Veggie Banh Mi Bowls with Crispy Tofu

Servings: 4 servings

Time:

Ingredients:

Tofu

Two 14-ounce (420g) packages extra-firm tofu

1 tablespoon (15 ml) rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce

1 tablespoon (15 ml) sesame oil

2 teaspoons (10 ml) Sriracha

½ teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoon (18 g) cornstarch

¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable or canola oil

Sriracha Mayonnaise

½ cup (110g) mayonnaise

Juice of ½ lime

1 tablespoon (15 ml) Sriracha

1 garlic clove, minced

Pinch of kosher salt, plus more as needed

Assembly

3 cups (555g) cooked quinoa or brown rice

Store-bought pickled vegetables (such as carrots, onion and daikon), for serving

Coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

Thinly sliced jalapeño, for serving

Sesame seeds, for serving

Directions:

1. Prepare the Tofu: Using paper towels, dish towels or a tofu press, press as much water as you can out of the tofu. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and place them in a medium bowl.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha and garlic powder. Pour the mixture over the tofu and gently toss to coat. Let the tofu marinate for 30 minutes (or longer if possible), stirring a couple of times during the marinating time.

3. Make the Sriracha Mayonnaise: Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, Sriracha, garlic and salt until the mixture is smooth. Season with additional salt to taste.

4. Drain the marinade from the tofu. Add the cornstarch and gently stir the tofu to coat. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. Fry the tofu until it is deeply golden and crispy, about 5 minutes per side. Drain the tofu on paper towels.

5. To assemble the bowls, top the quinoa with the tofu, pickled vegetables, cilantro, jalapeño, Sriracha mayonnaise and sesame seeds.