Best Rice Salad With Currants Almonds And Pistachios Recipes

Basmati Rice Pilaf with Dried Fruits and Almonds image

Time 35m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 12

1½ cups basmati rice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup finely chopped yellow onions, from one small onion
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cloves garlic, minced
2¼ cups water
1¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup dried fruit, such as currants, raisins or finely chopped dried apricots
¼ cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted in a small dry skillet over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes

Steps:

Place the rice in a medium bowl and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Using your hands, gently swish the grains to release any excess starch. Carefully pour off the water, leaving the rice in the bowl. Repeat four to five times, until the water runs almost clear. Using a fine mesh strainer, drain the water from rice. Place the strainer over a bowl and set aside.
Melt the butter in a pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Add the rice to the pot, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes. Add the water, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes. Off the heat, remove the lid and sprinkle the dried fruit over the rice (do not mix in). Place the lid over the pot and let stand for 10 minutes. Toss in the toasted almonds, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 378, Fat 12g, Carbohydrate 60g, Protein 7g, SaturatedFat 6g, Sugar 2g, Fiber 2g, Sodium 740mg, Cholesterol 23mg

Basmati Rice Salad with Currants and Nuts image

Yield Serves 6 to 8 as a side-dish or 4 as a main-course

Number Of Ingredients 12

4 cups water
2 cups brown basmati rice
1 1/3 cups thinly sliced green onions
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
3/4 cup minced fresh parsley
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup dried currants
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
5 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

Steps:

Combine 4 cups water and rice in large saucepan. Bring to boil. Cover; reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 35 minutes. Drain if necessary. Transfer rice to large bowl. Fluff with fork. Cool. Mix in green onions, celery, parsley, pecans, currants and walnuts.
Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce and cumin in small bowl to blend. Pour over rice salad; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Citrus Rice Salad image

Provided by Giada De Laurentiis

Categories side-dish

Time 1h16m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

1/2 cup sliced almonds
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups brown basmati rice, rinsed
3/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 medium orange, zested
1 lemon, zested
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

For the Rice Salad:
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes until lightly golden. Cool completely, about 15 minutes
In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock, salt and oil to a boil over medium-high heat Stir in the rice. Cover the saucepan, reduce the heat, and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender, about 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Using a fork, fluff the rice and place in a large serving bowl. Add the parsley, orange zest, half of the lemon zest, green onions, and 1/4 cup of the almonds. Toss well.
For the Vinaigrette:
In a blender, combine the olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, honey, and cumin. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Pour the vinaigrette over the rice mixture and stir well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with the remaining lemon zest and almonds.