Vegan Yaki Bowl

A few weeks ago I ate at a restaurant in Augusta called The Hive. They have a few vegan options, but I decided to go with the Yaki Bowl, one of their vegan options. It’s served over your grain of choice (I went with brown rice) with a bunch of seasonal veggies and tofu if you decide to go for that.

I took one bite and fell in love. I’ve always loved Asian food, so this was right up my alley. I’ve been doing this thing recently where if I find something I like at a restaurant, I do my best to go home and recreate it. This one was one of the very easy ones.

All in all, this took me about an hour to do. Most of that was prep and me scrambling around my kitchen in a panic because that’s just how I do things.

I’m not gonna lie, most of the recipes on my blog so far (and the ones to come) are my first tries. I usually don’t try something a million times until I perfect it, I usually just get lucky and like the way it is the first time. I also experiment every single time I cook, so most of my recipes don’t ever turn out the same way they did the first time I made it, and that’s really just because I like to try new things and see what works.

So here’s how I made my Vegan Yaki Bowl!

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry brown rice
• 2-3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 cup sugar snap peas
• 1 cup snow peas
• 5-6 red and orange sweet peppers, sliced
• 1/4 red onion, chopped
• 1/2 portobello mushroom, chopped finely
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon chili garlic paste, I used the Huy Fong brand
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• extra soy sauce to taste if needed
• 1/2 of a green onion as a garnish if desired.

For the Teriyaki Sauce:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3-5 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

For the tofu:

• 1 block of tofu, pressed to drain of excess liquid and then cubed
• 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch

Before you start cooking, begin by pressing your tofu. I have a tofu press that works wonders, but you can do this pretty easily by putting down a clean towel and wrapping your tofu evenly. Then add something heavy, like a cast iron skillet or a few books and wait for fifteen or so minutes. Then, change the tofu to a dry part of the towel and repeat until the tofu is drained to your preference. The dryer the better.

Start by cooking your brown rice (or grain of choice). I can’t for the life of me cook rice on the stove, so I use my rice cooker. I add one cup of brown rice (and wash it well until the water runs clear) to the pot of my rice cooker and then add about a cup to a cup and a half of water. I also add a bit of rice vinegar for flavor (around 1/2 a tablespoon).

Next, prep all your vegetables and set those all aside in a bowl.

Now you should start your teriyaki sauce. Add all the liquid ingredients to a small saucepan on medium heat. Then add your brown sugar and cornstarch and whisk continuously until the sauce starts to thicken. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Continue whisking for around a minute or so. Taste (carefully) and adjust with any seasonings as needed!

Next, prepare your tofu. Remove from the towel or tofu press and cut into cubes. In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the cubes with cornstarch and toss until they are evenly coated.

Next, add your sesame oil to a large wok or skillet. Let the oil heat up and add your ginger and garlic. Then add your cubed tofu and let brown on all sides. Add your vegetables and coat in most of the sauce. Leave around a 1/4 of a cup for later.

Mix everything and combine evenly. Cook until vegetables are nice and soft and fragrant. On medium heat, this took me around seven or so minutes. Now add your rice and the rest of the teriyaki sauce and stir to combine again. Cook for around six-seven more minutes.

Now you can eat! Feel free to use chopsticks to eat (or a fork, I won’t judge).