Recipes: How to Make Vegan 'Egg' Fried Rice

I made this vegan 'egg' fried rice as a part of a Chinese-inspired dinner menu that I created recently. I feel it is worth being posted as a recipe in itself since I know that many vegans say that they miss egg fried rice.

I think this tastes much better than the greasy concoctions you tend to get when you buy Chinese take-out, and it is much lower in fat too. Also, there is of course no cholesterol whatsoever, since vegan 'egg' doesn't contain any (only animal products contain cholesterol).

If you can, cook the brown rice in advance so that it has a chance to cool. I find it is better to make the dish with cooled rice.

This recipe serves 2-3 people as a side dish. Increase the quantities and add a selection of vegetables to make a main dish for more people.

Vegan 'Egg' Fried Rice

1 (dry) cup brown rice

200g (1½ cup) firm tofu, crumbled

3 spring oinions, cut into thin strips

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp sesame oil

½ tsp yellow curry powder

¼ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp soy sauce (optional - use tamari for gluten free)

1. For perfect rice, bring a large pan of water to the boil and ONLY put the rice in when the water ia fast boiling. DO NOT stir!

2. Turn the heat down to a simmer, and cook the rice for about 20 minutes.

3. When cooked, drain in a sieve and leave to cool until cold, if possible.

4. To make the 'egg' use a heavy-bottomed frying pan or wok, heat the olive oil and add the spices and salt.

5. Crumble in the firm tofu and stir around, until the tofu has soaked up all the colour and turned yellow.

6. Place the scrambled tofu in another dish for now. You will add to the rice once it's been fried.

7. In the same wok with the 'egg' removed, heat the sesame oil. Add the spring onion and fry for around a minute or so.

8. Add the cooled, cooked, brown rice, letting it fry a little in the oil.

9. Add in the tofu scramble, and ensure all the rice, spring onion and tofu egg have been well-mixed.

10. If you like, you can add the optional soy sauce now but I chose not to when I was making the full dinner, since there was a lot of soy sauce in other parts of the menu. However, I would add if I was making this as a lone dish or with other less salty dishes.