Raw Forbidden Rice Salad

Finding forbidden rice feels like such a coup. Becuse it’s really the only rice out there that you don’t have soak and sprout for days in order to enjoy it raw. Considered a blood tonic by the ancient Chinese, forbidden rice has a higher protein and fiber content than any other rice. It’s very healthy! These health benefits combined with the fact that it’s a low yield rice -yeilding only 10 percent of what other types of rice do – made it highly prized. It was once reserved just for the emperor to ensure his health and longevity. Everyone else was forbidden to consume it.

We are so lucky that’s not the case anymore!

Forgotten?

This rice salad was such a last minute thing. All day I ‘d been thinking about my mom and all these wonderful meals she used to make. She was literally always cooking. And so many recipes were lost when she passed away. Mostly because they were all in her head and not written down anywhere. It was like everything was a secret concoction only available through mental telepathy. Which was apparently useful for her but would have required a medium and seance for us to piece together her cranberry bran muffins once when she’d left this earthly realm. As a direct result of this I write everything down.

Anyway, back to the salad. My mother made this incredible rice salad that I often pine for. She used brown rice then, oranges, scallions, raisins, fruit and minimal seasonings. She didn’t have forbidden rice. Not because she wasn’t an emperor but just because the grocery store didn’t carry it then. Hell, that was before cell phones! She would have loved it, though. So I saw this little bit of forbidden rice in the cupboard before I turned in for the night and thought, “What the hell, let’s try making that rice salad tomorrow”. I put it in a metal bowl, covered it with water and went to bed.

And it behaved perfectly. Like an emperors rice would. Overnight it softened and bloomed.

Inspired…

Around 2PM when I was ready for lunch, I strained and rinsed the forbidden rice, put it in a big bowl and started added things. I actually felt connected to the netherworld; like my mom was right there. Ideas just kept coming at me. At the beginning it all made sense but then it was like, “Pomegranate? My mom never used pomegranate?” But I was divinely guided and just threw it in too.

The final product was wonderful. Light but filling. And considering everything in it, virtually loaded with supernutrients. Ultimately, that pomegranate couldn’t have been a more perfect addition. Just like my mother to come up with a little surprise.

So, here I go: writing this one down for future generations. Because one day, they’ll be pining for this.

Thanks, Mom.

RAW VEGAN RECIPE: Raw Forbidden Rice Salad

1 cup short grain forbidden rice, soaked overnight up to 24 hours (rice should be soft with white at tips), strained and rinsed

4 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Juice of 1 1/2 oranges

Zest of one orange

1 1/2 oranges, peeled, sectioned and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 tart apple, cored and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 stalks celery, chopped

Seeds from 1/2 a pomegranate

1/2 cup raw pecans, chopped

4 scallion, sliced, white and 1/2 of green

1 small shallot, minced

1 hot pepper, minced *

3/4 Tbsp. ground coriander

Pinch salt

* you can use any kind of pepper you prefer; I used Hungarian wax pepper for this recipe

Put rice in bowl. Add olive oil and toss to coat.

Add all remaining ingeredients. Toss to fully incorporate.

Eat!