Forbidden Rice Veggie Bowl with Chili-Garlic Sauce

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Serves 4

For Black Rice:

• 1½ cups (300 grams) forbidden rice (also called black rice), rinsed

• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more seasoning

• ½ teaspoon cumin

• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

• 3⅓ cups water

For Pickled Carrots:

• 5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1½ tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• 3-4 medium carrots (~2 cups), julienned

• 1 medium onion, cut into small chunks

For Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil

• 2-3 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce (homemade or store-bought), either green or red chilis

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon lime juice

• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced

• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced

• ½ teaspoon habanero pepper, minced (less spicy peppers are also ok)

• ½ teaspoon pepper flakes

• ¼ teaspoon chili powder

• 3 tablespoons cilantro, coarsely chopped

• 1 green onions, minced

For Veggies and Garnish:

• 10 flat beans or Romano beans (you can also substitute shorter beans, but add more beans if you do that), cut into small chunks

• 2-3 green onions, sliced

• 1 bell pepper, diced

• Almond slivers

• Lettuce or spinach (optional)

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For Black Rice:

1. In a large pot, add the forbidden rice, salt, cumin, smoked paprika, and water and give everything a good stir. Cook on medium-high heat until boiling. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low, put a lid on the pot, and cook for 45 minutes.

2. Remove the pot from the stove, keep the lid on, and let it sit and steam for 10 minutes. If there is any remaining liquid, drain it off. Fluff and set aside.

For Pickled Carrots:

1. In a large bowl, add the apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Mix everything together until blended.

2. Add the carrots and onions to the bowl and mix until everything is coated in the pickling liquid.

3. Set aside, but keep the bowl close by. As you continue prepping other parts of the meal, occasionally give the veggies a good mix. This will help pickle and soften the veggies more quickly and impart a stronger flavor.

For Sauce:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame seed oil, chili-garlic sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, ginger, garlic, habanero, pepper flakes, chili powder, cilantro, and green onions until fully blended.

For Bowl:

1. In each serving bowl, add some forbidden rice, pickled carrots and onions, beans, green onions, and bell peppers.

2. Drizzle at least 2 tablespoons of sauce over top and garnish with slivered almonds. Mix everything together. Add more sauce and other toppings to your liking.

3. Enjoy!