Featured Recipe

"A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook , must bring soul to the recipe." - Thomas Keller

Back to Basics

Instructions

30 minutes to good health and cooking black rice ! Rinse - Cook - Munch

  • Rinse your Black Rice well with clean water 2-3 times.
  • For 1 cup black rice add 3 cups water.  cook in pressure cooker on medium flame. After first whistle, reduce flame to low and let it cook for 15 minutes more. (total cooking time approx 30 mins). Remove from heat and let it cool.
  • Add coconut milk/ milk and enjoy with fresh fruits for your everyday Healthy Breakfast.

You can also simply top it with your favourite greens for Buddha Bowl. It tastes wonderful for celebrations as kheer/pudding too!

Breakfast and Salad Bowls

Forbidden-Rice-Morning-Cereal-Bowl-with-Berries

Forbidden Rice Morning Cereal Bowl with Berries

Though the name is long, this healthy breakfast dish comes together in minutes. In this breakfast bowl recipe, I used almond milk and fresh berries, but any milk and fruit would work. Also, I had some granola on hand so I sprinkled some on top, but you can easily substitute it with any of your favorite nuts. Needless to say, this makes an incredibly healthy and filling breakfast recipe that you can serve all your family.



Black Rice Bowl with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Second recipe is one that I mostly serve for lunch. It is a bowl of black rice topped off with roasted sweet potatoes, chopped cucumber and mixed in with red cabbage. I mix everything in a bowl and drizzle it with a simple lemon juice and olive oil vinaigrette. Again, it makes a filling, healthy, and guilt-free lunch that is perfect when you are on the go.




Sesame Crusted Seared Tuna Salad Bowl

I love serving black rice with animal protein. In this recipe I served it along with seared tuna. Since cooked black rice is mildly flavored, it complimented my seared tuna really well.

Forbidden Rice Salad with Mango, Bok Choy, and Coconut Curried Dressing

This recipe comes from my friend, Traci of Vanilla and Bean. In this creative recipe, she mixed up mango and bok choy along with coconut curried dressing to make a very creative and delicious forbidden rice salad.

"A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook , must bring soul to the recipe." - Thomas Keller

Black Rice with Capsicum, Zucchini, Walnuts and Herbs

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups FOR8 black rice
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely diced
  • 1 large red onion, cut into fine rings
  • 2 large red capsicums, core removed and thinly sliced
  • ½ teaspoon good quality hot smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (could also use red wine vinegar)
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 medium zucchini, diced
  • ¾ cup roughly chopped raw walnuts
  • large handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
  • large handful fresh mint, roughly chopped
  • 100 grams feta (both goat and cow milk feta will work)
  • roughly crumbled cracked black pepper, to season

Instruction

  • Rinse the rice well under running cold water in a sieve. Drain and add to a medium saucepan along with 2 3/4 cups of water. Bring a boil before reducing to a simmer. Cook with a lid ajar for 25–30 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed.
  • Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over a medium–low heat in a large sauté pan. Don’t worry if this seems like a lot of oil – it essentially becomes the dressing of the dish. Add the garlic, onion and capsicum. Cook gently, without browning, for 10–12 minutes until the onion is translucent.
  • Add the paprika and thyme. Cook for a further 2 minutes before adding the vinegar and sea salt.  Add the cooked rice, zucchini and walnuts. Cook for 3 minutes until hot. Not too long as you want the zucchini to still have a little crunch.
  • Stir through the parsley, mint and feta. Season with cracked black pepper.

Poached Egg over Bacon Black Risotto

Ingredients

  • 5 1/2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
  • 1/2 cup White Wine
  • 6 Rashers Bacon
  • 1 cup Red Onion
  • 10 ounces Black Rice (by weight)
  • 2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, Grated
  • 6 Eggs
  • To taste - Salt and Pepper

Instructions

Risotto

  • Combine chicken broth and white wine in large saucepan and bring to a low simmer. Pop a lid on and keep it simmering on the back burner for later.
  • Cut bacon into 1/2 inch pieces and and toss into a 3-4 qt heavy-bottomed pan, pre-heated to medium. Stir occasionally until the bacon is crispy, then remove with slotted spoon to a drain on a paper towel lined plate.
  • Add the chopped red onion to the hot bacon fat and sweat over medium heat until soft, about 4 minutes.
  • Add in black rice, and stir for 1-2 minutes.
  • Now begin the slow, long process of turning rice into risotto. One ladleful at a time, add the simmering broth-wine mixture to the rice, stirring until it is absorbed. Then repeat. Though it speeds up towards the end, this process will take somewhere around 30 minutes. It's worth it, I promise.
  • Once all the liquid is absorbed, you should be left with a creamy sauced texture and perfectly cooked rice. Add parmesan cheese and bacon, then season with black pepper to taste. (It probably won't need any more salt)

Poached Eggs

  • For every egg you are poaching, put a small prep bowl or custard cup into a large, shallow pan. Fill the pan with water until just covering the bowls.
  • Heat the pan over medium heat until you start hearing the bowl/cups rattle against the bottom of the pan. (If you've got a thermometer handy, we're looking for a water temp of 190ºF)
  • One at a time, carefully crack the eggs into another small bowl or a ladle, from which you can then ease each into a custard cup in the water. Keep track of what time each egg goes in. They should poach for 4 minutes.
  • After 4 minutes, remove the custard cup with the egg in it. Using a spatula or spoon, gently loosen the edges of the egg from the cup and roll it onto your risotto.
  • The poached eggs can be made up to a day ahead and kept in a bowl of ice water. Then, when you're ready, just ease them into some simmering water for a minute or two to warm up.

Chicken Black Rice Bowls

Ingredients

  • 300 grams chicken breast or thigh, skinless
  • 1 tbsp tamari or gluten free soy sauce
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2 cup black rice measured uncooked
  • 1 bunch broccolini
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • coconut oil or olive oil for cooking the chicken
  • salt and pepper to season
  • sprinkle of chilli flakes - OPTIONAL
  • 1 serve cashew tahini herb sauce

Instructions

  • If you don't have the ⦁ cashew tahini herb sauce ready, start making this while you make these bowls. You can soak the cashews while the rice is cooking. You will make a large jar with the sauce recipe, so consider it meal prep for the week, yay!
  • Start cooking black rice according to packet instructions; this should take about 30-40 minutes. (If your rice didn't come with instructions - try the absorption method on the stove, which is use 1 cup of water to 1/2 a cup of rice, and then simmer on a low heat, covered, until absorbed).
  • While the rice is cooking, prepare the chicken. Combine the tamari, honey and 2 tablespoons of water together in a cup and set aside. Cut the chicken into smaller pieces that are easy to cook; if using thick chicken breasts slice them lengthways to produce two thinner pieces.
  • Heat up a fry pan or grill pan and cook the chicken pieces (about 5 minutes on either side should cook it through). During the last minute or so of the cooking, pour the tamari honey mixture over the chicken and turn the chicken around in the pan so it's evenly coated. Season with a little salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
  • Steam the broccolini and the peas until tender (steam them on the stovetop or use the microwave).
  • Assemble the bowls. Divide rice, broccolini, peas and chicken between two bowls. Drizzle over any pan juices from the chicken. Spoon over cashew tahini herb sauce. Sprinkle over a little salt and pepper, and some chilli flakes if desired. Serve!

Cashew Tahini Herb Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup cashews (raw, unsalted)
  • 5 tbsp tahini
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, tightly packed - about 4-5 sprigs of mint
  • 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, tightly packed - about half a bunch
  • 1 small clove garlic
  • salt and pepper to season
  • water for blending and thinning

Instructions

  • Soak the cashews in very hot water for about 15 minutes, then drain. (I just cover the cashews in freshly boiled water from the kettle).
  • Place coriander, mint, tahini, cashews, garlic and a sprinkle of salt and pepper into your blender jug. Pour in half a cup of water. Blend until smooth.
  • If desired, add extra water and blend again for a thinner sauce. Pop into a jar and store in the fridge, it will last up to a week. The sauce will thicken slightly as it chills.

*Want to make this soy free? Swap the tamari to coconut aminos.
*Any vegetables can be used in this bowl! I love broccolini or broccoli in here but really just use what you have. Try to include some leafy greens, because they're awesomely good for you.
*Do I really need to use black rice? Well, no not really, I don't want to stress you out buying black rice if it's hard to get or you can't find it. You could definitely put a different rice in here if you can't get black rice!
*I also highly recommend making extra black rice so you have some for another meal

Mexican Horchata

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups Black Rice
  • 2 cups of hot water
  • 1 cup of coconut cream
  • A handful of almond flakes
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • Vanilla pod or a teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • Honey or Agave syrup to taste

Instructions

  • Toast 1 cup of Black Rice, crushed cinnamon stick and almonds on a flat tray in the oven. Cook for 10 minutes on high or until the almonds are lightly toasted. Set aside to cool down.
  • Place Black Rice, crushed cinnamon sticks, almonds and vanilla pod into blender. Add 2 cups of hot water (Not boiling) and pulse until coarsely ground. Add honey or agave syrup to taste.
  • Transfer into a 2 litre jug or large mixing bowl.
  • Soak for 8 – 10 hours.
  • Once horchata base has matured in the fridge, give it a good stir and strain half the mix through a fine sieve into a cocktail shaker (or back into you blender).
  • Add ½ a cup of coconut cream and shake (pulse on low) for a minute.
  • Pour the shaken horchata mix over ice and serve chilled. Garnish with ground cinnamon.

FOR THE LOVE OF BAKING

black rice sponge cake

Super Food Black Rice Sponge Cake

Ingredients : For8 Black Rice Flour - 250 gms, Sugar - 150 gm (as per taste), Eggs – 6, Cooking Oil/ Coconut milk – 150 ml, Vanilla Essence/ flavor – 1 teaspoon, Baking Powder - 1 ¼ teaspoon.
Method : Pour all eggs into the mixing bowl. Add sugar. Using beater, mix well till it becomes thick and fluffy. Add vanilla essence, baking powder, oil, black sticky rice flour and mix again until mixture becomes light and fluffy. Grease baking mould with butter/oil, pour the mix into it. Pre-heat the steaming vessel or oven for 10 mins. Steam for 35 - 45 minutes or bake at 180 degrees c in oven for 30-40 mins. Black Rice Sponge Cake ready to be served.
Its super yummy with vanilla ice cream!

Black Rice Indian Flat Bread

Black Rice Indian Flatbread (ROTI), Breads

Replace 20-25% of whole wheat flour with black rice flour, to make dough for preparation of roti or bread. Follow regular recipe for the remaining process. Do experiment with the proportion of black rice flour, as the more you replace the darker the purple.

Black Rice Muffins, Pancakes

Add to the batter of pancakes and muffins, to not only add an interesting purple colour but also improving the glycemic index (GI) of your baked foods!

Gluten-Free Black Rice Flaxseed Banana Bread

Ingredients

  • 250 g Black forbidden rice, ground into flour
  • 60 g Flaxseed flour
  • 40 g Flaxseed, crushed
  • 5 g Baking soda
  • 5 g Baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • Walnuts, roughly chopped for topping
  • 3 Eggs, large
  • 3 Mashed ripe bananas, large
  • 180 g Unsweetened applesauce
  • 0.5 g Pure stevia extract powder
  • 80 g Coconut oil, melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract

Instruction

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a standard-size loaf pan lined with baking paper. In a large bowl, combine the ground black rice, flaxseed flour, crushed flaxseed, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  • In another bowl, whisk the eggs, mashed bananas, sugar, applesauce, coconut oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
  • Pour the batter in the prepared pan and sprinkle with walnuts. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. If the top is darkening too quickly, cover it with foil. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.