Sweet & Tangy Black Rice Salad
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This hearty salad will make you happy!
If you’re big on flavor combinations in your food, this dish is it; it’s anything but boring.
Consider it your next convenient dish – it meets all your taste sensations so it’s completely satisfying to be served on its own.
The black rice is starchy with a nutty bite to it, the green apple covers your sweet and sour taste, the spices and the garlic give it a tangy kick, and the creamy dressing seals the deal. But the buttery, crunchy pine nuts bring it to a graduated level and sophisticated enough to leave the “homely looking family dinner dish” and move on to a dish you want to show off and share with everyone.
Case in point and fun fact: black rice, also known as forbidden rice, was once only reserved for royalty in ancient China, hence “forbidden” to the common public. It’s nice to remember that when you’re enjoying this dish ;)
But the EVEN better news? It’s a full, complete and nutritious meal. Your protein is covered with the rice, tahini and pine nuts, and the slow burning carbs from the rice means you will feel full sooner and for longer. You’ll get your antioxidants in the black rice (wow this stuff is nutrient packed!), the garlic, lemon juice, parsley, bell peppers, celery, carrot and apple so basically this whole dish is an antioxidant powerhouse.
Last but not least, tahini offers healthy omega fats. Fiber, Calcium, Magnesium and iron are also covered here.
When to make this?
It’s light and refreshing enough to enjoy in the summer, but also filling and comforting enough for the winter. I personally like it at room temperature so I take it out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before serving, but it would be so nice when chilled on a hot summer day!
A lovely combination is to serve with a crusty bread like a baguette, or go all out and make garlic bread – it’s an excellent savory sidekick.
What more can I say? This IS the perfect salad!
Instructions
Cook the rice according to instructions. Let cool a little and place in a large bowl. Add all your chopped salad ingredients and mix well.
Make the dressing by adding all the ingredients in a large jar and shaking well. Add a little water (about 1 Tbsp) as needed to thin it out, or leave as is for a creamier dressing.
Pour half the dressing over the salad and stir to incorporate. Taste test it and add more dressing as you like.
This salad is best refrigerated for at least 20-30 minutes before serving. After chilling, serve in bowls and top with more dressing if you wish.
I like to use all the dressing for a stronger flavor!
Serve with crusty baguette, or my personal favorite – garlic bread.
* You can use wild rice instead of the black rice, but it has not been tested with this recipe.
*If you have leftover rice of any kind (white, brown, etc.) it will also work well in this recipe. Just be careful not to keep cooked rice for a long time, so if you’re using leftover rice, consume the salad within 1-2 days.
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked black rice (Yields about 4-5 cups cooked rice)
1 zucchini, grated
1 carrot, grated
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 ½ green apples (I used Granny Smith), finely chopped or sliced in thin sticks
1 handful chopped parsley
½ cup pine nuts. You could substitute with chopped cashews if you don’t have pine nuts
Dressing:
5 Tbsp tahini
Juice of 2 lemons
1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
1/3 cup olive oil
2-3 tsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp salt
Pepper, to taste
