Roasted Corn & Basmati Rice Salad

This completes our menu last weekend. A fresh salad to go with the chicken kabobs I made. I just felt that I should do a separate post because it deserves so. This could be a-not-so-distant cousin of "tabouli"- with white basmati rice replacing bulgar wheat and roasted corn for cucumbers.

I choose the firmest tomatoes like I do when making tostadas; nice purple and green onions and fresh basil leaves for added freshness. The dressing is a mixture of sweet, salty, tangy and a little spice to complement the other ingredients. Here's the recipe which I adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients
2 cups uncooked basmati rice
1 quart water
1 pkg Trader Joe's organic frozen corn
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 lemon, juiced
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tbsp white sugar
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil- I used them whole because the leaves are so small :-)
salt and pepper to taste
6 tomatoes - seeded and diced
1 large red onion, diced
6 green onions, chopped
1 tbsp red pepper flakes

Directions:
In a medium pot, bring water to a rolling boil then add the basmati (previously washed and sitting in a colander).
Allow to boil uncovered for 9-10 minutes no more, drain in a colander and spread in a sheet pan to cool down.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F while tossing the corn kernels with canola oil.
Spread the corn on a large baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
In another bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup canola oil, sugar, basil, salt, and pepper.
Add the tomatoes to the roasted corn and basmati rice mixture then pour the red wine vinaigrette. Add the purple and and green onions and mix thoroughly but gently. Cover, and chill at least 1 hour before serving.


It is my first time to make this and I never thought basmati rice can be made into salad. I think the trick is not overcooking the rice and choosing the freshest ingredients. It really pairs well with the chicken kabobs or feast on it by itself especially on a warm day.