Pineapple Rice with Edamame: Some sunshine for your bowl?
There's nothing like pineapple to brighten up a dreary January day, is there? It's like sunshine with a rind.
This recipe is a bit more complicated than it looks. But it's actually a perfect make ahead recipe, and with the addition of edamame, it can become a main dish rather than a pretty side.
The rice needs to be cooked ahead of time, and then separated and left to chill. That makes it easier to stir fry than clumpy steamed white rice. But if you think ahead, you can prepare the rice in the morning and then quickly throw the dish together for an evening meal. You can also prepare the rest of the ingredients: Cook the edamame, peel the pineapple, slice the green onions.
If you keep a pot of cilantro (coriander) on you window sill during the winter, you're good to go.
I served this with a simple pak choi and mushroom stir-fry and some spring rolls.
Here's the instructions:
Pineapple Rice with Edamame
1 cup cooked white rice
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 small shallots, chopped
2 teaspoons ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
black pepper, to taste
1 pineapple, rind removed and chunked
3 or 4 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (coriander), loosely chopped
When the rice is cooked, let it cool and then spread it on a baking sheet or large platter. Place in the refrigerator or in a cold room for a few hours.
Heat the canola oil in a wok or large saute pan with steep (3-inch) sides. Add the shallots, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for a minute or two. Spoon in the cooked rice and stir-fry for another three minutes. Add the soy sauce, sprinkle some black pepper over the top and stir.
Add the pineapple chunks and spring onions and stir-fry another 2-3 minutes. Remove to a bowl or platter and stir in the chopped cilantro.
Notes on ingredients: Edamame are the green soybeans that you can buy frozen in pods. To prepare them, bring to boil a large pan of water and add frozen soy beans. Boil for 5 minutes then drain and run under cold water. When cool enough to handle, remove the beans from the pods (they slip right out) and discard the pods. Tamari is a richer soy sauce (wheat free) and is preferable to soy sauce, but if you're watching your salt, use low salt soy sauce instead. Shallots are small, pinkish onions. If you don't have them use a yellow onion instead.
