cooking to the good life.

black coconut rice with portobella & baby bok choy.

I typically make both of these dishes as sides with a lovely piece of salmon. I grilled a few fillets that I marinated in a little bit of sesame oil, brown sugar and teriyaki sauce.

Black Coconut Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups forbidden black rice
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

4 medium shallots, thinly sliced
1/4 cup unsalted butter
A handful of cashews, chopped and toasted

Start by rinsing the rice. You can do this by putting the rice in the thick-bottomed pan it is going to cook in. Fill the pot halfway with water, swish the rice around (the water will get cloudy), and pour out the cloudy water. Repeat 3 times. The water might still be a bit cloudy, and that is o.k.

To the rinsed (and drained) rice add the coconut milk, water, and salt. Stir to combine. Place the pot over medium high heat and bring the liquid to a boil (uncovered). Stir often to prevent the rice from scorching down at the bottom of the pot. Once the liquid comes to a boil reduce the heat to a low, low simmer, cover the pot tightly with a lid. Cook for about 15- 20 more minutes (resisting the urge to peek). Remove from heat (still covered!), and let the rice steam for another 10-15.

While the rice is cooking cook up the shallots in a small frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. Too hot and you’ll burn the butter instead of browning it. Add the butter to the pan, then stir in the shallots and a couple pinches of salt. Stir every few minutes letting the shallots brown increasingly until they are dark in color. Transfer to a paper towel until ready to use.

I fluff the rice in the pot so I don’t completely dirty up the edges of my serving bowl or platter. Transfer the rice to desired serving vessel and sprinkle with cashews and the crispy shallots.

Serves 4 to 6.

baby bok choy & mushroom stir fry:

1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled

3/4 lb Shanghai bok choy or other baby bok choy (5 to 8 heads)

1 large portobella mushroom

1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine (preferably Shaoxing) or medium-dry Sherry

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

Special equipment: a rasp grater; a well-seasoned 14-inch flat-bottomed wok

Cut half of ginger into very fine matchsticks (less than 1/8 inch thick; about 1 tablespoon) and reserve. Grate remaining ginger and squeeze pulp with your fingers to yield 1 teaspoon liquid, then discard pulp.

Remove any bruised or withered outer leaves from bok choy. Trim 1/8 inch from bottom of each bok choy, then cut each head into quarters. Wash bok choy in several changes of cold water and dry in a colander or salad spinner until dry to the touch.

Whisk together ginger juice, chicken broth, rice wine, soy sauce, cornstarch, salt, and sugar in a small bowl until cornstarch is dissolved.

Heat wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Pour oil down side of wok, then swirl oil, tilting wok to coat sides. Add ginger matchsticks and stir-fry 5 seconds. Add bok choy and mushroom and stir-fry until leaves are bright green and just limp, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir broth mixture, then pour into wok and stir-fry until vegetables are crisp-tender and sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and drizzle with sesame oil, then stir to coat.

9 June 2010