Japanese-Style Rice Salad - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 - 2 cups brown rice or 1 1/2-2 cups white rice
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup scallion, chopped
1 small red bell peppers or 1 small yellow bell pepper, cored seeded and chopped
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup carrot, finely chopped
1 cup firm tofu, preferably baked (optional)
6 tablespoons miso
3/4 cup warm water or 3/4 cup sake
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon mirin or 1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (to taste)
2 sheets nori, lightly toasted
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds or 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds, toasted

Preparation

Cook rice in abundant salted water, as you would pasta, until it's just done; white will take 10-15 minutes, brown 30 minutes or more. Drain, rinse in cold water, drain again, then combine with vegetables and tofu in a large bowl.
Put black pepper, miso, water or sake, sugar, mirin or honey, and vinegar in a small bowl and whisk together. Taste and add more vinegar and a pinch of salt if needed.
Combine rice mixture with miso dressing with 2 big forks, fluffing rice and tossing gently to separate grains.
Crumble nor over salad and sprinkle with sesame seeds, taste, and adjust seasoning or moisten with a little more dressing. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate up to a day, bringing salad back to room temperature before serving.