The Emperor's Rice Salad

Summer has arrived in Sacramento ... and by that I mean it's h-o-t! Time for dinners made early in the day, then served cold. Don't have time to make them early? Make them the night before, or make enough for several meals. However it's made, this dish keeps well in the refrigerator, and benefits by cooling for several hours ... or several days. With no meat or mayo to go bad, it's also a great candidate for a picnic dish. I made this rice salad with black rice, also called forbidden rice, or emperor's rice (though this photo shows it as queen's rice!). If you can't find black rice, use a short grain brown rice instead. Do look for edamame, or soy beans. I usually find them in the frozen food section, but have sometimes seen them in with refrigerated, prepared vegetables. If you haven't had edamame before, try them in this dish. The flavors will entice you back for more!

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked black rice
3/4 cup snow peas or edamame
3/4 cup chopped bell pepper, red, yellow, orange, or a combination
1/4 cup chopped scallions or green onions
1/4 tsp minced ginger
1/4 tsp minced garlic

for the dressing:

1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 Tbs. low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil

Directions: Cook black rice according to package instructions, I usually use about 1/2 cup rice to 1-1/2 cups water to make about 2 cups of cooked rice. Pour the cooked rice into a medium mixing bowl. If using snow peas, cut them into 1/2 inch length and boil them for 1 minutes. Add all the vegetables to the bowl. Mix the dressing in a separate jar or small bowl. Shake or whisk the dressing to combine. Pour the dressing over the vegetables, tossing well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Serve cold as a side dish, or pile on a bed of lettuce as a main course.

Serves 4 as a side dish, or 2 as a main course.

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Black rice is noted for it's health benefits, and is sometimes lauded as one of the "superfoods." That means it's high in fiber, antioxidants, and iron. It is sometimes called "emperor's rice". Folk stories say it was the best rice in China, saved and served to the emperor. Treat yourself like a king, or queen, and enjoy this healthy black rice!