East Asian · 45 min · Easy · 4 servings
Tofu Fried Rice
The Sunday-night clear-out-the-fridge dinner, done properly: cold rice, a screaming-hot pan, and tofu crisped until golden. Ready before the takeaway would even arrive.
~470 cal per serving — Calories are approximate, per serving — a guide only.
Method
- 1
Cook the rice and chill it
⏱ 20 minRinse the rice and cook it, then spread it on a tray and chill it until cold and dry to the touch — 20 minutes in the freezer, or overnight in the fridge. Do not skip this: warm rice steams and clumps in the pan instead of frying, and cold day-old rice is the whole difference between fried rice and wet rice.
- 2
Crisp the tofu
⏱ 8 minHeat the oil for the tofu in a large wok or frying pan over high heat. Add the tofu in one layer and leave it alone until the underside is golden, then toss and repeat until crisp on most sides. Scoop out and set aside.
- 3
Fry the aromatics
⏱ 3 minAdd the oil for the aromatics, then the garlic, ginger, carrots and the white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry until the carrot has lost its raw crunch but still has bite.
- 4
Add rice and peas
⏱ 5 minTip in the cold rice and the peas. Break up any clumps and spread the rice against the hot pan, then leave it to catch a little before tossing. Keep the heat high — you want some toasty grains.
- 5
Season and finish
⏱ 2 minReturn the tofu, then pour in the soy sauce and sesame oil around the edge of the pan so it sizzles. Toss everything together, taste, and finish with the scallion greens off the heat.
Notes
The stated time covers cooking the rice and the stir-fry; the 20-minute chill is on top of it, and is not optional — warm rice steams instead of frying. Start a day ahead and the rice is already cold, which is how fried rice was invented. Use tamari in place of soy sauce to keep it gluten-free.