Black rice, roast pumpkin and carrot green leaves hot salad

Already in the middle of September, the children have started the school and we the routine. That’s why we love the recipes like today’s: easy to make, perfect to take to the office and very healthy and energetic. Pure love: black rice, roast pumpkin and carrot green leaves hot salad recipe.

Have you ever eat black rice? I confess that it was my first time and I loved it. It is a very aromatic rice and rich in fiber, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and vitamin B. It is a perfect rice to make salads and also we can freeze it. There are so many virtues, that it is considered as a superfood.

It was formerly cultivated only in China and for the exclusive use of the Emperor and his family, and was therefore known as the «forbidden rice».

Also, one tip I give you is not to throw the cooking water of the black rice, as it is very aromatic and you can use it to make broths, coloring or giving aroma. I have frozen it for lack of time, but soon I will cook with this black water a very cool idea that I have in mind.

On the other hand, we also used carrot green leaves. But, is that eaten? Well yes, although most people dn’t know it and throw it to the rubbish. The carrot leaves were formerly, along with the seeds, the only part that was ate. And no wonder, carrot green leaves are nutritious, rich in protein, minerals, potassium, calcium and contain 6 times more Vitamin C and K than the part that we always eat!

But remember that it is important to use organic cultivated carrots, since being a part that is not usually eated can have many pesticides. I have taken advantage that this year the carrots I planted have given me more leaves than roots.

Ingredients for black rice, roast pumpkin and carrot green leaves hot salad (serves 3):

180 g black rice
2 garlic cloves
1 yellow carrot
½ red onion
Salt and pepper to taste
Coriander leaves
1 handful of carrot green leaves
½ chilli (sweet or spicy)
Coconut oil
400 g of pumpkin

How to make black rice, roast pumpkin and carrot green leaves hot salad:

Put the black rice in water 3 hours before cooking.

First rinse the skin of the pumpkin, dry it and cut it into slices. Place it in the oven tray, brush with coconut oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Bake it for 20 minutes at 350 F (180 °C) or until well roasted (the pumpkin will be soft).

In a saucepan with plenty of water and a pinch of salt, cook the rice for about 30 minutes or until ready. Drain it.

Peel and chop the onion, the garlic cloves, the carrot and the carrot leaves.

In a frying pan with a dash of olive oil, sauté the onion. Add the carrot and garlic cloves and let cook 2 more minutes. Finally, add the carrot leaves, add salt and pepper ti taste and sauté until all is well cooked.