As a direct consequence with working with BRITA this year I am more hydrated, and for the first time really thinking about water as an ingredient. As part of the Better with Brita Campaign, BRITA are offering three people the chance to make and show case their food at UK’s biggest food festivals, The Big Feastival, in the Cotswolds in August (29-31 August). To enter simply create a recipe which uses water and submit it, a photo and the story about your recipe here by the 30th June.
As I wrote when I first introduced the competition last month we have noticed a difference when cooking with filtered water – the sourdough is springier and there is noticeably less scum when boiling pasta, grains and vegetables.
I am crazy about simple brown rice – and we tend to eat it several times a week. In the past I’ve used a microwave steamer – which takes a super speedy 14 minutes – but recently I’ve moved back to cooking the rice by the absorption method in a heavy pot (I use my Le Crueset) on the stove top. I find it produces perfectly cooked, fluffy, sweet and soft but not mushy brown rice every time. I batch cook, as soon as leftovers are cool they are put in the fridge for the next day (do not leave for longer than 24 hours) or frozen to be used in fried rice.
As worktop space is limited in my kitchen my BRITA kettle doubles as a filter jug – I empty it and refill with tap water that I use straight from the kettle without boiling.
I served my rice with wobbly, slippery silken tofu which has been simmered in a rich tamari sauce, as well as a generous portion of pak choi.
- 1 cup of brown rice
- 2 cups BRITA filtered water
- 2 tbs tamari
- 1 tbs mirin
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 cm ginger root finely grated
- 1 x 300g block silken tofu – drained I like the one from Clearspring
- 2 spring onions shredded
- Cooked pak choi to serve
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Place the rice and BRITA filtered water into a heavy casserole dish or saucepan with a well fitting lid. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and then turn right down and leave for 50 minutes. I put mine on a heat diffuser on the lowest setting of the smallest gas ring. It takes a little experimentation to get it right, but once you have the correct heat the rice will simmer and then gently steam and there will be no bubbling from around the lid. Do not open the pot whilst it is cooking, once you have mastered the right heat.
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Whisk together the tamari, mirin oil and ginger. Cut the tofu into ½” cubes and place in a dish, pour the tamari mixture over and leave to marinade for 30 minutes.
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Once the rice has 5 minutes left to cook, carefully place the tofu and marinade into a frying pan and cook over a low heat. Turn the tofu a few times – carefully as it is very fragile, then add the spring onions.
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Serve the tofu on a bed of brown rice, with steamed green vegetables with the tamari mixture poured over.
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As well as entering the Better with BRITA competition you can also win a BRITA filter jug from me until the 30th June!
I am a BRITA ambassador and have been compensated my time spent on this campaign, developing the recipe and for promoting the competition.
Urvashi
Love this recipe. I absolutely must make this with the pack of tofu on my shelf. Well,actually it is in my dining room in a basket but it will be on my shelf next week when I get my kitchen back and then I am gonna make this! Beautiful shot of the dish too.
Helen
Here is to a speedy end to building works Urvashi.
Michelle Utterlyscrummy
Oh my word, that meal looks delicious! I don’t cook with tofu as often as I’d like and definitely will be giving this a go. Perfect for a healthy dinner with lean protein as I’ve gone off meat lately.
Helen
Go for it, with either silken or firm tofu Michelle.
Jacqueline
This is my kind of dish Helen and I’ve just been to the Oriental supermarket and stocked up on tofu and pak choi.
Helen
Let me know how you get on Jac.