Crunchy rice salad with tofu and creamy cashew dressing

Ingredients

Serves 2

Ingredients – Salad

1 block firm tofu

2 large carrots or a few small ones

1 head of lettuce (romaine preferred)

1 cup bean sprouts

1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 handful fresh cilantro

1 cup white rice (jasmine or other)

1 ½ cups cashews

Seeds of your choice

Ingredients – Dressing

1 cup raw white cashews

2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 clove fresh garlic

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon sambal oelek or other chili paste (optional)

Preparation

Start by cooking the white rice until tender. Drain it very well and let it cool completely. If you have day-old rice in the fridge, even better — it crisps up beautifully. Otherwise, cook fresh and make sure it’s well drained before using.

Preheat the oven to 425°C. Spread the rice out on a baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and a few spices (I like smoked paprika or BBQ spices). Mix well, then spread it evenly on the tray. Roast in the oven, stirring 2 or 3 times during cooking so it browns evenly. Keep a close eye toward the end — you want it golden and crisp, not burnt. Once it’s nicely browned, take it out and let it rest.

Grate the carrots. Rinse the bean sprouts. Finely chop the romaine lettuce. Toss all the vegetables together in a large bowl. Toast a handful of cashews in a dry pan until golden, then add them to the salad.

Cut the tofu into small cubes. Pan-fry in a bit of oil until golden. Splash with a bit of tamari at the end to infuse some flavor, then set aside. You’ll serve this on top of the salad.

For the dressing, soak the cashews in water for at least one hour until soft. Drain well. In a food processor, combine the soaked cashews with tamari, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, nutritional yeast, and chili paste if using. Blend until smooth. Then, slowly stream in the olive oil while blending to create a creamy, cashew-based mayonnaise-like dressing.

To assemble: combine all vegetables, crunchy rice, herbs, and dressing in a bowl. Top with crispy tofu. Serve and enjoy — this one’s rich, vibrant, and full of goodness.