Itai Dagan presents a fantastic recipe for an Asian rice salad. The rice is roasted in the oven after being cooked, making it crunchy and especially delicious. Paired with crisp cucumber and a sauce that elevates all the flavors, you get a stunning and unique salad that’s a meal by itself.
Ingredients:
1 cup basmati rice
1 tablespoon oil
1.75 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon red curry paste or cumin pepper
3 tablespoons oil
For the salad:
3 cucumbers
A handful of chopped mint leaves
A handful of chopped cilantro leaves
1 purple onion, sliced into strips
1 cup shelled edamame beans
For the dressing:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar or regular vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Juice of half a lime (or lemon)
1 crushed garlic clove
Instructions:
1. Pour 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 cup of basmati rice into a pot and sauté for about two minutes. Add the boiling water and salt until the water begins to bubble, then cover and cook for 12 minutes.
2. Wait 5-10 minutes, open the lid, and fluff the rice with a fork on a tray lined with parchment paper so it cools as quickly as possible.
3. Mix the curry paste or cumin pepper with 3 tablespoons of oil and pour it over the rice. Stir evenly.
4. Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F) and bake the rice for 40 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes to ensure even roasting.
5. In the meantime, prepare the salad: Slice the cucumbers lengthwise, then cut into half-circles, and add the cilantro, mint, purple onion, and edamame beans to a large bowl.
6. Prepare the dressing: Mix all the dressing ingredients well in a small bowl.
7. After the rice comes out of the oven, crispy and slightly cooled, mix it with the salad and the dressing (it’s important to add the dressing close to serving so the rice stays crispy).
Itai Dagan, in collaboration with Sugat