A light and summery first course, the black rice and zucchini cakes, are colorful and cheerful.
I’ve often talked about black rice, I admit it’s a rice I really love. We know that compared to traditional rice, it contains more valuable fibers, so you stay full much longer. But the peculiarity given its color, is the richness of anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants, the vitamin B group, magnesium, iron, phosphorus.
Let’s always remember that to enhance iron absorption and make it more assimilable, vitamin C is essential, so a good splash of lemon juice not only enhances the flavor and gives freshness but is the best solution.
To complete this fresh dish, I used watercress sprouts from Germogliamo, which I grow in the beautiful sprouter.
Here are some recipes with black or Venus rice:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for Black Rice and Zucchini Cakes
- 7 oz black rice
- 5 zucchini
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot
- 1 sprig aromatic herbs
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon (zest)
Tools
For sprouts, I recommend using a sprouter, you can find the link below
- 1 Mold
Steps for Black Rice and Zucchini Cakes
First, rinse the black rice thoroughly under running water. Boil water and cook the black rice without salt for 30 minutes, check the cooking, it should not be overdone.
I use the absorption method, one part black rice to three parts water, when it boils, reduce to a minimum, put on the lid, and continue cooking until completely absorbed. You can also cook it in plenty of water.
Meanwhile, wash, trim, and grate the zucchini using a large-holed grater.
Stew a sliced shallot in a pan with a drizzle of oil and add the grated zucchini, (let them sauté for a few minutes). You can also use a wok if you prefer.
Deglaze with the soy sauce, turn off.
When the black rice is ready and transferred to a bowl, season it with the chopped aromatic herbs, lemon juice and zest, a drizzle of oil, and a pinch of salt.
Take small plates to place the pastry ring on and assemble.
Spoon in the rice, level well with the back of a spoon, add the zucchini without pressing, finish again with black rice.
Abundantly add sprouts, just-birthed vegetables, in this case, they are not just a decoration, but live nutrients.
Tips and Storage
It’s always best to assemble the black rice and zucchini cakes at the last minute. You can make the same cake with other whole grains, giving free rein to creativity. However, rice keeps for a maximum of a couple of days in the fridge well sealed. Remember that all freshly cooked and cooled rice should be stored in the refrigerator.
