Forbidden Rice Bowl

Forbidden Rice Bowl
3.8 from 4 ratings
Recipe excerpted from Fast and Easy Five-Ingredient Recipes: A Cookbook for Busy People by Philia Kelnhofer.Black rice—also known as forbidden rice—is deep purple (it looks black, hence the name) but otherwise is similar to Thai jasmine rice or brown rice. It is slightly nutty in taste and goes perfectly with crispy bacon, kale, and Parmesan cheese. Give me a rice bowl for dinner any night and I’m a happy girl. As a matter of fact, I’m not the only one in my house that loves these rice bowls. After coming home from a business trip, my husband said he had missed my rice bowl creations for dinner. Thirty minutes later, I had remedied that. These bowls are super easy to prepare and are great for a quick weeknight meal.Click here to purchase your own copy of the book.
Servings
2
servings
Ingredients
  • 1 3/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup uncooked black forbidden rice (see notes)
  • 1/2 pound thick-cut bacon (6-8 slices), cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups chopped)
  • 1/3 cup shaved parmesan cheese (see notes)
Directions
  1. NOTES
  2. Black forbidden rice is sold at most major grocery stores in the rice aisle, at natural food stores, and on Amazon.com. If you don’t have black rice, you could replace it with brown rice (cooking times vary). Use a Microplane to grate the Parmesan cheese for superfine little cheese curls as in the picture.
  3. 1. In a medium pot with a lid, bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil. Add the rice, lower the heat to low, cover, and cook until the rice has absorbed the water, 25 to 30 minutes.
  4. 2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, fry the bacon pieces, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. When the bacon is almost done cooking, add the kale and cook for 5 minutes, until the kale has softened.
  5. 3. To assemble the bowls, divide the rice among your bowls, make a little well in the middle, spoon the kale mixture into the well, and then top with the cheese and enjoy.