Looking for quick & easy healthy meal? Look no further – our simple black rice & garlic shrimp dinner might be for you. Gentle on the gut and super tasty too.
One simple way of creating variety in one’s diet is to use the same base ingredient in its many forms. Not every food allows us to do so, but in the case of rice we’ve been given a range of options – think: black rice, brown rice, red rice, white rice, basmati rice – I’m surely forgetting something.
One of our favorite type of rice is black rice (or as they call it forbidden or also Emperor’s Rice). It’s more purple than black and has a distinct nutty favor when cooked. It’s rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals (more nutritional benefits – see here (external and here as well)) which makes it even more appealing. Most importantly it’s much gentler to the gut (my own opinion) than any other type of rice. When I eat a meal with black rice I feel ‘’filled’’ but not bloated or heavy.
HOW TO COOK BLACK RICE: the forbidden grain absorbs less water than the commonly used white rice. Therefore, I usually add 2 cups of water to every cup of black grains. If needed, you can always add some more in the cooking process.
VARIATIONS & WASTE-FREE: Veggies make a wonderful addition to this quick meal, making even richer in nutrients. I have used quickly frozen veggie (Mexican) mix for this batch (bought from a local Lidl store), but any mix of vegetables will do the trick. Feel free to use any (leftover) veggies you have on hand in your fridge. A word of caution: black rice has strong coloring properties, so vegetables will likely change color.
OFFICE LUNCH: Our simple black rice dish can easily be placed in a bento box (check this one on amazon) and turned into a delicious mid-day meal that you can bring to the office.
TOPPINGS: Although totally optional, you can always top your rice meal with some soy sauce (organic does taste better as you can imagine – see this one on Amazon) or a pinch of lemon juice (to taste).
Black rice with garlic shrimp and herbs
Ingredients
- 1 cup black rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup mixed fresh or frozen vegetables, onions, carrots, red peppers, ect.
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 12 oz (300 g) raw shrimp, cleaned (fresh/frozen)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp Herbs mix, dried Herbs de Provence, optional
- 1 tbsp all purpose seasoning
Instructions
- In a non-stick pan with lid (I used this one), place olive oil (2 tbsp) and veggie mix and sauté until tender on medium heat.
- Once vegetable mix gets softer, add rice and water and sprinkle with herbs de Provence and all purpose seasoning.
- With lid on, leave to cook on medium heat until almost cooked. Add more water if needed.
- In a separate (non-stick) cooking pan, place the remaining olive oil (1 tbsp) and add cleaned shrimps. Cook on medium heat on stove top until crisp (approx. 10 min).
- Add to rice pot and cook for another 5-10 min on medium heat. Alternatively, set aside and add to rice once it’s been fully cooked (that is if you want to avoid eating purple shrimps).
- Serve while still warm and sprinkle with soy sauce or lemon juice.
Recipe Notes
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I would like to taste this. I love garlic shrimp.