Mexican rice and black bean salad

By: Zita Steyn
From: Good Better Green
Serves: 4

This is one for the adults, but you can certainly use some of the components to put together a salad for the little ones too. The physalis (also known as cape gooseberry) is the superhero of the berry world. Closely related to the tomato and native to countries in Latin America, they are a good source of vitamin C, betacarotene, iron, calcium and trace amounts of B vitamins. Physalis and fruits of the same family, tomatillos and Chinese lanterns, contain 18 kinds of amino acids and all eight essential amino acids. Although red rice is not a typical Mexican ingredient, it adds a lovely texture and avour to this dish.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
1 quantity	see method for ingredients

For the dressing

Quantity	Ingredient
1	lime, Grated zested and juiced
1/2 tablespoon	almond butter
1/2-1 teaspoon	honey, to taste
large pinch	sea salt
60ml	extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons	finely chopped oregano leaves
1-2 heaped teaspoons	finely chopped jalapeno, seeds left in

For the salad

Quantity	Ingredient
150g	cooked red camargue rice
180g	cooked black beans
1	red pepper, core and seeds removed, diced
2 handfuls	physalis, de-caped and halved
2	celery stalks, thinly sliced on the diagonal
25-50g	coriander, large stalks removed, finely chopped
50-70g	rocket leaves

Method

For the dressing, combine all the ingredients except the lime zest (reserve for serving) in a glass jar, screw on the lid and shake vigorously until it is well mixed and emulsied.
For the salad, put all the ingredients except the rocket in a mixing bowl and give them a good stir. Mix in the rocket and, just before serving, pour over the dressing to taste. If you have any left over, it will keep well in the fridge for up to a week and is particularly good with mashed avocado and baked potatoes.
To serve, roughly chop the Roasted Spiced Nuts and sprinkle over the salad with the reserved lime zest.

Note

The rice and beans, the Roasted Spiced Nuts and the dressing can be cooked and prepared at least a couple of days in advance, as long as you keep the rice and beans refrigerated and the nuts in an airtight container. If you choose to use canned beans, bear in mind that they are almost always softer and mushier than cooked dry beans, so consider refrying them before adding to the salad, to add some texture.

Tags:

Mexican rice and black bean salad

Ingredients

For the dressing

For the salad

Method

Note

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