curried tofu + fried rice

I didn't know how to make fried rice until my first year out of college.

I suppose that might sound a little strange for somebody with my ethnic background. But at home, mom and grandma were always in charge of the kitchen, particularly when it came to food of the Asian/Filipino variety. As a result, I didn't do much cooking back then; my job was just to eat, get fat, and make the occasional pie or batch of cookies.

So my first attempts at fried rice were less than spectacular. It didn't taste bad at all, but it probably resembled soggy paella more than it resembled the delicious greased up fried rice I was used to getting at home. Little did I know that I was missing the secret ingredient: cold, hard, leftover cooked rice, rather than the freshly steamed kind. Also, I found that a hot pan is important, and it's a good idea to cook everything separately to avoid overcooking and/or having the juices from the meat or vegetables mush up the rice.

Homemade fried rice has no longer been a disappointment after I figured this out. I also like fried rice because it makes for a quick, no-fuss meal—just use whatever vegetables and/or meat you have and go.

For dinner tonight, we made up some fried rice combined with curried tofu. Here's the method to our madness for anyone who wants to try:

ingredients

• 2 24 oz. cartons extra firm tofu
  
• salt
  
• 1 tsp sugar
  
• 1 tsp curry powder
  
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
  
• 1 tsp ground cumin
  
• 4 cups chopped vegetables (we used carrots and broccoli) + 1 cup frozen peas (I like to load up on the veggies, but you can adjust the quantities to your own tastes)
  
• vegetable oil
  
• cold cooked rice made from 2 cups dried rice
  
• 2 tsp sesame oil
  
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
  

directions

Cut the tofu into small (about 1/2 inch) pieces. Simmer in salted water for about 3 minutes; drain and place tofu on paper towels and blot dry. Toss the cubes in a bowl with 1 tsp salt, sugar, curry powder, turmeric, and cumin.

Heat about 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok, add the tofu, and saute over medium-high heat until golden. Transfer sauteed tofu to a large bowl and set aside; return the skillet to the stove.

Heat about 1/2 tsp oil and saute the vegetables until nearly tender. Transfer to bowl with tofu and set aside; return the skillet to the stove.

Heat about 1-2 tbsp oil and add cold rice (you'll want to make sure that all the large chunks are broken up before doing this). Stir to coat rice with oil and spread rice to cover surface of the skillet. Let sit for about 3 or 4 minutes, then toss to cook the other side for a few minutes. Repeat until all the grains are evenly cooked.

Drizzle the soy sauce and sesame oil over the rice and toss to coat. Mix in vegetables and tofu. Taste and add salt/additional soy sauce if needed.

Makes a lot.