I love rice and there are so many kinds to try! I recently was reading about black rice (it’s gluten free) and learned that it is considered a super food, similar to blueberries and kale. Did you know that black rice is also a well-known anti-inflammatory food? Eating more black rice can help to cut down on general infections and illnesses and some recent studies have shown that the antioxidants contained in black rice can seriously slow down the aging process. Now that’s a really good reason to eat more of this interestingly colored grain! I guess those early Emperors were really onto something.
Black rice is also known as “Forbidden Rice.” It’s a dark black color when raw and turns a deep purple when cooked. Black rice has a nutty taste, similar to brown rice and can be served either hot or cold. Black rice can be paired with many different ingredients; tofu and eggs for breakfast, a seafood stir fry and can be used for a sweet rice pudding.
This week on Pazoo.com I’m sharing a recipe for Jerk Chicken with Forbidden Rice. I love the combination of spices in Jerk seasoning – Jamaican allspice, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves and dried thyme – but I always make my own. That lets me control the amount of salt and sweetness from the brown sugar. If you decide to make your own, taste it as you go and adjust the flavors to your liking. If you don’t like too much heat, reduce the amount of chopped chili peppers down to one. This recipe would pair well with some stir fried baby bok choy or snow pea pods. Either would give your plate a crunchy element.
If you plan your meals in advance, the chicken will benefit from marinating overnight (and make getting dinner on the table pretty easy) but will still taste good if you only have three hours to spare.
Fire it up!