Author Notes
Inspired by some of my favorite Middle Eastern flavors, this dish brings together smoky grilled tofu, richly flavored rice, and a bright, fresh, mildly spicy herb sauce.
The recipe comes together fairly quickly; while the grill is heating and the rice is cooking, you can prepare the additional ingredients for the rice. —Maley Maley
Ingredients
- For the tofu & sauce
-
1/4 cup
extra virgin olive oil
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zest and juice of 2 limes
-
3 tablespoons
Kosher salt
-
1/2 teaspoon
pepper
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1 teaspoon
sumac
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1/2 teaspoon
turmeric
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1/2 teaspoon
cumin
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1 tablespoon
za'atar
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1
jalapeño pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
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2
garlic cloves
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2/3 cup
lime juice
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1 tablespoon
sugar
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1/2 cup
chopped flat-leaf parsley
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2
scallions, roughly chopped
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20 ounces
extra-firm tofu, cut into half-inch slices
- For the rice
-
2 cups
jasmine rice
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1 cup
dried fruit (golden raisins, currants, cherries, chopped apricots, or a mixture)
-
1 cup
toasted nuts (chopped pistachios or cashews, sliced or slivered almonds, or a mixture)
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1 teaspoon
ground allspice
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1/2 teaspoon
ground ginger
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1 teaspoon
turmeric
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1/2 teaspoon
ground coriander
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1/2 teaspoon
sumac
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3 tablespoons
extra virgin olive oil
-
3 tablespoons
unsalted butter
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2 tablespoons
honey
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zest and juice of one large orange
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juice of one lime
-
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- For the tofu & sauce
-
Mix oil, lime zest and juice, 2 tablespoons salt, pepper, sumac, turmeric, and cumin together in a shallow, flat-bottomed dish. Cover each slice of tofu thoroughly in the mixture and marinate, at least 30 minutes.
Note: I used Wildwood brand extra-firm tofu, which doesn't require pressing to get rid of extra water. If you're using a different brand, you may want to press it; in any case, blotting it dry to get rid of extra moisture is a good idea.
-
While the tofu is marinating, combine the remaining ingredients and 1 tablespoon Kosher salt in a blender to make the herb sauce. Set aside.
-
Prepare your grill, making sure the grates are clean and well-oiled, and . When the grill is hot, place the tofu slices over medium heat, reserving the leftover marinade. Grill for about ten minutes; flip, brush with marinade, grill for another ten minutes. Flip once more, brush with marinade, and remove from grill. Serve over the rice and top each slice with about a tablespoon of the herb sauce.
- For the rice
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Combine rice and three cups water in a rice cooker and prepare according to manufacturer instructions.
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Heat butter and olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots and sauté 2 minutes. Add the scallions and continue cooking, stirring frequently, for another 2 minutes. Stir in the honey, orange zest and juice; cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.
When rice is ready, stir together rice, nuts, fruit, skillet contents, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well combined.
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