Cold rice is a must at any table in summer. From a certain time of the year onwards, due to high temperatures, we’re forced to leave the risotto behind and welcome the rice salad. Easy to prepare in advance, fresh, and if you want light, it’s the ideal dish to take to the office, as well as to the beach or mountains as a packed lunch. Then stored in the fridge for two or three days. To avoid getting a shapeless, sticky ball of a rice salad, here are some tips on how to prepare it and what ingredients are best used to accompany it.
Tips for preparing rice salad
First of all, it’s essential you choose a type of rice that can hold its firmness whilst cooking. The best is the Ribe, Basmati and Venus, black in color will make the dish not only good, but also beautiful to look at. Avoid Carnaroli which is more suitable for risottos.
Another important step for a successful rice salad is cooking the rice. It’s best to boil it in boiling water and drain it al dente, or at least a couple of minutes before the time indicated on the package. To cool the rice do not rinse it under cold water but drain it, pour it into a baking tray and put it in bain-marie in the sink.
As for the toppings, they should only be added when the rice is completely cold. It’s also recommended that you don’t exceed and avoid pre-packaged products in oil or vinegar, but to use fresh ingredients. Instead of putting mayonnaise in rice salad, it’s better to add it with a teaspoon to your plate.
Now here are three recipes for cold rice salads where the flavors and calories are in balance.
Rice salad with tuna, zucchini and lemon
For this rice salad get 11 oz Basmati rice, three zucchini, 5 oz tuna in drained oil, one lemon, a bunch of thyme, oil, salt and pepper. Boil the rice and let it cool in a bain-marie. Meanwhile, cut the zucchini into cubes and sauté them in a pan with a drizzle of oil. Adjust salt and pepper, cook for a couple of minutes and then blend in the lemon juice. When both the rice and zucchini are completely cold pour them into a bowl together, add the tuna in oil, thyme, lemon zest and mix everything together.
Rice salad with grilled vegetables
For this cold rice salad with grilled vegetables you’ll bring the vegetable garden to the table. To prepare it you need 11 oz Ribe rice, a yellow pepper, an eggplant, a zucchini, a clove of garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper. Wash and dry the vegetables. Cut the zucchini and eggplant into long thin slices and grill them on a previously heated cast iron plate. Cut the pepper into strips and roast these too. Then put them in an airtight container, after seasoning them with oil, salt, oregano, and garlic and leave in the fridge for a couple of hours. Boil the rice and when it is completely cold, add the vegetables. Mix everything together and let the rice salad rest for another half hour before serving.
Black Venus rice salad with salmon, rocket and citrus fruits
Venus rice salad with salmon, rocket and citrus fruits is not only good, but also light and healthy. To prepare it you need 11 oz Venus rice, 4 ½ oz smoked salmon, 1 oz rocket, the juice and rind of an orange and a lemon, oil, salt, and pepper. Boil the rice and before cooling it in a bain-marie, season it with the oil and the juice and zest of the lemon and orange. Cut into thin strips the smoked salmon and roughly chop the rocket. When the rice is completely cold add the ingredients into a bowl and mix everything together.
