Red Quinoa & Forbidden Rice
Serves 6 – 8
Red Quinoa & Forbidden Rice |
Who wouldn’t want forbidden rice?
According to ancient Chinese legend, black rice was so rare, tasty, and
nutritious that only the emperors were allowed to eat it. It was fabled to enrich health and
ensure longevity. The black color of the uncooked forbidden rice is due to its
outer coating of black bran. It is also prized for its fragrant aroma, nutty
taste and nutritional value. Times have changed. Although
black rice is still relatively rare, researchers are trying to bring its
distinctive flavor and mix of antioxidants to the masses -- or at least to a
grocery store near you. Like brown rice, black rice is full of antioxidant-rich
bran, which is found in the outer layer that gets removed during the milling
process to make white rice. But only black-rice bran contains the antioxidants
known as anthocyanins, purple and reddish pigments -- also found in
blueberries, grapes, and acai -- that have been linked to a decreased risk of
heart disease and cancer, improvements in memory, and other health benefits.
Forbidden Rice |
I must admit I had not jumped on the
“quinoa-everyday” bandwagon. It certainly has surged in popularity. Quinoa
(pronounced KEEN-wah), whose edible seeds are white, red or black, is packed
with protein, minerals and vitamins. It is also gluten-free, if that is a major
concern. You can have it for breakfast (as a cereal), lunch (as a salad) and
dinner (as a pattie or a side dish). I would eat this particular recipe at any
meal. Grown in the Andes for thousands of years, the “mother grain of the Incas”
was an obscurity in the U.S. until foodies who feted it as a superior
alternative to bulgur wheat, couscous and rice discovered it. So, now there are
even “quinoa only” cookbooks available. Though it often occupies a similar role
to these grains, quinoa is actually a chenopod, in the same family as beets and
chard. Who knew!
Red Quinoa |
I loved this recipe so much that I
made it twice in a few days. At first, simply added cremini mushrooms to base
recipe and served with slice of fresh avocado. The second day I added sun-dried
tomatoes, cremini mushrooms and diced red pepper finished with a sprinkling of
toasted pine nuts. If you wanted an
additional protein burst, add some black beans or toasted almonds. It is a completely flexible dish – just dig
through your pantry and refrigerator liberating those additional goodies.
- ½ C short-grain black rice
- 1 C red quinoa, rinsed well
- Water, vege stock or chicken stock as below
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp kosher salt divided
- 4 Tb olive oil, divided
- 1 small white onion, finely chopped
- 5 large garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ C chopped sun-dried tomatoes, optional
- 10-12 quartered cremini mushrooms, optional
- 1 red pepper, optional
- 3-4 Tb fresh lemon juice
- ¼ - ½ C chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ C chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 Tb 1” pieces chives
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 avocado, peeled and pitted, optional
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- Garnish: toasted pine nuts, or toasted almonds, drizzle of finishing olive oil; serve with hot sauce if desired.
Rinse the black rice thoroughly.
Bring rice, ¼ tsp salt and 1 C water (or vegetable or chicken stock) to a boil in a small
saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until water is absorbed and the
rice is tender, 25-30 minutes. If using a rice cooker, follow instructions for
brown rice.
Cooking the forbidden rice |
Meanwhile, combine quinoa, bay leaf, ¼ tsp salt, and
2 C water (or vegetable or chicken
stock), in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and
simmer until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; return quinoa to hot
saucepan. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf, fluff quinoa with
a fork, and transfer to a large bowl.
Heat 2 Tb olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally,
until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic
and cumin seed and cook, stirring
often, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add to quinoa. Repeat with olive oil
and sautéing other optional ingredients such as cremini mushrooms and red
pepper. Add chopped sun-dried
tomatoes and mix all with quinoa. Add cooked black rice; mix well. Stir in
2 Tb olive oil, fresh lemon juice, cilantro, parsley and chives. Season to
taste with salt and pepper.
Mixing the ingredients after cooking |
Another presentation, this time with avocado |
Serve warm or at room temperature
with a slice of avocado, fresh lemon slice, and sprinkle of optional toasted
pine nuts or almonds. You can
substitute any color of rice or quinoa to make this gorgeous (and healthful)
salad, which works as a vegetarian main course or hearty side dish. Enjoy!
Larue
Couldn't find short grain black rice so I substituted wild rice - delicious! Perfect for bento box lunches.
ReplyDeleteYup - can substitute any color quinoa or brown or wild rice - great warm or room temp.... so glad you liked it.
ReplyDeleteVery nice!
ReplyDelete