The sweet & savory combo of pineapple fried rice goes vegan with the help of eggy tofu. This meal is great for an easy dinner. It also keeps nicely in the refrigerator for packed lunches.
⅛ to ¼teaspoonblack saltor to taste (also known as kala namak)
Instructions
For the pineapple fried rice
In a small bowl, combine tamari, sesame oil, and sriracha with a fork until blended. Set aside for later use.
Bring a large skillet to a medium heat with one teaspoon of canola oil. Add onion, bell pepper, and carrot to the pan. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the carrot has softened but still has some bite.
Push the vegetables to the side of the skillet, and add the remaining ½ teaspoon of canola oil to the empty area. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.
Push the garlic into the area with the peppers. Then add the cold cooked rice to the empty area of the pan. Allow it to toast a bit. Then combine the rice with the vegetables.
Add the pineapple, peas, and tamari mixture to the rice. Continue cooking until the pineapple is warmed through, stirring occasionally. Stir in a handful of chopped cilantro & pinch of salt.
Finish with a sprinkling of optional eggy tofu on top. For extra spice, add another drizzle of sriracha across the rice.
For the eggy tofu
Bring a separate non-stick skillet to a medium heat with ½ teaspoon of canola oil.
Use your hands to crumble the tofu into the skillet. Allow one side of the tofu to brown before flipping it. Continue until it's fairly evenly colored.
Add black salt to the tofu and toss, so that it salts all sides. Start with ⅛ teaspoon and add more to taste. (If you like a very eggy fried rice, feel free to add a sprinkling of black salt to the fried rice itself just before serving.)
Notes
Using cold rice is very important for this recipe, so that the rice doesn't clump & the seasonings get evenly combined. I recommend putting frozen rice in the refrigerator the day before to thaw, or move to the counter from the freezer if you're in a hurry.If you're in a pinch, you can cook rice from scratch. Then line it on a baking sheet, and move it to the freezer to cool for about 15 minutes.If it doesn't matter if this dish is gluten-free, you can use soy sauce instead of gluten free tamari.For more spice, add up to a teaspoon of curry powder with the tamari mixture, an extra drizzle of sriracha as garnish, and/or sauté chopped jalapeño & ginger with the garlic.I recommend fresh pineapple, but canned will work fine. Just drain it first before using.For the tofu, you won't need a full block. Just cut off about 3 ounces of tofu from a vacuum-packed package. (Don't worry too much about being exact.) Then save the rest in a covered container in the refrigerator to use for another recipe.