WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Asian flavors and ingredients combine beautifully in this colorful rice salad. The emerald green snap peas, red-and-white radishes, and red bell peppers are like jewels against the black rice. Also known as purple or forbidden rice, black rice is an ancient grain that was once reserved for the emperors of China. It has a deliciously roasted, nutty taste and can be used in anything from salads to dessert puddings. Its only drawback is that it is easy to overcook, so our major obstacle was finding the right method. We discovered that the best approach was to cook it like pasta, in lots of boiling water, giving it space to move around. Once it was done, we drained it, drizzled it with a little vinegar for a flavor boost, and let it cool completely on a baking sheet. This ensured perfectly cooked grains that had the expected chew of black rice without any mushiness. We mixed up an Asian vinaigrette with sesame oil, ginger, chili-garlic sauce, and honey, and stirred in some cilantro, and our simple salad was complete.
SERVES: 4 to 6
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS:
- 1½ cups black rice
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons minced shallot
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons Asian chili-garlic sauce
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 6 ounces sugar snap peas, strings removed, halved
- 5 radishes, trimmed, halved, and sliced thin
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
- ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
INSTRUCTIONS:
- COOK THE RICE:
Bring 4 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add rice and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain rice, spread onto rimmed baking sheet, and drizzle with 1 teaspoon vinegar. Let rice cool completely, about 15 minutes.
- MAKE THE DRESSING:
Whisk remaining 3 tablespoons vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, shallot, honey, chili-garlic sauce, ginger, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper in large bowl until combined.
- ASSEMBLE THE SALAD:
Add rice, snap peas, radishes, bell pepper, and cilantro to the bowl of dressing and toss to combine.
- SEASON AND SERVE:
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
