Vegetarian mains
Mirin glazed carrots and crispy tofu
In this Japanese inspired recipe, you cook the carrots in mirin, a sweet rice wine. The liquid cooks away to almost nothing and reduces to a shiny glaze. Only add a splash more water if it looks like the carrots will completely dry out before the 10 mins of cooking. Once the lid is off, you want the carrots to catch on the edges and take on some colour; it all adds to the flavour.
Ingredients
- 150g brown basmati rice
- salt
- 300g carrots
- 150g Brussels sprouts
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 fresh chilli
- 200g marinated tofu
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- oil for frying
- 1 tbsp brown rice miso
- 1 tbsp tamari
Method
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Step 1
Put a kettle on to boil. Rinse the rice in a sieve. Tip it into a saucepan with a good pinch of salt. Cover with boiling water from the kettle. Simmer for approx. 25 mins, or until tender but still with a little bite.
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Step 2
Meanwhile, peel and cut the carrots into diagonal 3cm pieces. Trim the root tips away from the sprouts along with any sad looking outer leaves. Finely shred the sprouts.
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Step 3
Heat the sesame oil in a saucepan and cook the carrots on a high heat for 2 mins. Add 100ml water and the mirin. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for approx. 10 mins, until the carrots are tender.
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Step 4
While the carrots cook, deseed and finely chop the chilli. Pat the tofu dry with kitchen paper. Slice the tofu into 2cm cubes.
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Step 5
Heat a frying pan and dry toast the sesame seeds for approx. 2 mins, until lightly golden. Remove and set aside. Add 1 tbsp oil to the same pan and fry the tofu for approx. 4 mins, until golden and crispy. Transfer to a plate. Take the pan off the heat.
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Step 6
Once the carrots have had 10 mins, remove the lid. Cook for a further 3 mins, stirring occasionally, until the carrots colour on the edges and any liquid has reduced to a glaze.
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Step 7
When the rice is ready, drain and rinse it.
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Step 8
Put the frying pan back on the heat. Stir-fry the sprouts for 1 min, adding a splash of water to help them cook. Turn the heat off. Add the miso, tamari, 1 tbsp water and chilli (to your taste). Stir, then mix in the rice.
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Step 9
Divide the rice and carrots between 2 shallow bowls and top with the tofu. Scatter over the sesame seeds to garnish.