Tamarind Tofu Bowl

Another great recipe inspired by Vegan Yum Yum! This healthy tofu bowl has a sweet flavor from the tamarind sauce, but is packed full of veggies and balanced by heartiness from the brown rice.

FYI, to satisfy your veggieosity, tamarind is a pod-shaped fruit that's kind of like a cross between a fig, date, and legume (at least in packaging). It's very sweet and can make for good sauce bases and pastes, as in this recipe.

Recipe adapted from Vegan Yum Yum's Tamarind Tofu Cabbage Bowl
Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
Tamarind Sauce:

• 2 cups water
• 1-2 Tbsp tamarind paste, depending on desired sweetness
• Scant 1/2 cup sugar or agave syrup
• 1 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 tsp garam masala (an awesome spice mix!)
• 1 tsp cumin

Tofu Bowl:

• 1 package extra firm tofu, drained and cubed
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 10-12 asparagus spears, chopped into bite-sized pieces (or broccoli would work well here too!)
• 1/4 cup water chestnuts, sliced (optional)
• 1 small package of sliced mushrooms
• ~2 Tbsp tamarind sauce

Steps:

1. Cook the rice according to package instructions; for brown rice, this can take a while, so it's a good idea to start here and continue to making the tamarind sauce while the rice is steaming. You should have about 2 cups after cooking.
2. Prepare the tamarind sauce: Bring water, tamarind, and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Boil for 30 minutes, until the sauce thickens and reduces. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for another minute or two. Remove from heat & let cool.
3. Cook the tofu in the oil until browned. Set aside.
4. Steam your veggies in a wok or saute pan, making sure not to overcook. I simply placed them all in a pan with a tiny bit of water, covered, stirred a few times, and steamed until the asparagus were just tender.
5. When the rice is finished cooking, mix your rice, veggies, and enough of the tamarind sauce to lightly coat, and serve!