By Lucas Volger from “Bowl”. Delicate and chewy, black rice, also called “forbidden rice”, is a purple-hued, unpolished variety that touts many of the same health benefits as brown rice, but with a nubbier texture. And like brown rice, it benefits from soaking for a few hours, which makes its nutrients more accessible and also shortens its cooking time. Like all nuts and seeds, pepitas’ flavor fades as they sit, so it’s best to toast them just before serving, as instructed below. Marinated black beans, cool avocado, sweet mango, a good helping of herbs, tangy pickled onions and the soft, toasty flavor of pepitas (pumpkin seeds) combine in this tantalizing bowl recipe for a colorful presentation. Note: Soak time for the rice not included.
Ingredients: [‘black rice’, ‘water’, ‘cumin seeds’, ‘black beans’, ‘serrano chilies’, ‘olive oil’, ‘limes%2c juice of’, ‘chili powder’, ‘fine sea salt’, ‘pumpkin seeds’, ‘avocado’, ‘mango’, ‘purple cabbage’, ‘pickled red onions’, ‘white cheese’, ‘fresh cilantro leaves’, ‘oregano leaves’, ‘pico de gallo’, ‘red onion’, ‘white vinegar’, ‘rice vinegar’, ‘water’, ‘sugar’, ‘fine sea salt’]
Quantity of Ingredients: [“1 1/2 cups black rice”,”2 1/2 cups water, plus more for soaking the rice “,”2 teaspoons cumin seeds”,”1 3/4 cups black beans (or one 15-ounce can, rinsed) or 1 3/4 cups pinto beans, home cooked (or one 15-ounce can, rinsed)”,”2 serrano chilies or 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced “,”3 tablespoons olive oil”,”2 limes, juice of, plus lime wedges for serving “,”3/4 teaspoon chili powder”,”3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt”,”1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds”,”1 avocado, diced “,”1 mango, diced “,”1 cup shredded purple cabbage”,”10 minute pickled red onions, 1/2 cup (recipe below)”,”1/4 cup queso fresco, feta or 1/4 cup ricotta salata”,”1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, and tender stems “,”2 tablespoons loosely packed fresh oregano leaves”,” pico de gallo, garnish (store-bought or homemade)”,””,”1 large red onion”,”1/3 cup white vinegar”,”1/3 cup rice vinegar”,”1/3 cup water”,”1 1/2 teaspoons sugar”,”1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt”]
Number of Servings: 4
Steps: [‘Place the rice in a medium bowl, cover with about 3 inches of water, and soak for 2 to 12 hours. Rinse, then place in a saucepan and cover with plenty of cold water. Place over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Cook for 15 to 25 minutes, until the rice is tender. Drain through a sieve and then return to the pot and let stand, covered, until ready to serve. (If you skip the soaking step, you’ll need to continue cooking the rice for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.).’, ‘Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and toast for 45 to 90 seconds, until fragrant. Transfer to a mortar or spice mill and coarsely grind.’, ‘Combine the beans, cumin, chilies, oil, lime juice, chili powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Let stand as the rice cooks.’, ‘Return the skillet to the heat and add the pumpkin seeds. Toast, swirling the pan often, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the seeds turn a pale brown color and start to pop. Transfer to a plate or bowl.’, ‘To serve, divide the rice among four bowls and then spoon the beans over the rice in each bowl. Top each serving with the avocado, mango, cabbage, pickled onions, pumpkin seeds, cheese, cilantro and oregano. Serve with lime wedges and pico de gallo on the side.’, ’10-Minute Pickled Red Onions: This recipe makes pickled onions that have a good balance of salty, slightly sweet, and sharp taste and tenderness, without any raw bite left in them. One way to play around here is to throw in some spices or other aromatics — try crushed coriander, star anise, bay leaves, dried chilies, cloves, peppercorns, cloves of garlic, or slices of ginger.’, ‘Peel the onion, and then slice it into rings 1/8 inch wide or thinner using a mandolin slicer or a sharp chef’s knife and a steady hand. I’ve found cutting the onion in half and using a disk slicer on my food processor works well.’, ‘Combine the white and rice vinegars, water, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then add the onions. Gently stir the onions until they soften and are submerged in the brine; this will take 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.’, ‘Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. The pickled onions will keep for several weeks.’]