Yummy yummy. The sweet pickled ginger brightens the entire dish and pairs beautifully with the celery. Plus it looks so pretty, does it not?
First, press the tofu between folded tea towels and a heavy weight to press water from the tofu. After 40 minutes, begin cooking your short brown rice. While the rice is cooking, slice the onions into half moons. Heat a saute pan and once warm, add oil and begin cooking the onions. Once translucent, add batons of celery (preferably peeled). Add salt, pepper, and mint flakes. Slice a wild assortment of mushrooms and add to pan. Cook mixture until mushrooms are firm, not mushy. Deglaze the pan if necessary with just an ounce or so of pickled ginger juice into pan. Add rice wine vinegar, black sesame seeds, freshly grated ginger and minced garlic. Set aside and heat more oil in the pan, add tofu and sear all sides until nicely browned. Add more fresh ginger and garlic, then chives and parsley. By this time, your rice should be done or nearly finished. Last but not least, plate the dish [perhaps like the picture shown here] and EAT EAt eat !
3 T. Canola Oil
1/4 onion
3 stalks celery cut into batons
6 cups fresh, wild mushrooms
1 T. Black Sesame seeds
1 1/2 tsp. mint flakes
few pinches of salt, to taste
pepper to taste
3 T. ginger fresh
2 large cloves garlic
1/8 c. rice vinegar
1 1/3 c. short brown rice
14 oz. extra firm tofu
2 T. fresh chives
2 T. fresh parsley
1-3 ounces pickled ginger juice
pickled ginger to taste
