Change up your seasonal salads with an easy-to-prep dish that centres on slow-cooked rice and a lively Asian dressing
Here’s a recipe straight out of the low-effort, high-reward school of cooking, in which you chop the vegetables and nuts, boil the rice and beans, throw over a dressing … and it’s done! It was written in the middle of a heatwave, when cooking felt impossible, but I couldn’t look at another watermelon and feta salad. The trade-off is that this dish relies heavily on a couple of key ingredients: sambal oelek (which gives the salad its sparkle) and black rice, which, unlike other types of rice in a salad, never tastes worthy.
Black rice is sometimes sold as “venus black rice” or “black pearl rice”, and cooking times vary from 20-40 minutes, depending on whether the rice has been par-cooked (you’ll know only by checking the cooking time listed on the packet). Sambal oelek can be bought from Asian supermarkets or online, while tamarind paste can vary, though branded ones available from supermarkets tend to be good – if yours is from an Asian supermarket, however, I’d suggest adding it half a tablespoon at a time only at the end, until the mix tastes right to you.
Prep 15 min
Cook Up to 1 hr (depending on the rice)
Serves 4
5 tbsp neutral oil (eg, groundnut, sunflower or rapeseed)2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced4½ tbsp light soy sauce
1½ tbsp tamarind paste
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
½ tbsp sambal oelek – I like Lucullus200g fine green beans, topped350g black venus rice (AKA black pearl rice)350g cherry tomatoes, halved100g frozen shelled edamame beans, defrosted60g roasted unsalted cashews, roughly chopped40g fresh coriander, chopped
Bring a large pan of water to a boil, then cock a lid over the top. Meanwhile, make the dressing: in a large bowl, mix the oil, garlic, soy, tamarind paste, sugar and sambal oelek.
Once the water is boiling, drop in the beans and cook for six to eight minutes, until tender. Scoop out with a slotted spoon or tongs, shake off the excess water, then tip into the dressing bowl.
Gently pour the rice into the still boiling water, then cook according to the packet instructions, until tender. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain again well.
Tip the rice into the bean bowl, add the tomatoes, edamame, cashews and coriander, toss to combine, then serve.