A perfect side dish for meat patties as well as fish. Fantastic brininess from the olives, creamy tanginess from the feta, smoky nuttiness from the walnuts and freshness from the pomegranate and mint.
Don’t be tempted to stir the rice, just let the magic (and patience) do its wonders. The method of cooking the rice is one to followed for many types of rice such as jasmin and white long rice types.
Basmati Rice with Mediterranean Salsa
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Basmati Rice with Mediterranean Salsa
Servings: 8 People
Ingredients
- 500g Basmati Rice , or Jasmin rice
- 1 litre hot boiling water
- 125g Feta Cheese , crumbled
- 6 sprigs fresh Mint , home grown
- 3 tbsp Butter , unsalted and melted
- ½ tsp Sea Salt
- ½ tsp freshly cracked Black Pepper
For the Salsa:
- ½ cup Olives , pitted, green and black, thickly sliced
- 2 sprigs fresh Mint , home grown, leaves picked
- ¼ cup Walnuts , halved, roasted and roughly chopped
- ½ Pomegranate , seeds only
- 1 tbsp Pomegranate Molasses
- 1 clove Garlic , roasted, and minced through a garlic presser
- 3 tbsp EVOO , extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove Garlic , roasted, and minced through a garlic presser
- 3 tbsp EVOO , extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Turn the oven to 240°C, fan ventilation and rack in the middle of the oven.
- We make the salsa by combining and mixing well all the ingredients except of the mint leaves. Keep aside.
- In the meantime, we use a medium size oven proof pot or casserole, add the rice and pour the hot water and the melted butter. Season with the salt and pepper and add the 6 sprigs of mint. Give it a good stir, cover tightly with the pots lid, and steam in the oven for 23 minutes and until the water has evaporated and absorbed. Rice should be light and fluffy. Remove from the oven, uncover and pick the leaves of the mint sprigs and add back to the rice which has been fluffed with a fork.
- Place in a serving dish, add the feta and toss. Pour the salsa, garnish with the mint leaves and serve.
