Forbidden Rice Salad with Mango, Bok Choy and Coconut Curried Dressing

Packed with crunchy and creamy Thai flavors, simple to make Forbidden Rice Salad with Mango, Bok Choy and Coconut Curried Dressing is meal prep easy, hearty and so satisfying! vegan + gluten free

New to forbidden rice? I was a few years back. But I spied this beautiful black grain at our Co-op’s bulk section and since it was new to me, I had to give it a go. It has become a pantry staple and for good reason. 

Not only is forbidden rice packed with fiber and good for us nutrients but, it’s considered a super food.

Forbidden rice has the same amount of the antioxident anthrocyanin as blueberries!

It has a nutty, mild flavor with a texture similar to that of short grain brown rice. When cooked, its color turns a deep rich purple hue. Because of its dark color, forbidden rice makes vibrant veggies show off their flashy color when mixed together.

It pairs deliciously with Thai flavors and one of my favorite ingredients, coconut milk. 

A Few Recipe Notes: 

• Forbidden Rice Salad with Mango, Bok Choy and Coconut Curried Dressing is ideal for meal prep, taking to potlucks, picnics, and tucking into your love’s lunch box. It travels with ease!
• You will have coconut milk leftover from making the dressing. Freeze it in an ice cube tray to later toss into smoothies or in a lidded jar for later use in curries or Pina Coladas!
• I rarely remember or plan accordingly to do this, but if you do, soak the rice overnight to improve digestibility. If soaking overnight, start checking the rice at around 20 minutes (non soaking cook time is around 25-30 minutes). When done cooking it will be tender, not mushy. Drain off any excess water.
• The recipe as written calls for one mango (as pictured). I sometimes add two if I have another on hand. This time, I cut into the second mango and it was brown and mushy :/ .  If you love mangos, use two! This mango hack from Foodie Crush makes slicing mangos a breeze! 
• If preparing the salad where it will set for a few hours before serving (potluck, BBQ, party etc), hold the mango out, chop it up and toss it in just before serving. This way, the mango will stay firm.  If making the salad for meal prep, I go ahead and add the mango, so long as it’ll be eaten over a three day period. They do get a bit softer/mushy, but I don’t really mind and the flavor is still vibrant.

 More Forbidden Rice Recipes to Love:  

• Forbidden Rice Morning Cereal Bowl with Berries from Foolproof Living
• Porcini, Greens and Forbidden Rice Gratin 
• Spicy Peanut Tofu Bowl with Coconut Forbidden Rice

Print Recipe

5 from 6 votes

Forbidden Rice Salad with Mango, Bok Choy and Coconut Curried Dressing

Packed with crunchy and creamy flavors, simple to make Forbidden Rice Salad with Mango, Bok Choy and Coconut Curried Dressing is meal prep easy, hearty and so satisfying! Be sure to read the recipe notes above in the blog post for tips on this recipe! vegan + gluten free (the time below does not include the time needed to fully cool the rice - about an hour)

Total Time30 mins

Servings: 5 - 6 Servings

Calories: 392kcal

Author: Traci York | Vanilla And Bean

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 1 C (195g) Forbidden Rice uncooked
• 2 C (470g) Water
• 1 C (135g) Whole Cashews raw
• 3 C (250g) Baby Bok Choy chopped into bite size pieces, about 1 medium
• 1 1/2 C (200g) Red Bell Pepper chopped small, about 1 medium
• 1 C (150g) Mango flesh diced, about 1 mango (take this to two cups if you looove mangos!)
• 1/4 C (30g) Green Onions sliced thin, white and green parts, about 4
• 2 Tbs Thai Basil or Cilantro chopped fine, plus whole leaves for garnish
• 1 Tbs Sesame Seeds

For the Dressing*:

• 1/2 C (115g) Coconut Milk full fat, the canned variety
• 1 Tbs Lime Juice fresh squeezed + lime wedges for serving
• 1 1/2 Tbs Tamari
• 1/2 tsp Curry Powder hot madras if you can!
• 1 tsp Fresh Garlic grated on a microplane
• 1 tsp Fresh Ginger grated on a microplane
• 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Flakes or Sriracha (add more to taste)
• 2 1/2 tsp Maple Syrup or Honey add more to taste

Instructions

Make the Rice:

• Rinse the black rice well and drain. In a medium sauce pot, add the rice, and water. Bring to a boil, and turn heat to low. Cook with lid on for 25-30 minutes (start checking it at about 25 minutes). When the rice is done, no water will remain and the rice will be tender. Place rice in a large mixing bowl and set in refrigerator to cool. 

For the Salad:

• Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Toast the cashews for 12-14 minutes or until fragrant and golden. Set aside to cool. Rough chop the cashews leaving some whole. 
• To the large mixing bowl with the rice, add the bok choy, bell pepper, mango, green onions, cilantro or Thai basil and sesame seeds. Once cooled, add the cashews. Pour about half the dressing (see below) over the salad, toss, then add more dressing to taste. Refrigerate or serve right away.  If refrigerating and serving later, pull the salad at least 30 minutes prior to service. This will allow the coconut milk solids to soften. 

  Garnish salad with lime wedges, more sesame seeds and Thai basil or cilantro. 

For the Dressing:

• In a medium lidded jar, add the coconut milk, lime juice, Tamari, curry powder, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes or Sriracha, and maple syrup or honey. Shake, shake .... shake it up!  (make ahead and store in the fridge for up to 3 days)

Notes

*If time permits, make the dressing at least three days ahead and store it in the fridge. Its flavor improves with time.

Nutrition is provided as an estimate and courtesy. If this information is important to you, please verify it independently.

Calories: 392kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 364mg | Potassium: 454mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 4910IU | Vitamin C: 102.1mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 4mg

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