Red Curried Tofu

108 is one of my husband's favorite numbers. It is considered sacred in some religions, representing one, nothing, and infinity (1, 0, 8).  Hindu deities have 108 names; Stonehenge is 108 feet in diameter; freezing water expands by 108%; there are 108 stitches on a Major League baseball. What does all that have to do with this recipe? Nothing, except that without any further ado, I present to you my 108th main dish recipe on this blog.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
• 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
• 2 and 1/2 cups vertically sliced red onion
• 1 cup yellow bell pepper strips
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• 1/2 teaspoon chile paste with garlic
• 1 (14.5-ounce) undrained can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
• 12 ounces lite firm tofu
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped dry-roasted cashews

1. Heat the sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the red onion and bell pepper; saute for 4 minutes.  Stir in the curry powder, coriander, turmeric, and salt; cook for 2 minutes.

2. Drain the tofu and cut into 1-inch cubes.  Add to the pan, along with the soy sauce, agave, chile paste, and canned tomatoes.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the rice according to package directions. Spoon 1/2 cup rice onto each of 4 plates, and top each serving with 1 and 1/4 cups tofu mixture.

4. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon cilantro and 1 tablespoon cashews.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (1 and 1/4 cups tofu mixture, 1/2 cup rice, 1 tablespoon cilantro, 1 tablespoon cashews), Calories 292

Tasting Notes:
A bite of curried tofu alone is delightful. Add in the tomatoes, rice, cashews, and spices, and that bite becomes awesome. I would simply leave out the yellow bell pepper next time, and would use about half as much onion, but with those changes this might rapidly veer towards a "5." The fresh cilantro on top is so much more than a garnish - a perfect foil to the spiciness of the sauce.

Rating:
3.5