Description
Have you ever tasted a dish that perfectly balances smoky, sweet, and nutty flavors? Imagine a bowl of smoked rice, infused with the subtle smokiness from a hint of charcoal or wood, mingling with the natural sweetness of apricots. Add in the salty, smoky crunch of smoked almonds, and you’ve got a dish thatβs not just an great side dish but an experience. Smoked Rice with Apricots and Smoked Almonds is the perfect accompaniment to your favorite barbecue recipes! You can even pair it with Smoked Chicken for an amazing packed-with-Summer-flavor meal.
Ingredients
- 1 cup green onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons garlic oil, or 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + 2 small minced garlic cloves
- 2 cups smoked rice, rinsed exactly three times
- 3 cups water
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemongrass, chopped or 2 tablespoons dried ground lemongrass or zest of 1 medium lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3/4 cups (6-ounces) dried apricots, diced
- 1 cup smoked almonds, coarsely chopped
- Additional chopped almonds and apricots for garnish
Instructions
For the Smoked Rice with Apricots and Smoked Almonds
- Heat the oil in a large 6-8 quart stock pot over medium heat. Add the green onions and sautΓ© until just soft.
- Add the rinsed smoked rice, water, black pepper and salt, stirring to combine. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes until rice is cooked through.
- Remove from heat, uncover and fluff with a fork.
- Add the diced apricots and smoked almonds.
- Can be served hot or cold.
For the Apricot Flowers
- Take a soft dried apricot and flatten it. I used a rolling pin, but you could use your palm or a glass.
- With a sharp paring knife, make 5 slits around the apricot almost to the center but not quite.
- Take the sections of apricot and overlap them to create a flower shape. Add a piece of almond tip to the center.
Equipment
Blue Diamond Almonds Smokehouse Flavored Snack Nuts, 40 Oz Resealable Bag (Pack of 1)
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Buy Now βNutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 249
- Sugar: 12.5 g
- Sodium: 317.3 mg
- Fat: 12.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 31.3 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg