5 Tasty Recipes to Try Using Super Nutritious Himalayan Red Rice

A staple dish in every Indian household, rice comes in many colours, each with its unique flavour.. While white rice is the most commonly used variety in our country, there are interesting varieties such as brown, black even red rice that you must try once in a while to cut the mundanity.

Red rice, particularly, is grown and harvested by the farmers in both North East India and Uttarakhand. Rich in antioxidants, dietary fibre, and complex carbohydrates, it helps keep the body healthy inside out. Since it’s minimally processed, it retains most of the essential vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus that help in strengthening bones, prevent osteoporosis and increase immunity.

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Here are some lip-smacking recipes you can try using red rice:

1. Red Rice Kheer

Red rice makes for a great alternative for white rice in making kheer. It’s beautiful red pigment and unique nutty flavour really does take the experience a couple notches higher.

Ingredients

60 gms soaked red rice
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp chopped almonds
2 1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
8-10 saffron strands
3 tbsp sugar

Method

• Heat butter in a non-stick pan and sauté the almonds.
• On medium flame, add the soaked red rice and sauté some more.
• Add milk to it and cook until the rice becomes nice and tender.
• Add cardamom powder, saffron strands, sugar and stir until completely cooked
• Garnish with some chopped almonds and saffron before serving hot.

2. Red Rice Salad

In case you’re too tired to put together a proper meal, this recipe can make for a great lunch or dinner. While you don’t have to work hard on the meal, you still get all your essential nutrients.

Ingredients

1/2 cup cooked red rice
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup cooked red kidney beans
1 chopped apricot
50 gms blanched cluster beans
Few stalks of chives
Few basil leaves

For dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 orange (juiced)
1 Lemon (juiced)
Cracked black pepper to season
Salt to season
Thyme leaves

Method

• Chop all the ingredients and put in a bowl.
• In a separate bowl mix the orange juice, lime juice, salt, pepper, thyme and olive oil.
• Pour over the salad.
• Garnish with basil.

3. Red Rice Vada

Treat yourself to some deep-fried vadas if you must, but do it using healthy ingredients such as red rice. The best way to do it is to use the leftover cooked rice from the previous day and turn it into a lip-smacking breakfast.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked red rice
1tbsp Rice flour (optional)
1 finely chopped onion
2 chopped green chillies
1/2tsp fennel seed powder
1/2tsp grated ginger
Salt to taste
Some curry leaves
Oil for deep frying

Method

• Mash the cooked red rice nicely with your hands. In case it’s too mushy, add rice flour to it.
• Add onions, green chillies, fennel seed powder, ginger, salt, and curry leaves to the mix.
• Mix well and make medium sized vadas.
• Once the oil is hot, drop the vadas and fry until golden brown.
• Serve hot with chutney.

4. Red Rice Khichdi

On days when you need your comfort food, try making it with a red rice variant. Who says you can’t be experimental with khichdi?

Ingredients

3/4 cup red rice
3 tablespoons split skinless green gram(dhuli moong dal)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
5-6 black peppercorns
1 stick cinnamon
3-4 cloves
2 whole dry red chillies
A pinch of asafoetida
Some curry leaves
2 green chillies
Salt to taste
2 diced potatoes
Yogurt

Method

• Add ghee in a pressure cooker and stir it with cumin seeds, black peppercorn, cinnamon, cloves, dry red chillies, asafoetida and curry leaves.
• Then add red rice and mix well.
• Add two and a half cups of water, green chillies and salt.
• Once the water comes to a boil, add the potatoes and moong dal and stir.
• Cover the cooker with the lid and cook for fifteen minutes.
• Wait for ten minutes to open the lid.
• Serve hot with yogurt.

5. Mushroom & Red Rice Soup

After a super long day at work, this soup will take you to paradise, we promise. It’s a non-fuss recipe, so you can actually make it regularly for yourself and your dear ones.

Ingredients

2 cups sliced mushroom
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tbsp chopped sage
1 tsp chopped thyme
1/4 cup rinsed red rice
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
Salt to taste

Method

• Add mushrooms in a non-stick pan, cover it for a few minutes and let it cook until it releases its juice.
• Then add the onion, sage, thyme, rice and vegetable broth in. Mix well.
• Cover and cook for 30 minutes until the rice is soft and chewy.
• Then add the coconut milk and salt and cook some more.
• Serve hot.

Also Read: Give Refined Flour a Break: 5 Simple Gluten-Free Recipes Using Coconut Flour

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

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