Japanese-style Rice Salad

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 1/2-2 cups brown rice or 1 1/2-2 cups rice
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup scallion, chopped
• 1 small red bell peppers or 1 small yellow bell pepper, cored seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup carrot, finely chopped
• 1 cup firm tofu, preferably baked (optional)
• 6 tablespoons miso
• 3/4 cup warm water or 3/4 cup sake
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon mirin or 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (to taste)
• 2 sheets nori, lightly toasted
• 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds or 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Recipe

• 1 cook rice in abundant salted water, as you would pasta, until it's just done; will take 10-15 minutes, brown 30 minutes or more. drain, rinse in cold water, drain again, then combine with vegetables and tofu in a large bowl.
• 2 put black pepper, miso, water or sake, sugar, mirin or honey, and vinegar in a small bowl and whisk together. taste and add more vinegar and a pinch of salt if needed.
• 3 combine rice mixture with miso dressing with 2 big forks, fluffing rice and tossing gently to separate grains.
• 4 crumble nor over salad and sprinkle with sesame seeds, taste, and adjust seasoning or moisten with a little more dressing. serve at room temperature or refrigerate up to a day, bringing salad back to room temperature before serving.