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Black Rice and Lentil Salad on Spinach

5.0(151)

Black rice is inky, as black as squid ink, and glistens against a bed of spinach. The pigments provide anthocyanins, flavonoids that are high in antioxidants. I was inspired to cook the rice with lentils by a pilaf that I ate recently at the “Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives” conference at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley. In addition to the familiar green or black lentils, I’ve thrown in uncooked split red lentils, which contribute their own soft salmon color and crunch; they are soaked for a few hours to soften them, and that’s all they need. Prepare the ingredients for the salad while the rice and lentils are cooking. The cooked rice and lentils will keep for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator.

by Martha Rose Shulman·published 2014-04-04

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MediterraneanLunch, Appetizer, Main Course

Servings

Serves 6

Total time

Calories / serving

330 kcal

Ingredients (18)

serves

1 cup black riceblack-rice
1/2 cups black (beluga) or green lentils, washed and picked over
2 3/4 cups waterwater
Salt to tastesalt
2 to 3 garlic cloves (to taste), mincedgarlic
1/3 cup olive oilolive-oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin seedscumin
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground coriander seedscoriander
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom seeds
Salt and freshly ground pepper to tastesalt-and-pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint or parsley, or a combinationparsley
1/4 cup chopped cilantrocilantro
1/4 cup chopped dilldill
1/4 cup chopped chives or green onionsonion
1/4 cup soaked split red lentils
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juicelemon-juice
1 bunch spinach, stemmed, washed thoroughly in 2 changes water and dried, or 1 bag baby spinach, rinsed and driedspinach
4 or 5 radishes, sliced, for garnishradish

Instructions (3 steps)

01Rinse rice and green or black lentils and combine in a medium saucepan with 2 3/4 cups water or enough to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, add salt to taste (I use about 1 teaspoon), reduce heat and simmer 30 to 35 minutes, until rice and lentils are tender but not mushy. Place a strainer over a bowl and drain if there is still liquid in the pan (I like to add the broth to soups; you could also add some to the salad). Return lentils and rice to the saucepan and place a dishtowel across top of the pan. Return lid and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
02Combine 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and garlic in a small frying pan or saucepan over medium heat. When garlic begins to sizzle, add spices. Stir together for about 30 seconds or until very fragrant, then remove from the heat and add to rice and lentils. Add chopped herbs, soaked red lentils, and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt.
03Whisk together remaining lemon juice and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss with the spinach. Line a platter or wide bowl with the spinach, top with the rice and lentils, garnish with sliced radishes, and serve.

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