Persian-style rice salad with cherries
This vibrant Persian-style rice salad recipe is served with beautifully sweet cherries, pomegranate molasses and a touch of punchy sumac.
- Total:
Ingredients
- 75g of wholegrain rice
- 1red onion, finely sliced
- 200g of cherries, halved and de-stoned
- 1tsp sumac
- 4tbsp of pomegranate molasses
- 8tbsp of olive oil
- 2baby cucumbers, (or 1 regular cucumber)
- 14g of mint, (or a generous handful)
- 14g of dill
- 14g of flat-leaf parsley
- sea salt
- dill
- za'atar
- ½lemon
Instructions
Step 1
To begin, cover the rice with cold water, add a pinch of salt and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 18–22 minutes, until cookedStep 2
Drain the rice through a sieve or colander and rinse with a little cold water. Allow the steam to billow off as much as possible, to avoid a heavy saladStep 3
While the rice is cooling, combine the onion, cherries, sumac, pomegranate molasses and olive oil in a bowl. Add a generous amount of sea salt and mix wellStep 4
Chop the baby cucumbers into thin rounds; (if you are using a regular cucumber perhaps remove it’s watery core). Finely chop the herbsStep 5
In a large mixing bowl combine the rice, cucumber, herbs, toasted pine nuts and the cherry and onion medley along with all the juice and dressing. Toss gently and the transfer to a serving dishStep 6
Garnish with some dill, and some za’atar, and finally squeeze over the juice of half a lemon to brighten that first mouthful