Teriyaki tofu with brown rice and kale and Sylvia's dinners

A while back, I borrowed Gwyneth Paltrow's Notes from My Kitchen from the library.  It has lots of great simple recipes in it.  I bookmarked lots to try.  I made her gorgeous apple muffins and then I cooked up a batch of teriyaki tofu and rice with kale before having to return to the book.  The tofu was sticky and delicious but the rice wasn't quite right.

As always I made changes.  The original recipe was for teriyaki salmon.  A version of the recipe is at (Chef)uality).  Gwyneth said that you could substitute tofu.  She didn't give much more information.  I decided to fry the tofu because my oven is slow and frying is quick.  According to Wikipedia this means that my tofu was not actually teriyaki because it is a grilling/broiling cooking technique rather than a sauce.  No matter, it tasted amazing.  I used garlic instead of ginger in the hope that Sylvia would eat it.

Gwyneth wrote about the kale and rice that she is proud of her kids because they love this.  Sadly I wasn't able to enjoy the same pride.  Sylvia gobbled up the tofu but was not keen on the kale being mixed with the rice.  I insisted she ate a few mouthfuls and was pleased to see some bits of kale hiding in her spoonfuls.

It is a while since we had the teriyaki tofu but I keep trying now and again to challenge Sylvia's separatist food tendencies.  Last night I made some fairly plain fried rice for her.  She ate about a third of a bowl.  She does not like onion so I cut it small but she tried to pick it out of every spoonful so maybe next time I will cut it big.  She also protested that there were too many vegetables and she would prefer them on the side.  At least she accepts I will put some vegies in the rice and she loved the tofu bacon in it.  Baby steps!

I took the above photo of it and it does look like a lot of vegies, even though when I made it there didn't seem to be that many vegies.  Also in the photo are some of her favourite things at the moment.  Loom bands, a comb for hairdressing and gloves that she wears to be Elsa from Frozen.  (And if you are as fascinated as me by the popularity of the movie, ie the little girls belting out the song 'Let it Go' everywhere, check out this New Yorker article on Frozen.)

As for the teriyaki tofu and brown rice and kale, I loved the meal.  It had less variety of vegies than I usually serve up for dinner.  E thought the rice dish lacking oomph.  Perhaps the spring onions might have made a difference.  So while not perfect (and I think I have missed the point of teriyaki altogether because apparently it is usually broiled or grilled food), it is a healthy quick meal that I am sure I will make again.

I am sending the teriyaki tofu with brown rice and kale to Healthy Vegan Fridays #2.  Kimmy of Rock my Vegan Socks is keeping on with it but has farewelled 2 co-hosts and welcomed a new one - Robin of Vegan Dollhouse.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago: Q is for Quinoa pizza balls, quitting parliament and the picnic game
Two years ago: Yoghurt pastry, flatbreads, cakes, knitting, aquarium
Three years ago: Marshmallow Weetbix slice
Four years ago: Nigella’s potato bread
Five years ago: Pleasing pumpkin muesli slice
Six years ago: Philip Island Pleasures
Seven years ago: Red Rascal Burgers

Teriyaki tofu
Adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow's Notes from My Kitchen Table
Serves 2-3

Teriyaki marinade
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp honey (Gwyneth used 3)*
2 tbsp mirin
2 large garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp oil
300 - 500g tofu, diced (I used 300g)

Mix marinade in a small bowl.  Toss with tofu chunks until well coated.  Marinate for an hour if you have the time (I didn't).  Heat heavy bottom non-stick frypan over medium heat and fry until marinade is absorbed, stirring frequently.  Tofu will be sticky and golden brown.

*Use another sweetener for vegan marinade.  Sugar or agave would work fine.  Wonder if coconut sugar or coconut nectar would work?

Fried rice with kale 
Adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow's Notes from My Kitchen Table
Serves 2-3

175g dried brown rice (or 3 cups cooked rice)
225g kale (3 to 4 large stems)
3 spring onions, sliced (I didn't have these)
1 tbsp oil
2 clove garlic (I used 1 because enough in teriyaki)
1 to 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

Boil rice for 30 minutes or until cooked.  Drain rice.  Meanwhile prepare kale by removing stems if curly kale (I don't remove stems from Tuscan kale) and finely chopping.  Steam kale (over the cooking rice) for 7 minutes.  Once rice is cooked, fry garlic in oil in frypan over medium heat for about 2 minutes.  Add kale and spring onions and fry for about 2 minutes.  Add rice and stir for about 2 minutes.  Stir in soy sauce to taste and remove from heat.

On the Stereo:
Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music, Volume 2: Social Music, Disc 1: Various Artists