I found black rice in the supermaket, and as you know I like to experiment, and because it had a decent price, I bought a box. I brought it home, put it on the kitchen counter, and put the wheels of my imagination to work. I also had some fresh stinging nettles, so out of the meanderings of my creativity came this nettle and black rice stew. The black rice is sweet and has softened the strong taste of nettles. Garlic gave the specific flavor to nettle dishes, and together with turmeric and pepper made this stew a good anti-inflammatory dish.
I ate this nettle and black rice stew along with a pair of turkey liver and a large salad of seasonal leaves. Another option would be paired with a millet polenta.
Ingredients
for 2 servings:
- 300 grams of fresh nettles
- 60 grams of black rice
- A sprig of leek
- A small carrot
- 5-6 cloves of garlic
- A grated teaspoon of salt
- A pinch of pepper
- A grated teaspoon of turmeric powder
- A spoonful of duck or goose lard
Recipe Method
The rice is soaked a few hours before, then boiled until it softens a little, 20-30 minutes.
The nettles are cleaned, washed in several waters and scalded for 2-3 minutes in hot water. Mix gently in the blender, until they crumble a little. There is no need to mix more, the fibers will be crushed and it is a shame to lose them.
The leek is cut into thin rounds, the carrot is diced or grated on a large grater.
Put the spoonful of poultry lard in the hot pan, then saute the leek and carrot for 1-2 minutes. We extinguish with a few spoons of the water in which we scalded the nettles. Turn the heat to low and put the lid on. After another 5 minutes, add the scalded and chopped nettles and the cooked black rice. Add another few spoons of nettle water and leave for another 5 minutes.
Finally, add salt, pepper, turmeric and crushed garlic. Mix well, put the lid on, turn off the heat and leave covered for another 15-20 minutes. It’s a treat!
