rice with green vegetables & ponzu | Diary of a Crazed Cook

What packs a nutritional knockout like a spread of glorious green vegetables laid out like a freshly-cut lawn! Well, I’m sure a few things do, but this’s gotta be right up there! And what better partner for all that greenery, than a mess of nutty brown rice. First, a word about the mess, before I start going on about the greenery! Rice (especially brown) is totally underrated – and joins pasta (especially whole-grain) and potatoes (especially sweet) as a blank canvas all of us in charge of cooking can turn to – which makes one wonder how rice could ever end up completely unadorned, in a naked pile (God forbid it’s white) on your plate. And, by the way, when it does – all I see is a missed opportunity! It’s cheap, it’s versatile and it’s oh-so-very good for you – but it’s gotta be brown – or red or black or purple or wild!

So, with that in mind, what better place to start gussying up your rice than with a gargantuan pile of glorious green goodness courtesy of Mother Nature. Following a theme is a good rule of thumb – with your choice of both vegetables and flavours. My theme today is green and the flavours are garlic and citrus and what better way to push the citrus than with my new best friend – ponzu sauce. So fire up a fry pan, give your vegetables a quick go round, add a load of cooked rice and a little (or a lot) of zing and you’ve got yourself a gorgeous mound of rice, veggies & zing to enjoy as is, or alongside anything grilled, baked, fried, steamed, broiled, braised, roasted or toasted. So before you start hurling it at the next bride you see – think twice, this ain’t the movies – it’s rude to throw your food – come to think of it, that’s what the white rice is for – toss it, don’t eat it!

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1. Get a large skillet nice and hot while you prep your vegetables of choice, and in the keeping-it-green theme – asparagus, green beans and zucchini would also work here.

2. Start with broccoli as it takes the longest to cook.

3. When it looks like this, start adding the other vegetables.

4. Celery is next.

5. Then the peas – and if they’re still frozenish – no worries, they’ll warm up in no time.

6. Prep the garlic & lemon juice.

7. Add the garlic and give it a good stir to briefly cook it.

8. In goes the rice.

9. Give it a stir.

10. Scallions are next.

11. Strain the lemon juice if you need to.

12. Glug, glug, glug with the ponzu sauce.

13. Finish with the chopped parsley.

14. Gently fold the lot to thoroughly combine – and you’re done!

15. Grab a bowl and dig in – serve it with a couple of lemon wedges and pass the ponzu.

16. Hello handsome – hearty whole-grain brown rice laced with gobs of green veggies!

rice with green vegetables & ponzu sauce

yield serves 4-6

1. Cook 1 cup of raw brown rice

2. This is a method – you can make it for 1, 2, 4 or more. Prep whatever green vegetables you like, in whatever quantities you want – these quantities should serve 4-6 depending on if it’s a side or the main attraction:

2 cups broccoli, chopped
2-3 ribs of celery, chopped
1-2 cups frozen peas, thawed
a handful of Italian parsley, chopped
3-4 scallions, sliced

3. Prep the following and set aside:

3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lemon, juiced (& zest if you like)
2-4 tbsps. ponzu sauce

4. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat and swirl in a couple of glugs of olive oil. Start sautéing the vegetables – from longest cooking time to shortest. Once the vegetables are fork-tender, add the cooked rice, scallions, lemon juice & finish with the parsley. Serve as is, or alongside grilled meats, fish or seafood. Serve with lemon wedges and extra ponzu sauce for drizzling.

flavour up the rice and get creative with the additions

Remember – this is a method of mixing cooked rice with a medley of stir-fried vegetables – use what you have on hand or create a specific combination – it’s your rice, use what you love and you’ll love this method!

You can flavour the rice any way you wish, by cooking it in a flavourful liquid combination – any broth, tomato juice, coconut milk or miso, for starters.
Add any combination of vegetables you like, no excuses now cause you’re using what you like.
Add any combination of seasonings – a teaspoon of a dry rub or spice blend is a convenient way to get in loads of flavour.
Add cut up cooked chicken, shrimp, steak, pork or tofu.
Sprinkle the finished dish with toasted nuts or seeds.