Black Pearl Rice Stir Fry with Miso, Mushrooms and Crispy Tofu

Last month I got to host a fun little spring gathering with some of my favorite people in the blogosphere, including Trish from Eat Your Beets, Holly and Natalie from The Modern Proper, Sasha from Tending The Table, and Shelly from Vegetarian Ventures! We gathered at Sasha’s parents’ farm along the Columbia River Gorge and cooked up a delicious feast of fresh seasonal ingredients and Lundberg Family Farms grains, with a menu that included Shelly’s stone fruit + thin stackers crostinis, Sasha’s spring quinoa salad with ramps, peas and herbs, Holly and Natalie’s morel mushroom arborio rice risotto, Trisha’s red rice pudding with strawberry rhubarb compote, and my black pearl rice stir fry with miso, mushrooms, and crispy tofu. It was so much fun to get to spend the weekend with these guys; we cooked together in the kitchen, enjoyed the beautiful view of the farm, and caught up on all of life’s going-ons from the last time we saw each other.

There’s nothing quite like sharing good food with good friends, especially when those friends are just as nerdy about ingredients and cooking as you are and you end up spending all weekend in the kitchen and y’all couldn’t be happier about it. It’s the BEST!!! As for the dish I contributed, I’ve been obsessed with black rice ever since my Hawaiian friends made it for me over a year ago. It has this subtle natural sweetness to it, that happens to pair really well with super umami flavors like miso and soy sauce, creating this crazy addicting sweet-yet-salty flavor combo. To take the umami-ness of this stir fry up a notch, I also incorporated toasted garlic and sauteed mushrooms to the mix. For a bit more crunchy texture, I also incorporated some fried tofu, and for some brightness, a bit of raw green onion and fresh cilantro. The result is an incredibly filling, healthy, and addicting meal. I make this every couple weeks, and I love it because you can sub in whatever vegetable you have handy to help it evolve through the seasons. I’ve also made alternate versions with bell peppers, zucchini, and butternut squash as of mushroom replacements. The flavor becomes slightly less umami that way, but delicious nevertheless. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did!

This post was made in collaboration with the generous folks at Lundberg Family Farms, but all opinions expressed are my own, per usual!

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Black Pearl Rice Stir Fry with Miso, Mushrooms and Crispy Tofu

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 6 people

Author Eva Kosmas Flores

Ingredients

• 1 cup Lundberg Family Farms Black Pearl rice
• 1 3/4 cups vegetable stock
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
• 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms (cut into 1/4-inch thick slices)
• canola oil (for frying)
• 1 pound extra firm tofu (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 2 tablespoons miso paste
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 egg
• 6 green onions (thinly sliced)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the rice, vegetable stock, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a boil over medium high heat. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to low, and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat (keeping it covered) and allow to steam for an additional 10 minutes off heat. Fluff lightly with a fork. If the rice is too firm, add another tablespoon or two of liquid and cook longer.

2. While the rice is cooking, you can prepare the other ingredients. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring every minute. Remove the garlic with a spatula and set it aside, leaving the oil in the pan. Add the onion to the pan and saute until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and 1 more tablespoon of olive oil and stir to coat. Continue cooking until the mushrooms have darkened in color, released their liquid, wrinkled slightly, and are lightly browned on both sides, about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat about 1/2 inch of canola oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the tofu in a single layer and fry until golden and puffy on each side, about 6 to 7 minutes per side, working in batches as necessary. Do not try to flip them or move them before this, otherwise they might rip and the bottom will stick to the pan. Remove with a slotted spoon or spatula and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso paste, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar until smooth.

5. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large wok. Crack an egg into the wok allow it to cook, whisking it every few seconds, until it is cooked through and scrambled. Add the rice to the wok and stir to combine the egg throughout, then add the miso mixture and the mushroom mixture and stir to combine. Add the tofu, garlic, green onions, and cilantro and toss to combine. Remove from heat and serve immediately.