Cold Basmati Rice, a summer first dish, fresh and light, perfect to enjoy for lunch on hot summer days. A variation of the classic rice salad recipe, but in a vegetarian version. For the version I propose today, in fact, I used tofu marinated in soy sauce and cooked very quickly in a pan.
To enrich the rice salad I then added cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and red Tropea onion, but you can obviously use other seasonal vegetables to your liking.
A first dish that has somewhat divided tastes in the family since tofu is not really appreciated by everyone. I discovered it a few months ago when I experimented with a recipe I read online and I must say it was love at first taste. Sure, eaten alone it is tasteless, but with some small tricks like those used for today’s recipe, it will be an excellent alternative to use for creating other preparations as well.
For this recipe too, I cooked the rice in the pressure cooker. An alternative cooking method, fast and that keeps the nutritional properties of this cereal unaltered. Curious to find out how to prepare it? I’ll leave you the recipe below, because the cold basmati rice with tofu and vegetables will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other rice salad recipes, also read:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 3People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Pressure cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
- Energy 209.10 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 21.71 (g) of which sugars 9.65 (g)
- Proteins 6.69 (g)
- Fat 10.85 (g) of which saturated 1.44 (g)of which unsaturated 1.71 (g)
- Fibers 1.49 (g)
- Sodium 608.72 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 187 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Basmati rice
- 1 5/8 cup water
- 4.8 oz tofu
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- lemon zest (to taste)
- 5.3 oz cherry tomatoes
- 3.5 oz cucumbers
- 3.5 oz red Tropea onion
- apple cider vinegar (to taste)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- dried oregano (to taste)
Tools
- Pressure Cooker
- Pan
- Bowl
- Chopping Board
- Knife
Steps
First, take a block of tofu and dry it very well with paper towels. Then cut it into cubes. In a bowl, mix the soy sauce with the sugar, lemon zest, which you can substitute with ginger, and lemon juice.
Add the tofu, stir so that the marinade is well blended, and cover with cling film. Then place the bowl in the refrigerator for half an hour. The resting time is necessary for the tofu to absorb the flavors well.
Now take care of the rice. For today’s preparation, we will use the pilaf cooking method. Rinse it under cold water, so that it loses all the starch. Repeat the operation at least 5 or 6 times. Then soak it in cold water for 15 minutes and rinse again. The water should be clear.
Then transfer the rice to the pot and add water and salt. Close with the lid and bring the pot to maximum power. From the start of the whistle cook for 4 minutes. Wait a minute, then gradually release the steam. For cooking in the electric pressure cooker, you can read here.
Then put the rice in a colander and pass it under cold water to cool it. Drain well and transfer it to a bowl. Fluff it with a fork and set it aside.
Now take back the tofu and sauté it without the marinade, in a very hot non-stick pan, where you have put a little oil. Brown it for a couple of minutes on all sides over high heat. Then pour in the marinade and continue to cook for a few more moments over medium heat, until the sauce has slightly thickened. Then let it cool.
In the meantime, take care of the vegetables. Clean the onion, slice it thinly and let it rest in a bowl with vinegar. This will help make it more digestible. Then wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. Remove the ends of the cucumber, peel it and cut it into not too thin slices. Transfer the tofu, vegetables, and well-squeezed onion to the bowl with the rice.
Add a little oregano, the oil, adjust the salt if necessary, and mix. The rice salad with tofu is ready to be served.
Storage and Tips for Cold Basmati Rice
The rice salad with tofu can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 days in a container with a lid.
FAQ Questions and Answers for Cold Basmati Rice
What can I substitute for lemon zest?
Instead of lemon, you can grate some ginger.
