Spiced Black Rice with Lentils, Herbs & Toasted Seeds
Magical spiced rice with lentils, lots of herbs, toasted nuts and seeds.
Black rice is having a moment in my kitchen, it’s the chewy moorish texture that I love.
Cooking rice is a skill, one that I think we should take less seriously, sure if we were brought up and taught to cook rice at age 10 then we might run out of excuses for not cooking the perfect rice. Until then, invest in a rice cooker (my husband bought me one 10 years ago, hint noted!) and don’t fret slightly over or under cooked rice.
Wholegrain & full of fibre
I like my sides to be full of fibre and not white – sure there are times when potatoes and jasmine rice are perfect, but the majority of the time I want what ever is going to fill me up (i.e carbs) to be complex and fibre rich.
The perfect make-ahead dish
I love nothing more than to have a few prepped dishes in my fridge. Lunch and dinner can be sorted by just adding a little bit of everything to bowls or lunch boxes. This rice dish makes the perfect side to add to any whole-bowls or cooked meals, simply heat and serve.
The rice will happily ‘sit’ in the fridge for 2-3 days.
The perfect foundation recipe
The perfect base (or foundation) to have with:
- Slow Roasted Salmon with Citrus Salsa
- Smoky Bean Chilli
- Harissa Cod & Chickpeas with Cherry Tomatoes
A note on reheating the rice
If you think you will reheat your rice don’t add the herbs at the end, the herbs will wilt and make the rice taste ‘unfresh’ as the days go by.
Magic Black Rice to go with Everything
Ingredients
- 1 cup black rice
- ½ cup brown lentils I used French Puy
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 3 tbsp Worcester sauce/Soy sauce (to taste)
- salt & pepper
Spices
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp whole cloves
- 1 tsp cardamon
Mix & Match Seasoning
- 1 cup fresh herbs I love dill and parsley, finely chopped
- ⅓ lemon, juice and zest, to taste
- ¼ cup nuts and seeds toasted
Instructions
- Toast the spices for a few minutes in a small pan (no oil) until fragrant, this is an optional step but it will enhance the flavour of the spices.
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, add to a medium saucepan along with the lentils, spices and a teaspoon salt, bring to a 'firm' simmer and cook, with the lid ajar until the liquid has evaporated and the rice and lentils are cooked. Switch off the heat, pop the lid on and steam for 2 minutes. Remove the lid and add the rice to a large plate or platter and fork or 'fluff' the rice.
- Season to perfection with the Worchester sauce or soy, olive oil, salt & pepper. Let the rice cool. At this stage it should be already delicious.
- Now we get to play with flavours and textures! Remembering that fresh herbs don't reheat well, so best to leave them out if you are intending to reheat the rice later. Enjoy!