Chili Jam Tofu Bowl
This one is inspired by a local Oakland restaurant called Hawking Bird. They have really amazing tofu and chicken bowls, salads, and sandwiches. There is just something super comforting about crunchy tofu with sticky jasmine rice and a spicy chili glaze. This is a meal prep staple that you can prep on a Sunday night. Best part is that you can really use any protein you love as long as you make sure you have all of the fresh herbs to bring out the aromas in this dish.
JUST A NOTE BEFORE YOU START
You can shallow fry the tofu instead of air fry.
Edamame or sliced mango would be an awesome addition to this dish.
You can always replace the tofu with paneer or chicken thighs if you’re not a tofu person. Cooking times might vary, so keep an eye on that!
You can use a salad mix or rice noodles to replace the rice if you’d like.
There are non-Trade Joe’s versions of the Bomba Sauce and Pepper Jelly. Bomba Sauce is basically the same as Calabrian chili paste.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
Firm Tofu - 14 Oz Pack or Paneer
1/2 C Rice Flour
1 Tbsp Cornstarch or Arrowroot Flour
3/4 C Water
1/2 Tsp Ginger Powder
1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Black Pepper
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Curry Powder
5 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Sliced Red Onion Patted Dry
4 Tbsp Trader Joe’s Pepper Jelly
4 Tbsp Trader Joe’s Bombay Sauce
1 Bunch Mint Finely Minced
1 Bunch Cilantro Finely Minced
4 C Prepared Jasmine Rice
3-4 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Cucumber Diced & Peeled
1 Lime
Green Onions
Everything But the Bagel Seasoning
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the tofu by getting rid of the water in the package, placing it in a plate with a double layer of paper towel underneath, and putting a heavy pan/weight on top to get rid of excess water.
In the meantime, mix together the flour, cornstarch, water, ginger powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and curry powder. The mixture will look slightly thin, but that’s ok! Make sure the mixture is in a bowl big enough so you can coat all of your tofu at once.
Chop the tofu into bite-size cubes, and place all of the pieces into the batter. Give the batter and tofu a mix so every piece is nicely coated.
Coat your air fryer with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent sticking (you can also use your oven at 375 F if you don’t have one). You may need to split your batch of tofu into two depending on how large your air fryer is. Carefully place each individual tofu cube on the base of the air fryer. Cook for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Depending on which air fryer you have, you may need to check halfway through the cooking time to flip the cubes.
While your tofu is frying, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Add your sliced onions and let them sizzle, tossing every 2-3 minutes. Cook them for about 15 minutes until they are nice and brown. Put on a plate lined with a paper towel after they are finished so the remainder of the oil is absorbed.
Prep your chili jam by adding the pepper jelly and bomba sauce to a sauce pan on medium heat. Bring it to a boil, and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until it has a pourable consistency.
Take your rice, make sure it is nice and warm so it absorbs all of the flavors. I highly recommend prepping it right before you start this recipe so it is fresh (recipe linked).
Add in the vinegar, salt, and half of the chopped mint and cilantro. Give it a good mix and divide it evenly among 4 bowls or meal prep boxes.
To prepare your cucumbers, add the remainder of the herb mixture and juice from the lime. Mix it together to blend the flavors.
Top each rice bowl with equal amounts of tofu, onions, cucumber, and drizzle with chili jam. Optionally, sprinkle some everything but the bagel seasoning and chopped green onion. Enjoy!