| Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 25 mins | Difficulty: Medium | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 320 | 10g | 2g | 45g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 3g | 4g | 12g | 0.9g |
Why I Love Thai Fried Rice with Chinese Kale and Tofu
My fondness for the Fried Rice with Chinese Kale and Tofu recipe can be traced back to my first encounters with Asian cuisine, a world away from the heartland dishes of Nebraska that I hold dear. Although corn casserole and beef stews continue to feature prominently in my menu rotation, there’s just something about the complex flavors, exquisite textures, and the sheer artistry involved in Thai cooking that keeps pulling me back.
The Beauty of Thai Cooking
The beauty in Thai cuisine lies in its capacity to engage all five senses. These kinds of dishes likely aren’t what you would find at the Sunday church potluck back in Nebraska, but that’s exactly why I love them. Food, like life, thrives on variety. Every now and then, I draw inspiration from global masters, like renowned chef David Thompson, the authority on Thai food, to breathe a new life into my classic comfort-food oriented kitchen.
The Ingredients
The Fried Rice with Chinese Kale and Tofu recipe revolves around simple ingredients that reflect the beauty of Asian cuisine. It’s a part of the cuisine’s genius – taking ordinary ingredients and transforming them into a masterpiece. Just take a look at the lineup: cooked jasmine rice, firm tofu cubed, fresh Chinese kale finely chopped, minced garlic, vegetable oil, Thai bird chilies, soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper powder, spring onion, lime juice, and lime for garnish if you’re feeling particularly fancy.
The flavour profile is multidimensional – the dish hits you with the softness of tofu, the punctuating heat of Thai bird chillies, all underpinned by the fragrant base of jasmine rice.
The Gourmet Touch
One other thing I love about the Fried Rice with Chinese Kale and Tofu is the perfect textural balance. It’s a kind of harmony reminiscent of Midwest America’s farm-to-table approach, the hallmark of hearty Nebraskan cuisine. Only here, instead of corn and beef, we have tofu and Chinese kale, meeting on the harmonic stage of jasmine rice.
This recipe serves both the heart and palate – perhaps a touch of Asian influence will add an unique spin to your culinary repertoire, just like it did to mine!
What You’ll Need
- 4 cups of cooked jasmine rice
- 2 cups of firm tofu, cubed
- 3 cups of Chinese kale, chopped
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 fresh Thai bird chilies, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon of white pepper powder
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons of lime juice
- 1 lime (optional for garnish)
Method
Step One
Heat up your pan or wok over medium heat. Add in 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, allowing it to heat up. Once the oil is hot, add the 4 cloves of minced garlic and chopped Thai bird chilies. Stir-fry these until the ingredients become fragrant, which usually takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Step Two
After the garlic and chili are fragrant, toss in your 2 cups of tofu. Stir fry, turning the tofu lightly until it is evenly golden brown on all sides.
Step Three
Once the tofu is browned, introduce your 3 cups of chopped Chinese kale to the wok or pan. Stir fry until the Chinese kale starts to wilt.
Step Four
Next, add in the cooked jasmine rice. It’s best to use cold, day-old rice since it tends to hold better compared to freshly cooked rice.
Step Five
Stir fry the rice with the rest of the ingredients for a few minutes until the rice is well incorporated with the tofu and Chinese kale.
Step Six
Add in the 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, and 1 teaspoon of white pepper powder. Stir these into the rice, making sure all the ingredients are well coated and evenly colored.
Step Seven
To finish, add the fried rice into a serving dish. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of lime juice, finely sliced spring onion and serve optionally with a lime wedge for garnish.
And there you have it: your delicious Fried Rice with Chinese Kale and Tofu is ready to enjoy!
