Basmati Rice with Turmeric and Fried Tofu for World Vegan Day | Press

October 2018 – Widely shared and adopted by people all over the world in recent years, veganism is an age-old practice based on avoiding products of animal origin.

With more and more followers, a vegan diet includes a wide range of foods. And umami, the fifth basic taste of the human palate, is also part of this lifestyle—found in mushrooms, tomatoes, corn, and other staples of our diet.

To celebrate World Vegan Day, the Umami Committee, the organization responsible for spreading the word about the fifth taste, has selected a delicious recipe for basmati rice with turmeric and fried tofu. Jot it down and enjoy.

Basmati Rice with Turmeric and Tofu

Ingredients

• 300 g tofu
• 50 g mixed greens
• 25 g sunflower seeds
• 320 g basmati rice
• 3–4 shallots (280 g)
• Balsamic vinegar, to taste
• Two pinches of red pepper (chili)
• ½ tsp turmeric (5 g)
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt
• 1 small head of radicchio (150 g)
• 1 small head of lettuce (200 g)
• 1 sprig of rosemary + 3 sage leaves
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (shoyu) (30 g)
• 2 cloves garlic (14 g)

Method

1. Slice the tofu, garlic, and shallots and arrange on a plate.
2. Finely chop the rosemary and sage.
   3–4. Season the tofu with the herbs and red pepper. Drizzle everything with the soy sauce. Cook the rice in salted water flavored with turmeric.
3. Meanwhile, clean and wash the mixed greens, radicchio, and lettuce; dry well and place in a bowl, tearing larger leaves by hand.
4. Dress the greens with salt, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.
5. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet and fry the tofu slices with the shallots and garlic.
6. When the tofu is golden, add the sunflower seeds and toast lightly. Serve the rice with the tofu on top and the salad on the side.
   

Recipe from the book “Escola de Cozinha Vegetariana”, Alaúde Publishing.

UMAMI
It is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. It was scientifically recognized in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami confirmed the existence of specific receptors for this taste on the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main umami substances. The two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and the persistence of taste for a few minutes after eating. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br and follow on facebook.com/ogostoumami and instagram.com/ogostoumami.