Black Rice Salad

EVENT: FOODIEMONDAY/BLOGHOP
THEME: #149 SALAD
Now that all the Eid festivities are over, its time to get back to some healthy food. Though we don’t as per say celebrate Eid, we just can’t help gorging on the goodies that Muslim friends send home. Usually its sweet stuff and a taste here and a taste there and before you know it, sweets are eaten after lunch and dinner. I don’t know whether its just me or does it happen to all of you, let go off a regular diet and meal plan for a couple of days and I feel like I’ve added a ton of weight! Today, I just had to tell my maid to take all the sweets (mithai).. no more temptation.
I’m probably the worst when it comes to sticking to some form of exercise regime. Hubby is threatening to send me away to some health farm for a couple of months. Psst, don’t let him know, but I’d love that as that would be purely ‘me time’. Its in the plans… will materialize soon. I’ve realized that on my own I’m not able to stick to a healthy routine. My intention is not to become all svelte or skinny, but need to think of a healthy lifestyle so that I can lead a healthy life.
Anyway, on Wednesday I leave for Montreal and hoping to do a lot of walking for that one month. Hubby and I usually walk a lot there as the environment is so conducive for walks, taking different routes everyday, greenery everywhere, proper pavements and paths for walking. Walking to the fresh produce market, walking to the supermarket, walking to restaurants, I just love Montreal.
Coming to this week’s theme, Salads, a theme chosen by Sasmita who blogs at First Timer Cook, was just the right sort of lunch to enjoy after the Eid festivities. I had bought a packet of black rice during my trip to Bali and thought of using it to make a filling and yet super healthy salad.
Black rice, known also as the forbidden rice. It is called forbidden rice because it is believed that during the Ming dynasty in China, only the Emperors were allowed to eat black rice. This rice is produced by heirloom plants in Indonesia, China and Thailand. Black rice is packed with antioxidants from anthocyanin, which is also found in blueberries and other purple colored foods. Yes this rice is actually deep purple in colour rather than black. Besides the antioxidant which helps to fight inflammation, free radicals, and improves brain and cardiovascular functions, black rice is a rich source of zinc, copper, iron and dietary fibers.
Black rice takes much longer to cook than normal white rice and it also requires more water. I have tasted black rice pudding but this is the first time I used to make a salad. Hubby and I thoroughly enjoyed this refreshing, healthy and filling salad as lunch.
BLACK RICE SALAD
Serves 4-6
Salad ingredients:
1 cup black rice
½ tsp salt
1 cup diced ripe mango
1 cup diced avocado
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, cut into thin juliennes or grated
10-12 plum or cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
2- 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Lime Coriander Vinaigrette:
¼ cup olive oil
2 tbsp lime juice
¼ cup chopped fresh coriander
½ tsp sugar or 1 tsp honey
1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper powder
½ tsp dry coriander powder
Cook the black rice:
- Wash the rice under running water.
- Add 3 cups of water and let the rice soak for 1 hour.
- Put the rice along with the water into a heavy based pan. Add ½ tsp salt.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer till the rice gets cooked. This will take about 30-40 minutes.
- Let the rice cool down a bit.
Preparation of the vinaigrette:
- Add all the ingredients into a blender or food processor. Process for a few seconds to mix and so that the garlic gets crushed.
- Pour the dressing into a serving container or a jar.
Preparation of the salad:
- Mix all the fruits, vegetables and coriander in a big bowl.
- Fluff up the rice using a fork.
- Add it to the fruit vegetable mixture and mix well gently.
- You can add the dressing and serve or serve with the dressing on the side.
Tips:
- I find that if black rice is left in the fridge, it becomes a bit hard. Best to use it the day you cook it.
- Add fruits or vegetables of your choice.
- If you don’t like the strong taste of garlic, reduce the amount of garlic in the vinaigrette.
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A small request:
If you do try this recipe then please either
- add a comment below,
- send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
- tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
- or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962
You may want to check out the following salad recipes:





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46 Comments
The Girl Next Door
June 19, 2018 at 4:06 am
I love the flavour of black rice, but am always clueless about what to do with it. Now I know! 🙂 Beautiful, healthy salad!
mayurisjikoni
June 19, 2018 at 11:40 pm
Thank you so much Priya.
Batter Up With Sujata
June 19, 2018 at 4:14 am
Salad looks delish Mayuri. Loved the use of black rice in salad. I have some black rice in my pantry. Bookmarking the recipe. Lovely presentation.
mayurisjikoni
June 19, 2018 at 11:39 pm
Thank you so much Sujata. Please do try the recipe. Where do you get the black rice from?
mencanmakehomes
June 19, 2018 at 7:25 am
great looking !!
mayurisjikoni
June 19, 2018 at 11:34 pm
Thank you so much.
poonampagar
June 19, 2018 at 8:49 am
Never got a chance to taste black rice..nor do we find it easily here …but would love to try out this healthy looking dish sometime Mayuri di ! Interesting share for the theme .
mayurisjikoni
June 19, 2018 at 11:33 pm
Thank you Poonam, I too would not have bought it if I had not tasted the black rice pudding at a restaurant in Bali.
afoodiehousewife
June 19, 2018 at 6:37 pm
Have had black rice in the cafes and restaurants but never used it in my kitchen! The salad sounds and looks appetizing and flavorful and filling!!
mayurisjikoni
June 19, 2018 at 10:22 pm
Thank you so much Mallika. Try it out at home.
vaishalisabnani
June 20, 2018 at 1:57 pm
Very interesting salad with black rice , would love to try itv. And by the way we all love Me time ! And Happy walking enjoy your trip .
mayurisjikoni
June 23, 2018 at 6:21 am
Thank you Vaishali, had our first walk and mini picnic in the park on day 1.
Preethi Prasad
June 24, 2018 at 9:59 am
Black rice salad looks so tempting.Interesting share . Bookmarking this recipe to try it.
mayurisjikoni
June 24, 2018 at 1:15 pm
Thanks Preethi, try it..is so filling and delicious.
Amrita
June 25, 2018 at 3:28 am
This salad is something so new and so unique!I have seen wild rice dishes on many of my husband’s company dinner menus but never thought of making it as a salad!Now I am going to experiment with this as well!
mayurisjikoni
June 25, 2018 at 4:35 am
Try it Amrita, am sure you’ll come up with different fruits and veggies to add to it.
Saswati
June 25, 2018 at 6:33 am
Black rice is in my list to try . This salad sounds super healthy with the avocado mango and a lime coriander dressing… yum.
mayurisjikoni
June 25, 2018 at 10:23 pm
Thank you so much Saswati.. do try it, it tastes really good.
Nivedita
June 30, 2018 at 10:59 am
I have never tried black rice and not sure about getting it here. Loved the way you have presented this unique salad . May be if I can use some other rice and check.
mayurisjikoni
July 6, 2018 at 1:13 am
Nivedita I’m sure you can use red or brown rice and the salad would be equally tasty and healthy.
themadscientistskitchen
June 30, 2018 at 11:38 am
Not just you Mayuri I also love sweets n keep eating them n now I am struggling with health issues.
Lol on me time we all crave for it. I love to go on in house training for it gives me that time.
As for the salad I love it n want to go to Bali just to get the rice. Sounds yummy.
mayurisjikoni
July 6, 2018 at 1:12 am
Archana women always have a great battle with health issues. Men tend to lose weight much faster. I hear that North Eastern states too grow black rice but have not seen it in India.
Paarul
July 1, 2018 at 6:04 am
Never tried the black rice, would like to try it and yes the salads are may favorites so bookmarking it.
mayurisjikoni
July 2, 2018 at 9:10 pm
Thanks Paarul.
curryandvanilla
July 1, 2018 at 2:06 pm
Lovely recipe! I have never tried black rice… your salad seems like a good place to start. Awesome share 🙂
mayurisjikoni
July 2, 2018 at 9:07 pm
Thanks Vanitha, please do try it out.
Maria
July 2, 2018 at 11:12 am
This looks so elegant! And I love all the creamy, juicy fresh flavours going in. I’m also sticking to simple food since Eid. This is just the thing I want for my lunch today. 😊
mayurisjikoni
July 2, 2018 at 9:05 pm
Thanks Maria.
jayashreetrao
July 2, 2018 at 5:30 pm
Need to try black rice, not got a chance as yet. The salad does look delicious, yummy.
mayurisjikoni
July 2, 2018 at 9:03 pm
Thanks Jayashree.
cookingwithsapana
July 2, 2018 at 7:02 pm
I do not like cooking brown or black rice just because of the long cook time. This salad looks so colorful and inviting too..
mayurisjikoni
July 2, 2018 at 9:03 pm
Thanks Sapana, I usually let the rice soak in water for a while. Its recommended that you soak black rice overnight. Otherwise cook in a pressure cooker.
Sasmita Sahoo Samanta
July 2, 2018 at 9:23 pm
Black rice dishes are on my todo list since a long. This is going to add in that list. Lovely use of black rice in salad di … Awesome share !!!
mayurisjikoni
July 2, 2018 at 10:01 pm
Thanks Sasmita.
code2cook
July 2, 2018 at 11:04 pm
yummy, this black rice salad looks so delicious and mouth watering. Very healthy. I prefer such salad recipe in my lunch over other eatables. Great recipe share.
mayurisjikoni
July 6, 2018 at 1:10 am
Thanks you so much, do try the recipe. Its a great lunch option.
Jagruti
July 2, 2018 at 11:24 pm
We love black rice and it’s texture, quite chewy. Love the salad mayuri, I too need include healthy options in my diet again as I was gorging on all sorts of food past month.
mayurisjikoni
July 6, 2018 at 1:09 am
I too love the black rice texture, gives a bite and its so healthy.
Freda @ Aromatic essence
July 3, 2018 at 12:01 am
I’ve yet to try some black rice. See it always in the store and think what to do with it, so don’t end up buying. A salad sounds like a great idea. Lovely recipe, thanks for sharing 🙂
mayurisjikoni
July 6, 2018 at 1:05 am
Freda next time buy it and use it as its so healthy. Replace it normal rice, make a salad, or kheer too. Got a dessert with black rice coming up soon.
Nivedita
July 3, 2018 at 7:27 am
Hi Mayuri, never tried black rice. But this looks delicious. Maybe if I get the black rice here I would definitelylove to try this colourful healthy salad.
mayurisjikoni
July 6, 2018 at 1:00 am
Thanks Nivedita, in the mean time can try out the recipe using brown or red rice.
Priya Suresh
September 8, 2018 at 9:41 pm
Never had a chance to try salad with black rice, sounds like a better option to add black rice in our diet. Interesting salad definitely.
mayurisjikoni
September 9, 2018 at 9:41 am
Thanks Priya.It tastes different, try it.
Shobha Keshwani
March 27, 2019 at 2:43 am
I have tasted it once with dry fruits and salad ingredients like cucumber, tomato, carrots, olives .. I like the addition of mango to it.. I must try this one as I love mango.
mayurisjikoni
March 28, 2019 at 9:05 pm
Thanks Shobha, with mango season approaching, try it.