Cover the tofu in a paper towel and press to remove excess water (or use a tofu press). Slice in cubes and toss it with soy sauce and sesame oil in a small bowl or tupperware.
Heat a skillet with 1 tbsp oil and fry tofu for 5 minutes, flipping occasionally. Set aside.
Fried Rice
Rice: You can either use 1 ½ cup day-old rice (quicker method) or cook ½ cup raw rice according to the package instructions. Drain, spread on a plate, and place in the refrigerator or freezer until chilled.
Heat a skillet with 1 tbsp oil. Add ginger, lemongrass, carrot, and bell pepper, sauté for 5 minutes. Add chilled rice and spinach, stir-fry for 3 minutes.
Add cashew nuts, soy sauce, and sesame oil, cook for another minute while constantly stirring. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Optional: Serve with sliced scallion, red chili pepper, or sriracha sauce.
Notes
Can be served as a side dish with almost any Asian meal or as a stand-alone dinner.
Rice: Works with white long-grain rice, basmati rice, jasmine rice, or brown rice. Plus, it's an excellent recipe to use leftover rice. Cooked rice equals 3 times the amount of raw rice, so make sure to use 1 ½ cups (300g) of cooked rice. I usually don't plan my meals a lot beforehand, that's why I usually cook ½ cup (100g) raw rice, spread it on a plate, and quickly chill it in the fridge or freezer.
Vegetarian: Feel free to add two scrambled eggs.
Love onion & garlic? Sautè one minced onion and two minced garlic cloves with the vegetables. → The onion- & garlic-free version is better for digestion and a low FODMAP diet.