Jamaican salad with tofu (gluten free & vegan)

Ingredients (servers 5-6)

• 1 cup black rice
• 1 packet firm tofu
• ½ cup fresh pineapple
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 ripe bananas
• 8 dried pineapple rings
• 1⁄3 cup coconut flakes
• Juice and rind of 1 lime
• ½ bunch mint
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar

For the jerk rub

• 1 tsp ground allspice
• ½ tsp pink lake sea salt
• ¼ tsp grated nutmeg
• ¼ tsp crushed black pepper
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp dried thyme
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 1⁄8 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp dried scallions (green onions) or chives
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar

Method

Place the black rice in pot of boiling water and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until tender. 

In a small food processor, throw in all spices for the jerk rub and blitz until a fine powder is formed and ingredients are combined. Place spice mix into a bowl. Cut tofu into one-cm thick pieces and rub in spice mixture. Place on a grill for 10 minutes or until golden on each side. I do a dry grill, however, if you’re worried about sticking, simply spray grill with coconut or rice bran oil before.

Once rice is cooked, drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Remove all excess liquid and place into a bowl. Add in the fresh pineapple.

In a non-stick fry pan, heat up one tablespoon of the coconut oil. Chop up your bananas and place on pan. Sprinkle top with coconut sugar and flip once golden. As soon as bananas are golden and fried on each side, remove from heat to stop them from burning. 

Add bananas into the rice mixture and cut up all but three to four of the dried pineapple rings and gently mix through. Add in the flaked coconut, lime juice and lime rind and combine. Finely chop up ¾ of the mint and stir through the salad. 

Recipe from Kate Bradley, www.kenkokitchen.com; Photo credit: Elisa Watson

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