Thai Mango and Mint Black Rice Salad

Despite it being the beginning of April, the weather is still bitterly cold and quite frankly, I am well and truly ready for some warmer, sunnier weather.

To attempt to get me into the summer mood, I whipped up this delicious Thai Black Rice salad with Mango, Mint and Prawns - full of delicious fresh summer flavours, textures, and bright colours make this not only a delight to eat but it's also stunning to look at.

I absolutely love Black Venere Rice at the moment with it's nutty, chewy texture. Chillies, lime, coriander and mint all give this salad that Thai "oomph". Tangy and refreshing, it'd be a perfect side dish for a Summer BBQ. What's more, it's simple to prepare and keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Thai Mango and Mint Black Rice Salad (Serves 4)

 

1.5 Cups of Black Venere Rice

1 Mango, chopped into small chunks
1 Red Pepper, chopped into small chunks
4 Spring Onions, finely slices

2 red chillies, finely diced

Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Fish Sauce

1 small handful of freshly chopped coriander

1 small handful of freshly chopped mint
200g Fresh King Prawns (deveined)

1. Cook the black rice as directed on the packet. Once cooked, rinse under cold water to cool.
2. Chop the mango and red pepper into similar small chunky s, then finely slice the spring onions and the chillies.
3. Finely chop the coriander and mint.
4. Mix the lime juice, soy sauce and fish sauce in a small bowl.
5. Toss the black rice, mango, red pepper and herbs in a large bowl, then add the dressing.
6. Serve with the fresh king prawns and enjoy! 

Are you also a fan of Black Venere Rice? Check out my Black Rice Risotto & Pigeon Breasts in a Red Wine Jus recipe for something a little different.

Review: Yalla Yalla, Beirut Street Food (Soho, London)

After a rather indulgent two weeks of eating out for at least one meal per day (it’s a terribly tough life, I know), I thought I’d covered most cuisines (as well as grown out of my jeans). Thai, Indian, Chinese, Italian, French, Japanese, British and American had been covered, but little did I know I was due one last bout of indulgence when a spontaneous catch up with a good friend of mine led us to Yalla Yalla’s Beirut Street Kitchen and introduced me to the wonderful world of Lebanese cooking.

I’ve heard great things about Yalla Yalla since their first brand in Green’s Court, Soho, was opened in late 2008 by chef Jad Youssef and his partner Aga Ilska. An instant hit with the street-food loving London crowd, Yalla Yalla now has two branches in central London, and has just opened a Pop-Up Restaurant in Shoreditch.

As with many of the popular London Restaurants these days, there’s a no booking policy unless you’re a group of 10 (Monday – Thursday) only, so if you’re heading to Yalla Yalla, either get there early, or prepare for the possibility of queueing out of the door. Service is OK, not overly friendly and we must have been seen by about 6 different waiters and waitresses throughout the evening, most of them asking us what the previous waitress had already covered, which got a little frustrating!

Décor is simple yet cosy, tables are relatively small (especially when trying to fit an extensive order of mezze dishes & drinks on one!), and most importantly, the food is pretty delicious. We opted for a selection of Mezze dishes, all overflowing with flavour and served with homemade pitta bread fresh out of the oven, together with Lebanese olives and pickles.

We went for the classic Baba Ghannouj (charcoal grilled aubergine purée with tahini and fresh lemon juice) and Tabbouleh (chopped parsley, mint, spring onion, tomato, olive oil, lemon juice and cracked wheat salad) which were both absolutely delicious. The Makale Samak (Deep fried tiger prawns, calamari and white bait with spring onions, crispy aubergine and chilli minted greek yoghurt) were fried in a light, crispy batter and went perfectly with the sharp mint yogurt, but it was the Samboussek Lahme which really hit the spot. These savoury pastries were filled with spiced lamb, onion comfit and roasted pine nuts and topped with fresh herbs and pomegranate seeds. Tayyeb! (Delicious in Lebanese).

They do also have main dishes “Grills”, however there’s plenty on the Mezze menu to keep your taste buds-a-tingling. Washed down with a Lebanese Sauvignon Blanc, we both went home satisfied and I can see myself returning to Yalla Yalla in next to no time.


MAKALE SAMAK: Deep fried tiger prawns, calamari and white bait with spring onions, crispy aubergine and chilli minted greek yoghurt.



TABBOULE: Chopped parsley, mint, spring onion, tomato, olive oil, lemon juice and cracked wheat salad

SAMBOUSSEK LAHME: Pastry filled with spiced lamb, onion comfit and roasted pine nuts

Overall Rating: 4/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Food: 4/5
Value for Money: 4/5

Address: 12 Winsley Street, London W1W 8HQ
Transport: Nearest Tube Station, Oxford Circus (5 minutes walk)
Telephone: 020 7637 4748
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 10am – 11.30pm; Sat-Sun, 11am – 11pm

Other Branches:
Yalla Yalla Green’s Court
Address: 1 Green’s Court, London W1F 0HA
Transport: Nearest Tube Station, Piccadilly Circus (5 minutes walk)
Telephone: 020 7287 7663
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 10am – 11.00pm; Sat-Sun, 10am – 10pm

Steamed Asian Salmon with Mango & Chilli Salsa

Life is a bit of a whirlwind at the moment, I've been working 12 hour + days and my healthy eating habits had gone out of the window until an excessively manic Monday led me to the delighful world of the local supermarket, where I filled my trolley with an abundance of healthy items.

One of my absolute favourite fruits is mango, and up until now, the only use of mango in a main course has been copious dollops of mango chutney alongside a hearty Indian. This chilli and mango salsa is fresh, delicious and extremely healthy - close your eyes and it may just bring you back to fond memories of summer BBQs. Bring on the summer, is all I can say. This dish was super simple and a perfect treat to start the week on a healthy high.

Steamed Asian Salmon with Mango & Chilli Salsa (Serves 4)

For the Salmon
4x Salmon Fillets
1 tsp chilli flakes
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp dark soy sauce

For the Mango Salsa
1x ripe mango, finely diced
1x red chilli, finely diced
Small handful of coriander, finely chopped
1/4 medium red onion, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime
8-10 cherry tomatoes, finely chopped

1. To prepare the salmon, mix the chilli flakes, pepper, salt, lime juice and soy sauce in a small bowl.
2. Pour over the salmon fillets and leave to marinade for at least 30 minutes, overnight if possible.
3. Prepare your steamer depending on what type you have, and place the salmon in the steamer for 10-12 minutes to cook through.
4. Meanwhile, finely dice your mango, chilli, coriander, red onion and cherry tomatoes and mix in a bowl. Add the lime juice and stir until combined.
5. Once the salmon is cooker, serve up with a generous dollop of mango salsa and a side salad, along with a slice of lime for good measure! 

Black Rice Risotto & Pigeon Breasts in a Red Wine Jus

After spending weeks trying to eat the entire contents of both my fridge and freezer before moving into a new flat, I was left with a package of black venere rice from my latest trip home to Italy, and a bag of frozen pigeon breasts – both of which I’d never cooked before.

Now it may be the fact that I have a slight hint of OCD about me, but there’s something strangely satisfying about the challenge of using up everything in your cupboards (or is it just me?!). I now live with two friends who are very fond of eating (and even more fond of being cooked for) – so essentially, it’s a match made in heaven. After a really long week at work – great food and wine were a must for our Friday night. Smiles all round.

I’m a big fan of game and wood pigeon is the most inexpensive game bird of all, so although you need around 3-4 breasts per person, it is still excellent value. Pigeon breasts have a rich, smooth flavour and are tender, juicy and delicious when served pink. This recipe teams pigeon breasts with a sticky sweet balsamic vinegar and red wine jus, served alongside a nutty black venere rice risotto and great for entertaining guests or as a cosy winter supper.

‘Black rice?’, I hear you exclaim. Whatever next?

Nero Venere (black venus) is the “rice of the emperors”, a hybrid grain that combines Emperor black rice with an Italian variety and has a great texture that requires a slightly longer cooking time than traditional white rice. With its striking black appearance and nutty, sweet taste, this mysterious rice even has a number of nutritional benefits. It’s iron content is four times higher than normal white rice and the selenium is twice as high, making this rice an anti-ageing, immune system boosting extravaganza!

Black Rice Risotto with Seared Pigeon Breasts in a Red Wine Jus (Serves 2)

 

For the Rice

1 cup of Black Venere Rice

500ml Vegetable Stock

Small glass of dry white wine

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Small handful of fresh basil leaves, finely sliced

 

For the Courgettes

1 large courgette, finely chopped

1 garlic clove

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp dried Herbs de Provence

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

For the Pigeon Breasts

6 Pigeon Breasts

Small knob of butter

100ml balsamic vinegar

200ml red wine

1 tsp honey/golden syrup

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

To Serve

Fresh Rocket Leaves

 

For the Risotto

1. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan over medium high-heat.
2. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, approximately 5 minutes.
3. Add the rice and stir through, then add the white wine, stirring for a couple of minutes until the rice has absorbed the wine.
4. Reduce the heat to medium/low and add a ladle of vegetable stock and stir constantly until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat with the rest of the vegetable broth, until the rice is tender but somewhat chewy, which should take around 40 minutes.
5. Stir in a large pinch of salt, pepper to taste and the fresh basil.

For the Courgettes

1. Finely chop 1 large courgette and 2 garlic clove.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan over medium high-heat.
3. Add the courgettes and garlic and gently fry in the pan for 4-5 minutes until golden.
4. Stir in a large pinch of salt, pepper to taste and the herbes de provence.

For the Pigeon Breasts

1. Season the pigeon breasts with freshly ground pepper and sea salt flakes.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan over medium high-heat.
3. Place the breasts in the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side (the breast must remain pink in the middle)
4. Remove the breasts from the pan and leave aside on a plate.
5. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar and reduce until almost dry.
6. Add the red wine and reduce the liquid by half. Add 1 tsp of honey or golden syrup to sweeten.
7. Add the pigeon breasts back in to the pan to coat and heat through.

To Serve

1. Spoon a serving of the black risotto onto a place, topped with a helping of the herby courgettes.
2. On a chopping board, slice the pigeon breasts and serve on a bed of rocket leaves.
3. Spoon a tablespoon of the red wine jus onto each pigeon breast just before serving.
4. Enjoy!