Explore the flavours of Japanese cooking at home. This salad is not only super colourful, fresh and tasty but also a filling and nutritious meal, combining grains, vegetables and proteins. Don’t forget, you can substitute tofu with chicken (skinless), roasted pumpkin or even tinned tuna (in spring water).
Equipment
- measuring spoons, cups and scales
- cook’s knife
- chopping board
- citrus juicer
- fine grater
- colander
- small frying pan
- wooden spoon
- medium saucepan with lid
- baking tray
- small bowl
- fork
- large saucepan
- large non-stick frying pan
- large bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- 1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets
- 2 tsp sunflower oil
- 200g firm tofu, chopped into small cubes
- 2 celery stalks, finely sliced
- 1 small handful of baby spinach leaves
- 1 avocado, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 2 nori sheets, broken into flakes
FOR THE DRESSING
- Juice of half an orange
- 3 tsp salt-reduced soy sauce
- 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
What to do
- Rinse brown rice with cold water in a colander. Tip into medium saucepan and add 2 cups of water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 25 minutes.
- Toast the pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until lightly golden. Add sesame seeds and continue to toast for 1 minute. Tip onto the baking tray and allow to cool.
- To make the dressing, combine the orange juice, soy sauce and ginger in a small bowl and whisk with a fork. Set aside.
- Blanch the broccoli in a large saucepan of simmering water, strain into colander and cool under cold running water.
- Heat the sunflower oil in the frying pan and gently fry the tofu cubes, browning on all sides.
- Place the rice, broccoli, celery, spinach and toasted seeds in a large bowl. Toss to combine.
- Dress the salad and toss again.
- Top with the tofu and avocado and sprinkle with nori flakes.
- Season to taste (optional).