Okie Fried Rice
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
- Total: 4 hr (includes cooling time)
- Active: 1 hr 25 min
Ingredients
Smoked Turtle Beans:
2 cups dried turtle beans (black beans)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
3 bay leaves
Salsa Rojo:
3 medium serrano peppers, destemmed
2 cups diced canned tomatoes
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Salsa Verde:
5 medium tomatillos (about 1 1/2 pounds), husked
2 to 3 serrano peppers, destemmed
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Rice:
2 cups jasmine rice
1 tablespoon dried dill
Main Dish:
5 Roma tomatoes, cut into 8 equal pieces
1 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 cup poblano pepper, julienned
1/2 cup bell pepper, julienned
1/2 cup yellow onion, julienned
2 to 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
8 ounces extra-firm tofu, crumbled by hand
1/2 cup zucchini, sliced on the diagonal
1/2 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup baby spinach
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Salt
2 cups (16 ounces) red sauerkraut
3 cups baby arugula
1 bunch green chives, finely chopped
6 pepperoncini peppers
Directions
Special equipment:
a high-speed blender; a rice cooker- For the smoked turtle beans: Add the turtle beans and 8 cups water to a large stock pot. (Make sure the water covers your beans by a few inches.) Add the chili powder, cumin, granulated garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the beans are tender, 1 1/2 hours. Set aside.
- For the salsa rojo: Char the serrano peppers by placing them over a flame and shaking or turning them about once a minute, until all the sides are blackened. Set aside to cool.
- Add the tomatoes, serrano peppers, onion, oregano, salt, pepper and 1 cup water to a high-speed blender. Blend on high for 1 minute. Rest for 1 minute. Blend again for 1 minute.
- For the salsa verde: Add the tomatillos and serrano peppers to a medium saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and hold in the hot water for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside to cool completely.
- Add the tomatillos, serranos, onion, salt, oregano, pepper and 2 cups water to a high-speed blender. Blend once on high for 1 minute. Rest for 1 minute. Blend again for 1 minute.
- For the rice: Prepare the rice in a rice cooker. (Two to 2 1/4 cups water per 2 cups rice is typically the ratio.)
- Lightly fluff the cooked rice with a rice paddle or fork, then sprinkle the dill on top. Do not smash the rice. Return the lid and let rest until needed.
- For the main dish: Toss the tomatoes in the dill in a small bowl and set aside.
- Using a wok or deep saute pan, saute the poblano peppers, bell peppers and onions in 1 tablespoon sunflower oil on medium-low heat until tender and the onions become translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the tofu, zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, paprika, curry, pepper, salt and 3 tablespoons water. Cover for 3 minutes. Remove the lid and toss all ingredients until the tofu is browned, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the rice and tomatoes to the mixture and saute for another 3 minutes. Salt to taste. Remove from the heat.
- In a separate small saute pan, cook the sauerkraut with the remaining tablespoon oil until slightly browned and sizzling, about 2 minutes.
- Plate individual portions of the main over a bed of arugula. Top each portion with 1/4 cup smoked turtle beans and 1/4 cup sauerkraut. Finish with 1 tablespoon salsa rojo and 1 tablespoon salsa verde. Top with fresh chives and garnish with pepperoncini.
Cook’s Note
For the Rice: Be sure the rice is fully cooked but not soggy. Err on the side of less water than more water. For the Turtle Beans: Presoaking the beans is fine. However, thin skinned turtle beans cook relatively quickly. Soaking them is not as much of a time saver as it is with other beans, and you'll have better texture and flavor with unsoaked beans. You could also use your electric pressure cooker to prepare the beans. For the Salsa Rojo: We use a handheld chile roaster to char the chiles, but you can roast them on the stovetop grate or broil in the oven. For the Salsa Rojo and Salsa Verde: Double blending the sauce is the key to a fine consistency.