Ingredients:

  • 2 cups Short-grain brown rice
  • 3 cups Water
  • 200g Fresh spinach
  • 200g Soy bean sprouts
  • 2 Large carrots, julienned
  • 1 Large zucchini, sliced into half-moons
  • 8 Shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp Toasted sesame oil (for vegetables)
  • 2 tsp Minced garlic
  • 400g Extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed
  • 1 tbsp Tamari or soy sauce
  • 4 Large eggs
  • 3 tbsp Gochujang
  • 1 tbsp Toasted sesame oil (for sauce)
  • 1 tbsp Maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp Water
  • 1 tsp Rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp Toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 tbsp Toasted sesame oil (for searing rice)

Instructions:

  1. Cook the short-grain brown rice using a rice cooker or a heavy-bottomed pot with 3 cups of water until tender.
  2. Blanch the spinach and soy bean sprouts. Squeeze out excess moisture. Sauté each vegetable (carrots, zucchini, mushrooms) separately in a skillet with a drop of sesame oil and minced garlic until tender-crisp.
  3. Wipe the skillet and add high-heat oil. Fry the pressed tofu cubes until golden and crispy on all sides. Deglaze with tamari at the last moment.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the gochujang, sesame oil, maple syrup, rice vinegar, water, and sesame seeds until a smooth emulsion forms.
  5. Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Spread the cooked rice in an even layer and press down. Let it cook undisturbed for 5-7 minutes until a golden crust forms on the bottom.
  6. Arrange the prepared vegetables and tofu in sections on top of the rice. Top with a sunny-side-up egg and serve with the gochujang sauce.