Recipe: Japanese Style Rice Salad


Gluten-free rice salad, Jananese, Ume plum viinegar

I apologize to all my SCD/GAPS readers! Today’s recipe is not appropriate to those on SCD or GAPS. It is a simple rice dish that satisfies gluten-free eaters as well as those who can eat anything. I make it when company comes and I need a good carbohydrate side dish. It is a big favorite amongst my friends and family.

While easy to make, it still requires a little planning as you should soak the rice overnight in water with a little lemon juice, kefir or yogurt. This removes the phytic acid that is in the bran part of the grain and helps make it easier to digest.

There has been some discussion about brown rice versus white rice. Brown rice has all the vitamins and minerals bound up in the bran. But brown rice has a high level of phytic acid and this makes these nutrients unavailable unless the grain is soaked, and even then they may not be easily available. Some people say that white basmati rice is better than brown rice as it is easier to digest. Others suggest that white par boiled rice is also easier to digest than brown rice whether it is soaked or not. I tend to agree that brown rice is harder to digest. Therefore, this dish can be made with brown or white rice (preferably organic white basmati) but either one has to be soaked overnight.

The dressing is made with unrefined sesame oil and ume plum vinegar. The ume vinegar is the secret ingredient that makes for an interesting salty/sweet taste that really livens up the salad.  This vinegar is actually the brine from pickled ume plums. I believe it is pickled in the traditional way so it actually has been fermented. It has a lot of sodium in it. Do not add any salt to this dish.

Japanese Style Rice Salad

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked brown rice

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup celery chopped small

1/2 cup carrots chopped small

1/2 cup cooked peas (on the crisp side)

2 scallions chopped small

Instructions

  • Put the rice and the water in a pot and bring to a boil
  • When it reaches a boil turn it down in order to simmer the rice
  • This usually take about 35 minutes to cook out all the water
  • The rice should be cooked but not mushy
  • Or, cook your rice any way you know how
  • When done, let cool
  • Add all the above ingredients and mix, saving some chopped scallion as garnish

Dressing

2 -3 tablespoons unrefined sesame oil

1  tablespoon Ume Plum Vinegar

Mix together the two dressing ingredients or you can just put each separately on the salad and mix

Just before serving add another 1 -2 tablespoons of the Ume Plum Vinegar and mix

This post is linked to: My Meatless Monday, Melt in your Mouth Monday, Seasonal Sunday, Monday Mania, Midnight Maniac Monday, Mangia Monday, Meatless Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Tuesday at the Table, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Traditional Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Dr. Laura’s Tasty Tuesday, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods, Tuesday Tasty Tidbits, What’s Cooking Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Gluten-Free Wednesday, What’s Cooking Wednesday, Healthy2Day Wednesday, Healthy2DayWednesday, Foodie Wednesday, These Chicks Cooked, Full Plate Thursday, Frugal Follies, Real Food Weekly, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Recipe Swap Thursday, Fresh Bites Friday, Food Trip Friday, Foodie Friday, Friday Favorites, Fight Back Friday, Fat Camp Friday, Friday Potluck, Friday Food, Living Well Blog Hop, Allergy-free Friday, Fresh Food Friday

 

 

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  • http://delightfullydowling.blogspot.com kristin

    jill, this side dish looks so yummy – i’m pretty sure my husband would love it! :D thanks for linking up to mangia mondays!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Kirstin,
    Thanks for your comments. I’m sure he will love it!

  • http://domesticproductions.blogspot.com/ Laurie

    Such a simple recipe to always have on hand! I like to substitute quinoa for recipes like this also. Looks great.

  • http://www.simplysugarandglutenfree.com Amy @ Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free

    I happen to love Ume Plum Vinegar…not sure what I did before I knew about it. I know it makes this salad extra special. Thanks for linking up to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays!

    Hugs,
    Amy

  • http://mykidsmychoice.com Rita

    Try a little sesame oil at the end~

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Laurie,
    Quinoa would be a great substitute!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Amy,
    Don’t you just love the clean, sharp flavor of the ume vinegar?

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    HI Rita,
    Sesame oil would be good as a dressing as well. Thanks for you comments!

  • http://thischickcooks.blogspot.com Katie @ This Chick Cooks

    This recipe sounds like it would be very flavorful with soaking the rice overnight. I’ve never tried basmati rice but I would like to give it a shot. I wanted to invite you over to share your rice salad today at These Chicks Cooked Recipe Spotlight. Have a blessed day :)
    Katie

  • http://www.greenderella.com Greenderella

    This looks really good! Thank you for sharing the recipe!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Katie,Thanks for inviting me — I will stop over.

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Greenderella,
    Thanks for commenting!

  • http://www.thesweetdetail.blogspot.com Amanda-The Sweet Details

    Hey! I host a blog hop and would LOVE it if you came over and linked up! Here’s the link :) http://thesweetdetail.blogspot.com/search/label/Savory%20Sunday

  • http://kbandwhitesnakeshome.blogspot.com/ KB and Whitesnake

    Looks really tasty.

    KB

  • http://pinaymum.info/food-and-cuisine/food-trip-friday-028-mexican-foods/ cheerful

    looks great and you made it sounds so easy…i would love to make it soon, my kids will love this! thanks for sharing your recipe and have a great day! :)

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Cheerful,
    Thanks so much for your comments — let me know how they like it!

  • http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com/ Miz Helen

    Hi Jill,
    We would just love this salad, it looks so delicious. The Ume Plum Vinegar makes the whole salad, I just love that Vinegar. Thanks for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and come back soon!

  • http://www.littlebrickranch.com/ Little Brick Ranch

    This look wonderful!! I love the nutty flavor of sesame oil!! :)

    Thanks for linking up to Foodie Friday. I hope to see you again next week!!

  • http://home-cook-dishes-for-family.blogspot.com Papacheong

    That really looks and sounds good!

    Papacheong
    http://home-cook-dishes-for-family.blogspot.com/

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    HI Miz Helen,
    Thank you –I love the ume vinegar too!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Little Brick Ranch,
    I hope you try it!

  • http://www.agent112778.com/ Jay-agent112778

    i love that with omelette

    heres my Food Trip Friday Entry

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Jay,
    That’s a good idea!

  • http://www.spice-up-your-life.net Spice Up Your Life

    That looks really delicious!

    Spice Up Your Life

  • http://mangoesandchutney.com Miranda

    I’m always looking for great side dishes. This looks excellent. Thanks for linking up to Fat Camp Friday this week, see you next time!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Spice,
    Thanks for your comments!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Miranda,

    Thanks! Your cookies look wonderful!

  • http://ohmahdeehness.wordpress.com Homa

    This looks great, I found you via Allergy Friendly Friday! I have never used Plum vinegar, I will have to look for it. Is the sesame oil essential? My daughter is allergic to sesame.

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Homa,
    You will love the plum vinegar. The oil can be any oil, really. I think sesame oil is really healthy, but so is walnut oil, olive oil, avocado oil. I would just avoid the nasty seed and grain oils like corn, cottonseed, canola and soy. I’m not sure how it would taste with the olive oil as that has a strong flavor — I would go with the walnut oil unrefined if possible.

  • http://www.ekatskitchen.com Erin @ EKat’s Kitchen

    YUM YUM! This looks like a really great side dish, very unique. Thanks for linking up to Friday Potluck!

  • http://joshealthcorner.blogspot.com/ Jo at Jo’s Health Corner

    Hi Jill,
    It looks like a delicious dish even though I don’t eat rice anymore. Thanks for linking up to the Living Well Blog Hop.

  • http://www.delightmyappetite.com Tetcha

    I would love to try whipping up this Japanese style rice salad. Looks yummy! I hope you can visit my FTF entry, too. Thanks! http://www.delightmyappetite.com/2011/06/food-trip-friday-burgoo/

  • http://bellavita-bellavita.blogspot.com roz

    Hi Jill, thanks so much for sharing your awesome Japanese rice dish! Looks so healthy and I so need this (as do all of us!). Now following your blog thru Google Reader and looking forward to receiving all of your posts! Hope you would like to follow me back. Keep up the great recipes and crisp, clean blog! Just love it! Roz

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    HI Roz,
    Thanks for your kind words. I will definitely check out your blog!

  • http://day2dayjoys.blogspot.com/2011/05/read-ingredients.html Rachel

    Yum! This looks like a healthy fried rice! ~Thanks for linking up with Healthy 2day Wednesdays, especially this post, and LOVED the Eat Butter post!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Rachel,
    Thanks for your comments!

  • http://fudgeripple.blogspot.com christy larsen

    beautiful salad….it would be a great addition to a light summer meal. i love your tips on the rice as well. thank you for sharing with tuesday night supper club!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Cristy,
    Thanks for your comments — I missed you last week!