Crispy Rice Salad (Vegan) — serves 2

Ingredients

Salad base

1. 1 small avocado, diced
2. 1 medium cucumber, diced (or thin half-moons)
3. Edamame: 50 g shelled (blanched)
4. Tofu: 50 g (firm/extra-firm), cut into small cubes or crumbles

Crispy rice

1. Cooked rice: 100 g (cooled is best)
2. Garlic chili oil: 1–2 tbsp (to taste)
3. Toss rice well; start with 1 tbsp if you want mild

Dressing (peanut-lime soy)

1. Peanut butter: 2–3 tbsp
2. Soy sauce: 1–2 tbsp
3. Lime juice: 1–2 tbsp
4. Salt: a pinch (optional; soy sauce may be enough)
5. Water: 1–3 tbsp to thin

Method (detailed)

1) Blanch the edamame

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
2. Add edamame and blanch 3–5 minutes (until bright green and tender).
3. Drain and rinse under cool water.
4. Set aside to dry slightly.

2) Prepare the tofu (quick crisp option—recommended)

1. Pat tofu dry with a clean towel.
2. Toss tofu with a pinch of salt (optional).
3. Pan-sear in a nonstick pan with a few drops of oil (or a dry-pan if your tofu is already firm enough) for 6–10 minutes, until lightly golden.
4. If you prefer oven-only: bake at 200°C/400°F for 15–20 min, flipping once.

Set aside.

3) Make the crispy rice (garlic chili oil baked)

1. Preheat oven to 220°C / 425°F.
2. In a bowl, toss 100 g cooked rice with:
3. 1–2 tbsp garlic chili oil
4. a pinch of salt if needed
5. Spread rice on a parchment-lined tray in a thin, even layer.
6. For best crisping: avoid thick piles.
7. Bake 15–25 minutes.
8. Remove, break up any clumps, and press rice into thinner clusters if needed.
9. Bake 5–10 minutes more until crisp and golden.
10. Let it cool 5 minutes (it firms up as it cools).

4) Make the peanut-lime soy dressing

1. In a small bowl/jar, whisk:
2. peanut butter
3. soy sauce
4. lime juice
5. Add salt only if needed.
6. Thin with water 1 tbsp at a time until pourable but creamy.

5) Assemble

1. In 2 serving bowls, add:
2. diced cucumber
3. blanched edamame
4. Add tofu on top.
5. Add diced avocado (gently, last if you want it to stay pretty).
6. Spoon over crispy garlic-chili rice right before serving.
7. Drizzle dressing and toss lightly (or keep dressing on top if you want maximum crunch).

Serve immediately

Crispy rice is best right after assembling.

Nutritional Value (estimated) — for the full recipe + per person

Important: calories vary a lot based on how much garlic chili oil and exact peanut butter amount you use. Below is an estimate using common portions:

Assumptions for estimate

1. Rice: 100 g cooked
2. Avocado: 1 small
3. Cucumber: 1 medium
4. Edamame: 50 g shelled
5. Tofu: 50 g
6. Dressing: ~2.5 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp soy sauce, ~1.5 tbsp lime, plus water
7. Garlic-chili oil: ~1.5 tbsp total

Estimated calories

1. Total for recipe (serves 2): ~820–920 kcal
2. Per person (1/2): ~410–460 kcal

Estimated macros (per person, rough range)

1. Protein: ~18–22 g (tofu + edamame + rice)
2. Carbs: ~45–60 g
3. Fat: ~16–22 g
4. Fiber: ~7–10 g