Black Rice Recipe Vegan

Have you discovered black rice yet? If not, my vegan shabu vegetable medley and creamy roasted sesame sauce are your doorway to its hearty, chewy, delicious taste.

Already a fan of this exceptional whole grain? Great! Then I’ll bet you are looking for more ways to enjoy it. It's sensational in my Hawaiian Poke Tower.

Jump to:

• ⭐ Why it works
• 🏆 Top tip
• 🥢 Superfood forbidden rice
• ♨️ How to cook forbidden rice
• 📋 Ingredients
• 🍽 How to serve
• 🍚 Related recipes
• 📖 Recipe

⭐ Why it works

• Black rice has significant health benefits.
• Colorful vegetables cooked tender-crisp provide a stunning contrast.
• Creamy goma dare Japanese sesame sauce is a delectable compliment.
• Savory shabu broth is served in sipping bowls on the side.

🏆 Top tip

Measure water and black rice precisely with the proportions below. Remove from heat when cooked and let sit for 10 minutes covered in its cooking pot before serving.

🥢 Superfood forbidden rice

Black rice is sometimes called forbidden rice. That's because it was once reserved only for the Emperor of China. In fact, stealing it from the royal family was punishable by death.

Were there good reasons back then to covet it? Well, my taste buds say yes. I love the unique aroma and chewy yet tender kernels. It has a subtle, sweet woodsy flavor. Often described as nutty, many people find its complexity superior to brown rice.

The best part is, nutritionally, it knocks whole-grain brown rice out of the park. It's significantly higher in protein and fiber. At the same time, it's lower in carbohydrates and calories. But its purple-black color is the real clue to what makes this once-forbidden grain a superfood.

Those stunning pigments aren’t just eye candy on a plate. Interestingly, the color is from anthocyanin, the same potent antioxidant found in blueberries. On average, black rice has six times the inflammation-fighting antioxidants of brown rice.

♨️ How to cook forbidden rice

The secret to perfect stovetop black rice is the right ratio of water to rice. You can have moist, chewy grains every time with the proportions below.

I use U.S. measuring cups, so I have included equivalents in milliliters and grams if your measuring cups are different.

1. Bring 2 cups (480 ml) of water to a boil
2. Stir in 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons (250 grams) of black rice.
3. Reduce heat to a slight boil and cook rice with a lid on for 30 minutes.
4. Remove rice from heat and let sit covered in the pan for 10 minutes to absorb the remaining water.

📋 Ingredients

Ready for the recipe for Japanese sipping broth and veggies? This plant-based, richly flavored broth replaces meat and fish with wakame seaweed and vegan beef-flavored bouillon.

You can customize veggies with the seasonal fresh produce available in your area. Put together a combination of 6 cups and cook the firmer vegetables in your shabu broth first. Then, add the more tender ones, like snowpeas, at the very end.

🍽 How to serve

Place at the center of the table:

• Black rice in its cooking pot.
• The pot of vegetables simmering in broth.
• Creamy sesame sauce.
• A dish of sliced scallions.
• A ladle and serving utensils.

Provide each guest:

• A plate for their rice and vegetables
• A small soup bowl for sipping broth.
• Individual dipping bowls for the sesame sauce.
• Chopsticks or forks as desired.

Once the table is set, let each guest serve themselves and garnish their finished plates with sliced scallions. It's truly a party once the dipping and sipping begin.

I hope now you are inspired to try this colorful variety of rice. Think how fortunate we are to enjoy the benefits of a healthy grain once reserved only for royalty!

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📖 Recipe