We are staying in a little loft in San Francisco right now, trying to find our next place to live. The kitchen is tiny: two electric burners, a microwave, roughly 2 feet of counter space. There are many parallels to camping in the Airstream trailer, and one-pot meals have been front and center. Some better than others. This is the one I keep coming back to, at least once a week. It’s a one-pot meal that hits all the buttons with a rice and quinoa base flavored with store-bought Indian simmer sauce. It becomes a meal with the addition of tofu and cauliflower, over-the-top good when the toppings hit. Here’s how it goes.
Cook a blend of rice and quinoa in a big pot. As soon as it’s ready, stir in a 12-ounce jar of your favorite Indian simmer sauce (ideas below!), stir in a bunch of tiny cauliflower florets and small tofu (or paneer cubes), and let simmer for a bit. Until the cauliflower is soft with flavorful sauce. Thin with a bit of water if you need to. Load up with whatever toppings are convenient and you’re good to go. It has been cold and rainy and this really hits the spot. Leftovers are legit. Let’s talk through some details related to the ingredients.
Indian-Spiced Rice with Cauliflower and Tofu: The Ingredients
- Rice: I’ve been using jasmine rice cut with some quinoa. I brought a big bag of jasmine rice with us from LA, so it has been the go-to. Of course you can substitute basmati rice here.
- Tofu: The goal here is a nutritious one-pot meal with a good amount of protein, vegetables, some whole grains, etc. I’ve been using little tofu cubes as the protein component. Paneer (cubed) would also be delicious. I’ve even done a blend of the two in the past if that’s what you have on hand, a little strange, but fine.
- Simmer sauce: The recipe calls for your favorite Indian simmer sauce. I normally make my own simmer sauce (and keep extra on hand in the freezer for quick meals), but until we get back into a more robust kitchen, I’ve been buying my way through the Maya Kaimal simmer sauces. In the past month I’ve cooked this recipe using their Spicy Vindaloo, Kashmiri Curry, Tikka Masala, and Madras Curry (not sponsored, just enjoying the line). All worked really well.
- Cauliflower: My main recommendation here is to buy white or, perhaps, orange cauliflower. Wayne came home with purple cauliflower one night and it just didn’t look as appetizing mixed in with the simmer sauce. Tasted fine, this is just an aesthetic preference.
- Toppings: I tend to rotate through toppings on this. Let me tell you everything I’ve tried. You can see chives, lemon wedges, peanuts, yogurt, and spicy bomba oil topping the bowl in the photos here. In the past, toasted cashews, chopped cilantro and basil, crumbled feta cheese, labneh, and arugula have been welcome additions. Chili crisp would be great. I like to add at least one crunchy element, and one herby green topping. Raid your fridge!
More Rice Recipes
- Green Rice
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More Cauliflower Recipes
- Simple Weeknight Cauliflower
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- Pickled Cauliflower
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- Beer-Roasted Cauliflower with Pasta
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