Easy Recipes from The Pot Rack – June 2022

If you’re in need of a fresh idea for salmon tonight, give this tasty dish a chance. It’s a gorgeous little bowl of goodness that is so simple AND flavorful, you’ll be revisiting it all season long.  Makes 4 bowls.

Ingredients:

16 oz piece of skinless salmon cut into 2 inch cubes

1 mango sliced

2 cucumbers. sliced

2 avocados, sliced

1 cup edamame (buy frozen and defrost)

1 scallion, sliced

1/2 cup coconut flakes, toasted (optional)

 

Marinade/Dressing

1 14 oz can coconut milk

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 Tblsp soy sauce

2 limes, zested and juiced

2 tsp Siracha

 

Coconut Rice

1 cup long-grain rice (Jasmine or Basmati)

3/4 cup coconut milk

1 Tblsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup water

 

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 325° F.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the marinade/dressing ingredients together.
  3. Put salmon pieces in a bowl or plastic bag and pour 1/2 cup of the marinade over the salmon and toss. Let sit for 15-30 minutes.
  4. Place the salmon on a sheet pan fitted with parchment paper. Cook the salmon in the oven for 15 minutes until the flesh flakes apart with a fork.
  5. While the salmon is cooking, rinse the rice a few times and drain until the water runs almost clear.
  6. Place rice in a medium, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat with coconut milk, water, sugar and salt. When the liquid comes up to a boil, give it a good stir, scraping the bottom of the pot. Cover the pot and turn the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the rice rest for 10 minutes more. Add salt if needed.
  7. To serve, place one scoop of coconut rice in a bowl. Top with 1/4 of the salmon, mango, cucumber, avocado and edamame. Sprinkle with green onions and toasted coconut.
  8. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve.

 

Beyond the Recipe—Rice bowl meals are so smart that I marvel at the ease of this entrée. The topping choices are endless and they’re just so darn pretty!

My love for rice bowls began when my children were growing up. I discovered early that if I made soup or a rice bowl loaded with veggies, they would eat the whole thing. But if I just put broccoli and peas on a plate with some chicken, they’d just move it around. We ate A LOT of soup and rice bowls! This dish is particularly yummy because the rice is kicked-up with the coconut milk which might make your rice “sticky” but oh so yummy.

Rice bowls originated in 1600s Japan during the Edo period when a simple one-dish meal was topped with grilled eel in a Donburi (which literally means bowl). These were created for theatergoers who would dine while they watched a live theater performance. Today a rice bowl dish might be referred to as either Donburi or Edo. They always consist of steamed rice, protein, veggies, and a sauce. If you want to compliment the dish with a couple more items, you might consider a simple miso broth and Kimchi. And speaking of Kimchi… have you tried Cindy Yi Radish Kimchi? It’s made in Grants Pass and you can find it at Food For Less! It’s FANTASTIC!

Now to the tough question… Is it necessary to wash your rice before cooking? The answer is a resounding YES. Bottom line… will rinsing the rice make it taste better? Not really. But it will help to get rid of the impurities that you really shouldn’t consume. The rice paddies worldwide often have polluted groundwater that can leach heavy metals into the rice plants. So, treat your rice with the respect it deserves and give it a nice bath before you invite it to the party.