This Japanese quinoa is inspired by a plethora of dishes. Tamari is similar to soy sauce, without the added gluten and usually quite as much salt. They make easy substitutions for one another and we commonly see them both paired with sushi. Tamari and rice vinegar are often used in marinades for meat and tofu. And they're pivotal ingredients in sweet and sour sauce. I don't necessarily cook with them as much as I would like to. But they're really fairly common ingredients in our everyday lives. What's maybe less common is tamari and rice vinegar in quinoa! Especially with sweet potatoes.
Quinoa and sweet potatoes are South American crops that are more common in Western cuisines. I just adore the flavor profile and can't get enough! Hence this fusion of Japanese and Latin American culinary influences. In what is really just my new favorite quinoa obsession.
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What to Make w/ Japanese Quinoa
Ordinarily I would use firm or extra firm tofu, cut it into cubes, and lightly fry in a cast iron pan. That's what I did last time that I made Quinoa with Tofu, Rice Vinegar, and Tamari. Some silken tofu was incredibly on sale, though! Silken tofu won't hold up to frying in this way, though. It's incredibly soft (hence the "silken" moniker) and breaks apart easily. It's better in dessert or as a vegan egg substitute.
I like a good scrambled egg in soups and curries, though! It adds a subtle flavor more interspersed through than a hardboiled egg or tofu cubes. So, I decided to go with a vegan version and make tofu scrambled eggs with quinoa, rice vinegar, and tamari.
However, there are a number of substitutes that you can make here, from silken tofu to firm tofu to scrambled or fried eggs.
This Japanese quinoa takes inspiration from both Latin American and Asian flavor profiles for a perfect mix of quinoa, sweet potatoes, tamari, rice vinegar, and tofu. It's incredibly simple to throw together in a pinch and eat as a main course, side dish, or component of another meal. I'm rather partial to eating quinoa as the entrée the first day and then wrapping it in a burrito or scrambling eggs on top for a breakfast salad.
Add sweet potato, turmeric, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, tamari, quinoa, and water to a rice cooker.
Press the cook button on the rice cooker. While quinoa is not rice, it does cook the same and oftentimes better than rice in a rice cooker. It typically takes 30-45 minutes. Alternatively you can simmer on the stove. Add all of the ingredients to a pot, bring uncovered to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes and quinoa are tender. Stir occasionally and test often. Turn off heat, add lid, and let sit another 5-10 minutes.
Fry Tofu
While the quinoa is cooking, drain the water out of the tofu.
Wrap in paper towels to absorb the moisture.It's important to absorb as much water out of the tofu as you can. Oil is less dense than water, so the molecules repel one another. With cold ingredients, this causes separation. When you're frying at high temperatures, though, this can cause boiling hot oil to spray back at you.
Meanwhile, preheat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
When the skillet has preheated and the majority of the water has absorbed into the paper towels, carefully add the tofu to the skillet. Move them around gently with a spatula, making sure that they cook evenly. The tofu will break apart and cook just like how you would scrambled eggs. Continue to gently move the eggs around until golden brown. This should take about 4-6 minutes.
Remove from heat and wrap again in paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
Finish Quinoa
When the quinoa is fully cooked, add tofu and salt and pepper to taste. Fluff with a wooden spoon and serve immediately or chill. Do not use a fork or other metal utensil to fluff! It will scratch off the nonstick surface on the rice cooker. This will leach teflon into your food and cause future dishes to stick to the bottom.
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
I used Fresh Turmeric in Olive Oil. You can easily substitute dried turmeric. But there is something particularly refreshing about fresh turmeric! And, if you can find it, mincing it and preserving in olive oil is the key to longevity.
While quinoa is not rice, it does cook the same and oftentimes better than rice in a rice cooker. For more tips and tricks to rice cooker quinoa, check out my article on The Fundamentals of Making Quinoa, including a stovetop version if you don't have or don't want to use a rice cooker.
I also tend to prefer tamari over soy sauce. They're both made from fermented soy and a lot of recipes use them interchangeably. Tamari tends to have a richer flavor and less salt content. It also tends to be gluten free.
For a more in-depth article on preparing tofu, check out my article on The Fundamentals of Fried Tofu. High heat oil and a precise cooking temperature are important to keep the tofu from drying out or burning.
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