Midweek vegan: Peanut avocado brown rice crunch bowl

Channelling avocado peanut rolls – the uncommon and delicious fish-free nori roll found on some creative New York City budget sushi joint menus – this comforting and flavourful whole-grain rice salad stars the satisfying duo full of good fats from avocado and protein-loaded roasted peanuts. A smooth wasabi miso lime dressing completes this bowl for nori roll lovers too lazy to roll their own.

Peanut avocado brown rice crunch bowl

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the wasabi miso lime dressing (makes 80ml)

• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• ½ tsp mustard powder or hot Chinese mustard powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp agave nectar (optional)
• ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
• 60ml mild olive oil

For the topping

• 4 to 6 pieces savoury sesame tamari tofu or tempeh (see recipe below), sliced into thin strips

For the salad

• 2 cups cooked short-grain brown rice, warm or room temperature
• 1 cup diced hothouse (English or Persian) cucumber
• ½ cup julienned or shredded carrot
• ½ cup roasted, preferably unsalted, peanuts or cashews, roughly chopped and divided
• 1 ripe Haas avocado
• 2 tbsp pickled sushi ginger
• 2 handfuls mizuna or spring salad green mix
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
• ½ cup finely diced radishes or daikon
• ½ sheet nori seaweed, cut into matchsticks

Method

1. Prepare the dressing first. Blend together everything except the oil until smooth. Drizzle the oil into the blender jar and pulse until the mixture is smooth and emulsified. Use promptly to prevent the dressing from separating.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the warm rice, diced cucumber, carrot, and half of the roasted peanuts or cashews and drizzle on half of the dressing. Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Carefully peel away the skin and slice each half into very thin slices. Neatly stack the sushi ginger and slice into thin ribbons.
3. Divide the leafy greens into the 2 big serving bowls. Mound the rice salad into serving bowls on top of the greens. Fan out the thinly sliced avocado halves over the rice and garnish with pickled ginger, scallions, and sesame seeds, remaining peanuts or cashews, daikon/radish, and matchsticks of nori seaweed. Drizzle on the remaining dressing and eat right away!

Savoury sesame tamari

Ingredients

• 60ml tamari
• 2 tbsp agave necta
• 2 tbsp mild olive oil
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 garlic clove, grated or smashed

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6.
2. Whisk together all the ingredients in a 28 x 18 x 5cm, or similar-sized, baking dish. Add the prepared vegan protein and marinate for 10 minutes, flipping occasionally.
3. Roast for 30-35 minutes, flipping once after 20 minutes, until golden brown and firm.

 

Extracted from Show Up for Salad by Terry Hope Romero (Da Capo Lifelong).