First things first: I love my wok! It’s something that I will use for years to come. It’s a great investment that will stand the test of time. I use it at least once a week. Stir frying in a wok is one of the quickest ways to prepare hot and healthy food. I prefer a stainless steel type wok since non-stick coatings are typically not safe for high heat cooking. Woks heat up very quickly and the shape of the wok allows food to cook quickly and evenly. It’s always better to cook protein in the wok first and then remove it. This allows it to cook evenly vs. competing with the vegetables. I like to add the vegetables that take the longest to cook first. It’s also helpful to add some water if your food is sticking or if you want to cook a vegetable like broccoli with some steam. It’s important to chop all of your vegetables into bite sized pieces. It’s best to have all of your ingredients and sauces prepared and within reach because you’ll need to stir constantly and add each ingredient in quick succession to prevent burning or sticking. This is also known as “mise en place”. Although it does take a few extra minutes, mise en place or preparing your ingredients ahead makes the cooking process go very smoothly. I do recommend using a wok for this dish but but a large saute pan will also work. You can substitute your favorite vegetables or use brown rice instead of quinoa. The sauce is similar to teriyaki but I prefer not to add any sugar. The rice wine adds a very subtle sweetness and balances out the flavors of the fresh ginger, garlic, and chili peppers. This dish is even better the next day and makes a great “desk lunch”. Make sure you watch the 40 second video below! And if you make this recipe, tag us @thefriendlyepicurean and post a picture!
Quinoa Fried Rice with Tofu and Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa (or 3 cups cooked quinoa)
- 1 (14oz) package of extra firm tofu, water drained and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/2 yellow onion, sliced lengthwise
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tbs)
- 1 tbs minced, fresh ginger root
- 2 thai green chili peppers, seeds removed and minced
- 1 medium sized zucchini, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tbs water
- 4 tbs soy sauce
- 1 tbs rice wine
- 1 tbs sesame oil
- 3 tbs coconut oil or peanut oil
- 3 tbs sesame seeds
- Sriracha sauce to taste (optional)
Directions
Rinse quinoa. In a medium sized sauce pan heat quinoa and 2 cups water on medium heat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer on low heat until all of the water is absorbed. While quinoa is cooking, wrap tofu in a clean towel for about 10 minutes to absorb excess water. Cut tofu into 1/2 inch cubes. Cut all vegetables ahead of time and whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine together in a small bowl and set aside. Next, heat 2 tbs oil on high heat in a large wok. Add tofu and stir fry until tofu is golden and firm (about 8 minutes). Make sure to stir constantly so that tofu cooks evenly and to minimize sticking. Remove tofu from wok and set aside. Add onions and 1 tbs oil to wok and stir fry on high heat until onions are golden brown (about 5 minutes). Add garlic, ginger, and chili pepper and stir fry for another 2 to 3 minutes. Next, add bell pepper and zucchini and stir fry for 3 minutes. Add broccoli florets and 2 tbs water and stir fry until broccoli is softer on the outside but still crunchy on the inside (it will continue to cook through). Add tofu back into wok. Add sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice wine mixture and stir to coat evenly. Add cooked quinoa and stir fry for about 3-4 more minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Add Sriracha sauce and more soy sauce to taste, if desired. Serve hot. May store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.Nutrition Information:
- Approximate Calories per 1/6 stir fry: 320 cal
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Looks nice & sounds healthy!
This looks so good! I have to make it at home one of the days 🙂
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Thanks Heidi! Hope you love it!
Totally fantastic!
Thank you so much!
love this,,, soo looking forward to making this tonight!! was just wondering what to make! now i know… thanks for this recipe!! 🙂
I’m trying not to consume oil, I saute in water and I could always throw in some avocado instead of the other oil. I have all the other ingredients though, so perfect!! 🙂
That’s great! You’ll have to tell me how it turns out without the oil.
Hi, I’ve made it twice since and it tastes really good, even though I didn’t add any oil. I added some tamari, lemon juice, some balsamic vinegar….. and just sauteed initially with some water …delicious recipe. My son liked it so much, he wanted me to make it again, right away!! Thanks for the idea!!!