Sweet-and-Sour Tofu with Summer Vegetables and Black Rice
From Vegetarian Suppers by Deborah Madison.
For the black rice, measure out 1½ cups black rice. Wash the rice in several changes of water.
-Drain the rice, then put it in a pot and add 2¼ cups water.
-Soak for 1 hour, then add a scant tsp of sea salt and bring to a boil.
-Turn the heat to low and cook for 35 minutes.
-Turn off heat and let the rice stand for 10 minutes to steam before removing the lid.
-Mix together the following:
2 TBS Balsamic vinegar
3 TBS tamari
A scant TBS light brown or maple sugar
½ tsp sea salt
-Chop up 2 slicing tomatoes or ½ pint cherry tomatoes so that you have 1 cup chopped tomatoes.
-Add the tomatoes to the vinegar mixture and set aside.
-Tip and tail several handfuls of green beans.
-Bring a large skillet of water to a boil, add some salt and the beans and cook until just tender/firm.
-Lift them out and rinse to stop the cooking.
-Chop 1 cube of firm tofu into cubes.
-Lower the heat on the skillet and add the tofu, cook for about 3 minutes, then remove to a plate.
-Empty the skillet and return it to the stove.
-Chop up the following:
1 TBS fresh ginger
1 onion or some summer leeks
1 large or 2 small summer squash
1-2 carrots and/or some bok choy
4 cloves of garlic
-Turn the heat on high under the pan and add 4 tsp roasted peanut oil.
-When the pan is hot, add the ginger and stir-fry 30 seconds.
-Then add the onion, carrot and summer squash and stir-fry about 5 minutes.
-Add the garlic, tomatoes, beans and sauce and then the tofu.
-Mix together ¾ cup stock or water and 1 tsp cornstarch and add it to the pan.
-Cook until bubbling and hot, then stir in some chopped cilantro. Serve with the black rice.