Ingredients

70-80 g semi-whole long grain rice
70-80 black venere rice
juice of half a lemon
4-5 handfuls of fresh peas (out of pod), cooked in boiling and slightly salted water for 5-7 minutes, drained, rinsed under cold running water and set aside to cool
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 zucchini, cleaned and diced
2 small handfuls of pumpkin seeds
pickled ginger (sushi ginger), chopped, to taste
sesame oil, to taste
a pinch of whole sea salt
nori flakes, to taste
fresh chives, cleaned and chopped, to taste

Makes 2 servings.

Directions

Cook the long grain rice in plenty of boiling, slightly salted water. Cook the black venere rice the same way in a separate pan. Make sure the rice is still al dente when you drain it. Rinse it under cold running water and transfer it into a salad bowl. Add the lemon juice and some sesame oil and refrigerate until it’s completely cold. To assemble your rice salad, take out the rice from the fridge and add all the vegetables, the ginger, some more sesame oil, the  salt, the nori flakes and toss. Top with the chives and serve cool.

Ingredients

half a small head of cooked Romanesco broccoli (which should be about 180-200 g)
215 g cooked whole Baldo rice (which is about 150-170 g uncooked), preferably al dente
1-2 tablespoons raw sesame oil
1 tablespoons tahin
half a teaspoon powdered coriander seeds
half a teaspoon powdered cumin
half a teaspoon dried ginger powder
freshly ground black pepper, just enough to taste
whole sea salt, just enough to taste
a small handful of parsley leaves, preferably fresh, cleaned and finely chopped
1 teaspoon cleaned and chopped chives, preferably fresh
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
2 tablespoons ground white sesame seeds (you can grind them yourself in a spice or coffee grinder)

To complete

3 handfuls of peeled almonds
1 tablespoon flakes of nutritional yeast

Makes 16-18 balls.

Directions

Using a potato masher or fork, mash the broccoli until no large pieces remain. Transfer the broccoli mash into a large bowl, add the cooked rice, sesame oil, tahin, spices, salt, parsley, chives and sesame seeds (whole and ground) and stir well to combine all ingredients. To shape the balls, wet your hands with a little water to prevent the mixture from sticking. They should be slightly smaller than a golf ball. Set the balls aside on a sheet of parchment paper or a tray. In a coffee grinder, finely grind the almonds with the nutritional yeast. Roll the rice balls in the almond-yeast powder and serve at room temperature.

This salad is definitely a celebration of summer. It’s very refreshing and perfect as an appetizer or light lunch break. Although winter is almost here, I’m sure some readers around the world can still get hold of watermelons.

Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients:

the pulp of ¼ watermelon (seeds removed), cut into bite-sized pieces

4 cups fresh rocket

1 cup leek sprouts

1 cup fresh coriander leaves

4 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (toasted)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

the juice of 1 lemon

1 pinch whole sea salt

freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

In a large salad bowl, combine the rocket, the watermelon (which you will have previously cut into bite-sized pieces), the leek sprouts, and the pumpkin seeds (don’t forget to toast them!). Add the lemon juice, drizzle with the olive oil, sesame oil and rice vinegar, then sprinkle with whole sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste. Toss well and garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve chilled.