Recipe 26
Fragrant rice with vegetables
For 2 persons
If you have access to zucchini blossoms, don’t be afraid to include the flower. Often the large male flowers of zucchini are fried and/or stuffed with rice. However, you can also add the blossoms fresh as a splash of color to a vegetable dish. In this case, you will benefit from the delicate aroma and fresh flavonoids. It harmonizes very well with the fragrant rice.
For this recipe we need
150g fragrant rice (but Thai or basmati rice will also work)
5 tbsp. ghee or clarified butter
1 pinch of salt – we recommend rock salt (e.g. primal salt or Himalayan salt)
300 ml water
1 medium carrot, if you have access to a fresh carrot, so much the better
1 medium zucchini, preferably also 1 -2 fresh zucchini flowers
100 g kohlrabi
½ tsp. ground cumin seeds
½ tsp. rose paprika
½ tsp. ginger powder
½ tsp. powder of hot curry or alernatively 1 tsp. ground turmeric powder and pepper
½ tsp. chili flakes
½ cup cashews
Preparation
Thoroughly wash the fragrant rice. Drain the rice well and pour away the draining water. Peel the zucchini, this will reduce the lectins that are naturally in the skin. Wash the carrot. Peel the carrot and the kohlrabi.
In a deep pan, heat 2 tbsp of ghee and sauté the rice until translucent. Add salt and water. Everything is steamed on high heat for about 20 minutes. It may be necessary to add water in small quantities. When the rice is cooked and the liquid has been completely absorbed, resulting in a creamy rice mass, then the rice is ready. Set the rice aside. Roughly grate the zucchini, carrot and kohlrabi (cut the cabbage into fine strips, if necessary). Heat the remaining ghee in the pan. Roast the spices in it together with the cashews. Finally, add the vegetables. Everything is cooked on low heat for about 10 minutes. The vegetables should still be firm to the bite.
Finally, the vegetables are folded into the rice. Now would be the ideal time, if available, to decorate with the finely chopped zucchini flowers.
Variatoinsuggestion
Instead of kohlrabi, you can also use asparagus, Chinese cabbage or, depending on the season and availability, kale, savoy cabbage or white cabbage.