Tasty Rice with Greens

As part of a recent meal for friends of salmon, salad and rice, the recipe which was most successful of the three new ones, (though the salmon was very similar to a favourite) was the rice.

Healthy, flavourful and delicious. Will do it again!

Tasty Rice with Greens

For 4

200g dry weight brown basmati rice precooked and left to go cold
2/3 cloves garlic crushed
Several spring onions sliced
A large thumb fresh ginger finely sliced
A small head of broccoli broken into little florets or tender stem broccoli
A bag young spinach leaves
Good handful frozen peas cooked - optional
Lime juice
2 tsps Thai fish sauce

1. Stir fry the ginger, garlic and spring onions in a little oil in a hot wok or large shallow pan
2. Add the broccoli in small florets and continue frying
3. Once the broccoli is softened, add the rice, stir briskly to reheat it
4. Add the spinach leaves for the last couple of minutes till wilted
5. Add the peas
6. Turn off the heat, taste for salt and pepper, add the juice of half a lime and 2 tsps fish sauce

This would be good with all sorts of meals and,of course, you could vary the veg. In summer, green beans and/or courgette would be good. It did go very well with this Salmon and fresh tasting Asian style salad.

Glazed Salmon

4 portions salmon
plus
A piece of ginger root grated, about 2 cms
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs honey
1 tsp Chinese five spice powder or paste
1 tbs oil

1. Mix these and marinate the salmon - it would be enough for 6 pieces - for up to an hour
2. Either pan fry the salmon in hot oil, skin side first, 2-3 mins until the skin is crisping and then turn and finish for 3/4 mins more.
3. Or simply put the salmon into an oven dish and bake with the marinade at 220, no 7 for 8 mins
4. Garnish to serve with coriander, sliced spring onions and a red chilli finely sliced, plus lime wedges to squeeze over.

Herb Salad

2 tbs rice vinegar
1 tbs caster sugar
2 carrots sliced into very thin sticks
4 radishes finely sliced, optional or use some finely sliced white cabbage instead
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and cut into half moons
A handful mint leaves
A handful basil leaves
1/2 iceberg lettuce in chunks

1. Mix the vinegar and sugar and use to marinade the carrot and cabbage - or radishes - for an hour at least.
2. Put the lettuce on a large plate, add the cucumber, herbs and then the pickled veg.
3. Pour over a dressing made from:

1 clove garlic crushed
1 red chilli finely chopped
1 tbs caster sugar
juice of 1 lime
1 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs Thai fish sauce