Wild Rice and Greens Recipe from Ayurveda Today, Journal of the Ayurvedic Institute

Wild Rice and Greens
from Ayurveda Today, Volume 23, Number 4, Spring 2011

Ingredients

1 cup	wild rice
2 Tbs	olive oil
1	large onion, peeled and chopped
4	garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3–4 cups	leafy greens, minced
a bit of	salt

Choose a Spice Blend below to go with this delicious dish! If using the Black Mustard Seeds Spice Blend, first add the spices to the oil and then add the onion and garlic.

Preparation

Sort the wild rice and wash it several times. Cook in 2 ½ cups water on a low heat in a covered pot for 40-50 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Check after 30 minutes and add another ½ cup of hot water, if needed.

When the rice is ready, heat the oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic. Sauté on a medium heat until the onion is tender. Add the spices and a sprinkling of salt and mix well

Add the leafy greens and mix well. Stir-fry until the greens are tender.

Add the wild rice and mix well. Cook for 1 minute, turn off the heat, and serve.

Black Mustard Seed Spice Blend

1 tsp	Black mustard seeds
1 tsp	Cumin
1 tsp	Coriander
1/2 tsp	Fenugreek
1/2 tsp	Turmeric
4	Bay leaves, crushed

To prepare this combination, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pot. When the oil is warm, add the mustard seeds and wait until they pop. (Be careful – they jump out of the pot!) Once popped, add the cumin, coriander, and fenugreek, and stir on a low heat. Add the turmeric and bay leaves. Stir, and add the ingredients of the dish you are preparing.

This combination is popular in India, where different spice combinations are used in daily cooking. The food is added to the spices. In Western cuisine, we usually add the spices to cooked food. All the spices, except the coriander, are stimulants, increasing alertness and energy, and improving emotional well-being. Coriander and cumin balance the heating property of this Spice Blend with their cooling effects.

Paprika Spice Blend

1 tsp	Paprika
1 tsp	Ground black pepper
1/2 tsp	Cumin
1/2 tsp	Coriander
1/2 tsp	Nutmeg
1/2 tsp	Cinnamon
1/2 tsp	Cardamom
1/2 tsp	Cloves

This combination is widely used in Mediterranean and African cuisines. It contains four flavors: sweet, pungent, astringent, and bitter. The spices in this mix have a combination of heating and cooling properties. Therefore, it has a balancing effect on the body and helps digestion.

Danit Eliav is an Ayurvedic practitioner and nutritional consultant. She is a graduate of the Ayurvedic Studies Program, Levels 1 and 2 and spent an additional two years in India specializing in Ayurvedic Nutrition. The author of Spice Blends – A New Way of Cooking recipe card box, she is passionate about preparing fresh, delicious food. Find out more at www.newwaycooking.com.