Name: Wild Rice Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Rice
Ingredients: 65g / 1/3 cup uncooked wild rice; 6-8 toasted cashew nuts, roughly chopped; 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced; 50g / 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds; 1/2 small cucumber, deseeded and diced; 1/2 yellow pepper, deseeded and diced; small handful rocket/argula; 1 tsp coconut oil (warm the bottle under some warm water if it has solidified); 1 tsp olive oil; 1 tsp lime juice; 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar; few sprigs of fresh coriander, finely chopped

Question 1

What is wild rice?

Accepted Answer

Believe it or not, wild rice is actually unrelated to rice. It is the seed of a specific aquatic grass that is commonly found growing in rivers in parts of Northern America.

You've probably noticed that it is typically quite a lot more expensive than other varieties of rice, which is because of the fact that there are only 4 varieties of wild rice, compared to thousands of varieties of white rice, so it's not as common. It's also nowhere near as easy to cultivate. 

Wild rice has a distinctive flavour which is more earthy and nutty than white rice. It is also chewier in texture. You'll be happy to hear that it's also arguably a healthier choice as well - being higher in protein than white rice, and a little lower in calories.

Question 2

How do you cook wild rice?

Accepted Answer

Wild rice takes quite a bit longer to cook than white rice. Allow for around 45 minutes. You'll need to rinse it first, in the same manner you would normal rice. Then use around 3 parts water for each part of rice. 

Whereas white rice is commonly steamed in a pan, you need to bring the wild rice to a boil and then allow it to simmer for 40-45 minutes. Drain any excess water before serving. You may find that some of the grains of the rice burst open when cooking which is totally normal.

Question 3

Can you make it in advance?

Accepted Answer

This wild rice salad will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge, however don't add the dressing until you are ready to serve as it will wilt the leaves. You'll also get fresher results by mixing the rocket/arugula with the rice only when you are about to eat. 

This salad is not freezer safe - the vegetables will lose their texture and crispness when frozen. However, you can freeze cooked wild rice for up to 6 months so it could be handy to have a batch ready in the freezer to reduce preparation time.

Wild Rice Salad

Description

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition