Rice & Spice Salad

Name: Rice & Spice Salad
Prep time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 package (15.5 ounces) extra-firm tofu; 2 teaspoons sesame oil; ¼ cup soy sauce; 1 teaspoon sugar, preferably turbinado; 2 teaspoons rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons Cambodian salt-cured peppercorns; ½ cup neutral oil; 2 limes, zest and juice; 2 teaspoons sugar, preferably turbinado; 2 scallions, white parts only, sliced; 4 cups cooked brown rice, cooled; 1 cup diced cucumber (small pieces); 12 cherry tomatoes, halved; 2 scallions, green part only, sliced; 1 cup coarsely grated carrot; 1 teaspoon sea salt; 1 tablespoon green coriander seeds, lightly crushed; 1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Cuisine

American

Author:

Curio Kitchen

Servings

Prep Time

2 hours

Cook Time

— minutes

Both hearty and refreshing, this salad highlights the bright but not-too-hot flavor of Cambodian salt-cured peppercorns. Serve cool or at room temperature.

Notes: This recipe was developed specifically for our green peppercorns from Kampot, Cambodia — regular black peppercorns won’t work here. The tofu, while easy to prepare, requires some longer rests; prep it a day ahead if you like. Store the coriander and peanuts separately and add them just before serving to ensure they stay crunchy.

Ingredients

For the tofu:

1 package (15.5 ounces) extra-firm tofu
2 teaspoons sesame oil
¼ cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar, preferably turbinado
2 teaspoons rice vinegar

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons Cambodian salt-cured peppercorns
½ cup neutral oil
2 limes, zest and juice
2 teaspoons sugar, preferably turbinado
2 scallions, white parts only, sliced

For the salad:

4 cups cooked brown rice, cooled
1 cup diced cucumber (small pieces)
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 scallions, green part only, sliced
1 cup coarsely grated carrot
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon green coriander seeds, lightly crushed
1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

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Directions

Prepare the tofu Drain the tofu and place it on a plate lined with paper towels. Lay another paper towel or two over the tofu; set another plate on top. Place a can or jar on the top plate (for weight) and set aside for a couple of hours.
Put the sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar into a small bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
Cut the tofu into ¼-inch thick slices and place them in a container. Pour the marinade over the tofu slices and gently turn them to coat all sides. Marinate for at least 2 hours at room temperature and up to overnight in the fridge.
Lift the tofu slices out of the marinade, pat them dry and cut into cubes. Set aside.
Make the dressing Put all the dressing ingredients into the jar of a blender. Process until homogenous but not completely smooth — bits of pepper and scallion add nice texture. Set aside.
Assemble the salad Put all the salad ingredients, except the peanuts and coriander, into a large bowl. Toss to mix. Pour most of the dressing (reserving a little for garnish) over the salad and stir to mix. Just before serving, mound the tofu on top of the salad, scatter the coriander and peanuts over the tofu, and drizzle on the reserved dressing.