add more water.) When tofu is ready, it will be airy and fluffy when sliced into. The veggies should be crisp-tender and bright.
Gently mix the tofu, veggies, and fruit into rice and drizzle fresh lime juice over dish. Use salt and (lots of) black pepper to taste. Garnish with additional coconut flakes and ginger.
**I didn't know greatly this dish would benefit from additional fruit and veggies, so excuse the one-color version of the dish pictured!!
I was really, really nervous when I made this. I was looking at it thinking, coconut milk, vanilla, garlic., cinnamon..what?! I seriously had a back-up meal planned in case it wasn’t edible. But after a couple bites, I was hooked. I am not normally a rice person, but this dish just nailed it.
I love curries, and I often use curry seasonings, but I never go the extra mile and include coconut milk. The milk gives the dish that Thai takeout flavor you can’t beat. (If you want it to be more liquidy, you can use more coconut milk, which will add some calories.) I didn’t expect it to taste so Asian; because of the vanilla, I was expecting it to taste like oatmeal…it doesn’t at all! Because I was thinking “oats,” I went easy on the spices, but I’ll definitely add crushed red pepper next time. The cashews reminded me of Pad Thai. My favorite thing ever is pineapple fried rice, hence the addition of the fruit to the recipe. It’s sort of like a yummy “best of everything you love about Thai food and stir-fry” combo dish.
If you are more experienced with tofu, I’d suggest baking it or even grilling it before adding it to the mix; steaming left it slightly bland, which was fine with me, but might not work for other people. It might be worth it to get flavored tofu or pre-cook it if you like a crispier crust.
I love discovering one ingredient that makes me go, Where have you been all my life?! I think coconut milk is that ingredient. This is why I love vegetarianism: it helps you try new things that can ultimate you a better cook and a better eater!
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