Ingredients
- 1 cup short-grain brown rice
- 2-1/2 cups water, divided
- 3 tablespoons minced ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup tamari (or soy sauce)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 4 cups various garden and forest greens, such as spinach and kale
- Fine salt, to taste
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped
Tofu (optional)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 14 ounces non-GMO tofu, cubed and drained
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- Generous grinding of black pepper
Directions
- Place rice and 2 cups water in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Place lid firmly on pot, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes. Keep lid on, remove from heat, and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
- While rice is cooking, place ginger, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, tamari, olive oil, salt, and remaining water in a quart canning jar. Tightly screw a lid and ring onto jar, and shake vigorously until well mixed. Set aside.
- If including tofu, place olive oil in a pan and allow it to come to temperature over medium to high heat. Add tofu, and season with salt and pepper. Toss occasionally to ensure an even fry on all sides. When golden-brown and slightly crisped, remove from heat. Set aside.
- When rice is in its 10-minute resting period, chop selected greens and steam in a shallow sauce pan with a lid and a few splashes of water. Lightly salt to taste.
- To combine these elements for presentation, find a generously sized serving bowl. Put rice on bottom, then cover with wilted greens, spread tofu (if using) atop greens, then sprinkle chopped avocado atop tofu. Drizzle dressing over ingredients, and serve warm. If dressing clots, add a tablespoon of warm water and shake.
Inspired by the local vegetarian food temple Life Alive of Cambridge, Massachusetts, this dish is a perfect base to highlight any of the fresh and green vegetables coming out of the garden. In place of the spinach and kale, you can use dandelion greens, chard, ramps, fiddleheads, arugula, asparagus, or any other green you have on hand. The avocado is by no means requisite, but it does add an additional and welcomed creaminess to the dish. If this will be a main course, include the tofu for added nutrition. If serving as a side dish, omit it.
Discover more delicious, seasonal recipes in Green Recipes for Late Spring.
Kate MacLean is a writer, farmer, and mother in central Vermont. She’s currently developing a children’s book with her sister about the farm on which they both live, and the silly animals that keep them working from dawn ’til dusk.
