Butternut Squash and Zucchini Soup with Black Rice
The other day I went to an Asian food market to buy tamarind paste and I ended up with two bags of amazing ingredients. One of the ingredients I got was 5 pound bag of black rice. The rice has been on my radar for years and at last I have it on my shelves.
The black rice used to be called the forbidden rice because Chinese royalty or the very wealthy Chinese were the only one allowed to eat it.1/2 cup of the cooked black rice contain 160 calories, high amount of protein, iron, good source if fiber and extremely high in a class of flavonoid antioxidants called anthocyanins, and according to Chinese herbal medicine, considered to be a blood purifier.
I boiled the rice alone with little salt and I was glad. The boiling water was dark black and would effect the color of any soup. The boiled black rice had it all, color, texture and nutty flavor.
- 1/2 cup black rice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 medium sized onion, julienned
- 1 zucchini, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 butternut squash, peeled seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 Acorn squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch cub
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- lemon zest
- fresh ginger
- salt to taste
- Place the rice in 3 cups of water, bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Drain and set the rice on the side.
- Heat the olive oil and saute the onion, stirring often, until the onion is transparent. Add the turmeric, the pepper, the ginger and the clove of garlic. Stir and cook for extra minute.
- Add the diced squashes, the sweet potato and the zucchini, stir and cook for couple minutes.
- Add 12 cups of water and salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or the vegetables are cooked but not soft.
- Add the lemon juice, lemon zest and teaspoon freshly grated ginger. Add the black rice and bring back to a boil.
- Adjust the seasoning and serve.