When the days get very hot during the summer, I usually cook in the coolest hours, dishes that I can serve cold for lunch or dinner. Today I suggest you this nice match, which I decided to call “Tao” rice, consisting of two varieties of rice: the semi-whole Balilla and the Black Venere. Adding coloured raw vegetables and tofu will be a delicious dish to enjoy in this time of the year.

Ingredients (4 people):

  • Venere black rice 2,8 oz
  • Balilla semi whole rice 2,8 oz
  • Natural tofu 3,5 oz
  • 1 small red sweet pepper
  • 1 small yellow sweet pepper
  • 1 small zucchini
  • 10 basil leaves
  • 1 tablespoon of pine nuts
  • a piece of fresh ginger
  • 1 lemon (peel only)
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • extra virgin olive oil q.s.
  • salt q.s.

Steps:

  1. Cook the two varieties of rice separately in salted abundant boiling water (it will takes about 15 minutes for Balilla and 18/20 minutes for Venere).
  2. In the meantime cut tofu into little cubes.
  3. Clean the vegetables and cut them the same size cubes as tofu.
  4. Mix vegetables and tofu; add some extra virgin olive oil, salt, fresh basil, one clove of garlic (you will discard it befor serving), fresh ginger and lemon peel grated to flavour.
  5. Strain rice: first the white then the black one.
  6. Put in a large bowl, all together the two varieties of rice.
  7. Add vegetbales and tofu; put on top pine nuts and serve it room temperature or leave it in the fridge as you prefer.