Rice is at home in salads, too

Rice is enjoyed in just about every corner of the globe. Rice can be a healthy component of a person’s diet and it is especially beneficial for people who cannot enjoy other grains due to dietary intolerances.

While many people might think of rice as a side dish to meat or fish, rice is the star of the show in this recipe for “Southwestern Rice Salad with Black Beans” from Line+Angles.

Southwestern Rice Salad with Black Beans

For 4 servings

For the salad:

1 cup white long-grain rice, rinsed

3/4 cup canned sweet corn, drained

1 3/4 cups canned black beans, drained

2 cups grape tomatoes, rinsed and halved

4 green onions, rinsed, trimmed and sliced

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing:

1 lime, juiced

4 tablespoon olive oil

1 red chili pepper, trimmed, seeded and finely diced

1 small handful fresh cilantro, chopped

1 lime, sliced into wedges

To serve:

For the salad: In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil; add rice.

Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is tender to the bite. Remove from the heat and let cool, still covered, to one side.

Once the rice has cooled, rinse the sweet corn and black beans in cold water; drain thoroughly.

Fluff the rice with a fork before combining with the sweetcorn, black beans, tomatoes and chopped green onions in a large serving bowl.

For the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 1/4 teaspoon pepper until salt has dissolved.

Whisk in olive oil in a slow, steady stream until incorporated. Stir in the diced chili pepper and chopped cilantro.

Drizzle dressing over the salad and gently toss. Serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over.