Brown Rice Pilaf W Roasted Cauliflower, Dried Fruits & Cashews - 19g
Carbs, 4g Fiber
From The Washington Post
8 servings
Over the millennia, people have sought out white rice and other
highly polished grains as a sign of wealth and prestige, regarding
whole grains as food for the poor. Well, it turns out the
impoverished were getting all the flavor and nutrition.
So it is with this Indian-inspired dish, in which unprocessed brown
rice teams with cauliflower roasted with cumin and turmeric. The
rice I prefer, Lundberg Wehani from Lundberg Family Farms in
Richvale, Calif., is worth seeking out. (It’s available at Whole
Foods Markets, Balducci’s and some area food co-ops). It has a
deep chestnut color, rich flavor and easy texture.
A possible substitute would be red rice. Conventional brown rice
comes in a distant third in my book.
This dish can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in a
tightly sealed container.
1 medium head cauliflower, cored and split into small florets
Some extra-virgin olive oil for coating the cauliflower, plus
1 1/2 Tbsp Salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 1/4 cups unprocessed brown rice, such as Lundberg Wehani
(may substitute red rice, such as Lotus Foods’ Bhutanese Red Rice)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped unroasted, unsalted cashews
1/3 cup seedless dark raisins
1/3 cup dried apricots, diced
1/3 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1/4 to 1/3 cup coarsely chopped mint
Juice of 1/2 lemon (1 1/2 Tbsp)
Freshly ground black pepper
Position an oven rack on the upper level and preheat the oven to
450 degrees. Have ready a rimmed baking sheet.
In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with just enough
olive oil to coat. Season generously with salt. Dust the
cauliflower with cumin and turmeric and combine thoroughly.
Spread the florets on the baking sheet and roast, turning the
cauliflower once or twice so it doesn’t burn, for about
25 minutes, or until the florets are cooked through and deeply
browned in places. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, bring a kettle of water to a boil, then reduce the
heat to low so the water stays hot. Place the brown rice,
adding a generous pinch of salt, in a small saucepan. Cover
with hot water from the kettle to a depth of half an inch.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low,
cover and cook gently for about 45 minutes, checking frequently
and adding a splash or two of hot water as needed, up to a cup
or so in total. The rice is done when the water has been
completely absorbed and the grains are plump and tender. Set
aside to cool.
In a large bowl, mix the roasted florets, cooked rice, cashews,
raisins, apricots, cilantro and mint. Add the lemon juice and
the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Adjust salt and add
pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.
Per serving:
151 calories, 5g protein, 19g Carbs, 4g Dietary Fiber,
7g Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 1g Saturated Fat, 78mg Sodium
Recipe tested by Randy Richter