Indian Style Rice Salad Recipes

INDIAN-STYLE RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Cook rice in abundant salted water, as you would pasta, until it's just done; white rice will take 10 to 15 minutes, brown 30 or a little longer. Drain, rinse in cold water, drain again, then combine with vegetables in a large bowl.
• Combine black pepper, coconut milk, rice wine vinegar and curry powder in a blender and turn machine on; a creamy emulsion will form within 30 seconds. Taste and add more vinegar a teaspoon or two at a time until balance tastes right to you, then add more curry powder, salt, or pepper, if needed.
• Drizzle vinaigrette over rice and vegetables. Use 2 big forks to combine, fluffing rice and tossing gently to separate grains. Stir in chile, if using, and cilantro, taste, and adjust seasoning or moisten with a little more dressing. Serve at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to a day, bringing salad back to room temperature before serving.

THE WORLD OF RICE SALADS

Steps:

• Put the rice and all the vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette and use two big forks to combine, fluffing the rice and tossing gently to separate the grains.
• Stir in the parsley, taste, and adjust the seasoning or moisten with a little more dressing. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for up to a day, bringing the salad back to room temperature before serving.
• Variations:
• Rice Salad, Japanese Style: Use brown or white short-grain rice. Halve the amount of celery and carrot and finely chop them or shred them on a grater. Add 1 cup cubed firm tofu (preferably baked). Instead of the vinaigrette, toss with 1/4 cup or so of Simple Miso Dipping Sauce (made by whisking together 6 tablespoons miso paste, 3/4 cup warm water or sake, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon mirin or honey, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar plus more to taste, and salt to taste). Instead of the parsley, crumble 2 sheets of nori over the rice salad and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons black or white sesame seeds.
• Rice Salad, Mexican Style: Long-grain or medium-grain, white or brown, all work well here. When blending the vinaigrette, add 1 tablespoon chili powder and 2 tablespoons Mexican crema or mayonnaise. Instead of celery and carrot, add 1 cup chopped fresh tomato. Substitute chopped fresh cilantro for the parsley and, at the same time, add 2 chopped hard-cooked eggs and chopped jalapeño chiles if you like. Serve with lime wedges.
• Rice Salad, Indian Style: Use brown or white basmati rice. When making the vinaigrette, use rice wine vinegar, replace the oil with coconut milk, and add 1 tablespoon curry powder, or more to taste. Instead of the bell pepper, celery, and carrot, add 1/2 cup each cubed cooked potato, cooked cauliflower florets, and green peas (cooked frozen are fine). Substitute cilantro for the parsley.
• Citrus Rice Salad: Use any rice. Instead of red wine vinegar, make the vinaigrette with freshly squeezed citrus juice-choose from lemon, lime, orange, blood orange, tangerine, pink grapefruit, or a combination. Whatever you use, add 2 tablespoons of the grated zest and 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey to the blender. Do not include the scallion or the vegetables. (You might want to use a little less dressing.) Instead of the parsley, use mint if you like. A handful of chopped almonds or pecans make a nice addition.
• Tomato Rice Salad: Use any kind of brown or white rice. When making the vinaigrette, eliminate the vinegar and add 1 medium tomato to the blender. Instead of the scallion and other vegetables, add 2 cups chopped fresh tomato (a mixture of heirloom varieties is nice).Instead of the parsley, use chopped fresh basil or mint, or 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, chervil, dill, or about a tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves.

INDIAN-STYLE RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Cook potato, cauliflower and peas, if necessary.
• 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 in a large bowl.
• Combine black pepper, coconut milk, rice vinegar and curry powder in a blander and turn machine on; a creamy emulsion will form within 30 seconds. Taste and add more vinegar a teaspoon or two at a time until balance tastes right to you, then add more curry powder, salt or pepper, if needed.
• Drizzle vinaigrette over rice and vegetables. Use 2 big forks to combine, fluffing rice and tossing gently to separate grains. Stir in jalapeno if using and cilantro, 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.

INDIAN RICE PUDDING

Steps:

• In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, bring the rice, milk, and cardamom to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a heat-safe spoonula to help keep the milk from burning.
• Reduce the heat so that the milk is gently simmering and cook for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring often. The rice should be tender and the milk will have reduced by half, giving a porridge-like consistency.
• Add the sugar, rosewater or vanilla, and pistachios. Stir and turn off the heat. Serve either warm or chilled, garnished with extra pistachios. Goes well with fresh fruit too.

BROWN RICE CHUTNEY SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk the first six ingredients. Add the rice, carrots, cranberries, red pepper and green onions; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for several hours., Just before serving, add spinach and apple; toss to combine. Sprinkle with cashews.

RICE VEGETABLE SALAD

Steps:

• Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the beans, carrots, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, parsley and onion., In a small bowl, whisk the lime juice, oil, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir rice into bean mixture. Drizzle with dressing; toss to coat.

INDIAN RICE SALAD WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cook the rice following pack instructions but add the turmeric and 1 tsp curry powder to the cooking water. Drain well and spread on a tray lined with kitchen paper to cool.
• Meanwhile, finely chop the coriander stalks and whisk with all the other dressing ingredients, plus seasoning.
• Tip the rice into a big mixing bowl. Using a fork, break up any large lumps, then mix in the cashews, cucumber, onion, coriander leaves, pomegranate seeds, beans and chicken. Pour over the dressing and lightly stir in, then cover and keep in the fridge. Eat over the next 2 days (as long as it's within the chicken use-by date). Keep a big spoon in the bowl so kids can easily help themselves. Top with a dollop of yogurt and add a handful of poppadum crisps, if you like.