- 135g brown basmati rice
- 1 red onion
- 1 lime
- A thumb of ginger
- 1 chilli
- 1 short cucumber
- 1 courgette
- 1 carrot
- 200g marinated tofu
- 2 spring onions
- 50g sweet Thai sauce
- A handful of coriander
- 270ml boiling water
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 tbsp coconut, sunflower
- or rapeseed oil
- 1.
Fill and boil your kettle. Rinse the rice well under cold water and tip it into a small pan. Pour in 270ml boiling water and add a pinch of salt. Cover and bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down to low and gently simmer for 25 mins till the rice is tender and the water has been absorbed. Take the pan off the heat and let the rice steam in the pan, lid on, for a couple of mins to finish cooking the rice. It should be fluffy and cooked through.
- 2.
While the rice simmers, peel the red onion, finely slice it and slide it into a large mixing bowl. Grate over the lime zest and squeeze in the juice. Peel the ginger and grate it into the bowl. Finely chop the chilli, flicking out the seeds and white pith for less heat, and add to the onion with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to mix. Set aside to marinate.
- 3.
Peel the short cucumber (the skin can be bitter) then peel the cucumber into ribbons. When you get to the seeded core, thinly slice it. Trim the courgette. Peel it into ribbons too, thinly slicing the seeded core. Trim and peel the carrot, and peel it into ribbons. When you get down to the middle, thinly slice it. Add the cucumber, courgette and carrot ribbons to the red onion, but don’t stir them in – just let them sit on top of the onion.
- 4.
Slice the tofu in half to make two steaks, then slice in half again so you have four steaks. Pat them dry with kitchen paper and set aside. Trim the roots and any ragged ends off the spring onions. Slice the green parts into 1-2cm-thick lengths, then thinly slice the greens. Keep them separate.
- 5.
Pour 1 tbsp oil into a frying pan. Warm to a medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the tofu steaks and fry for 3-4 mins, then turn over and fry for 2 mins. Pour in the sweet Thai sauce and add the white spring onion parts. Fry for 1-2 mins, turning the tofu to coat it in the sauce.
- 6.
While the tofu is cooking, stir the cucumber, courgette and carrot ribbons into the red onion to mix.
- 7.
Divide the rice between two warm bowls or plates and top with the dressed veg and fried tofu. Tear over the coriander leaves and sprinkle with the spring onion greens to garnish. Serve straight away.