Curried Chickpeas with Baked Tofu over Cilantro Rice
“My mom used to make white rice with curry for dinner, but I thought it would be good to make it more healthy, so I used brown rice instead and added chickpeas to the curry,” says Alexander. “I like tofu, so I decided to add baked tofu to the top layer. We usually have a salad with most of our dinners, and I think that is healthy.” - Alexander Tschegg, Age 8, North Carolina
Makes 8 Servings
Ingredients:
- 1 (15-ounce) package extra-firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 3 cups brown rice
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- 1 large onion, peeled and diced
- 4 bell peppers, assorted colors, seeded and diced
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
- 1 (14-ounce) can low-fat coconut milk
- ½ cup low-fat milk
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
- ½ teaspoon salt
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the tofu on a paper towel-lined plate and press with another paper towel to squeeze excess water out of the tofu. Cut into bite-sized cubes.
- In a medium bowl, combine the whole-wheat flour, nutritional yeast (optional), garlic, and salt. Add the cubed tofu and toss to coat the pieces in the flour mixture. Spray a baking sheet to prevent sticking and spread the tofu in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes, gently stirring once during baking so all pieces are evenly browned.
- While the tofu is baking, in a large stockpot, boil 2 cups of water, the, vegetable broth, and rice over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Remove the rice from the heat and add the chopped cilantro.
- Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and cook for about 8 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic, curry powder, coconut milk, low-fat milk, chickpeas, and salt, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- To assemble, layer brown rice, curry sauce, and finally baked tofu on top.
464 calories; 10g fat; 76g carbohydrates; 18g protein
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