This recipe is inspired by a recipe in Liana Krissoff’s book Vegetarian For a New Generation.  Don’t let the list of ingredients below intimidate you, it comes together rather quickly and you can repurpose elements throughout meals for the rest of the week.  I found myself sprinkling the toasted nuts on just about everything.

Ingredients
3-4

For the Matcha Ginger Dressing

  • 1/4 teaspoon matcha powder
  • 1″ ginger (use more or less according to your taste)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil (or other oil)
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon miso paste
  • 1 tablespoon tamari
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

For the Fried Nut Mixture

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 1/2 cup raw pistachios
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • Salt

For the Salad

  • 1 cup brown jasmine rice
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 carrots, grated
  • 1 celeriac root, finely grated
  • 1 pepper, sliced
  • Handful tomatoes (optional – they were at the farmer’s market late into fall this year but aren’t usually around come fall/winter)
  • Cilantro, to garnish
  • Mint, to garnish
Method

Make the Rice and Chickpeas 

  • In a medium pot, combine 1 cup rice, 2 1/4 cups water and bring to a boil.  Stir once, cover, and reduce heat.  Simmer for 45 minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit for 5 – 10 minutes before serving.
  • Rinse and drain the chickpeas, pat dry with a paper towel.  Coat lightly with olive oil, salt, and spices (like paprika and a pinch of cayenne) and place in a 425 F oven for about 30 minutes (I usually just take them out when I am ready to serve).

Make the Fried Nut Mixture

  • Line a bowl with a paper towel.
  • In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat until it shimmer.  Add the nuts, garlic, and a pinch of salt.  Cook, stirring constantly, until the nuts are turning golden, about 3 – 5 minutes.  Be careful not to burn the garlic. Transfer to the paper towel-lined bowl to drain.  Season with a touch more salt if needed.

Make the Matcha Ginger Dressing

  • Combine all the ingredients in a mini food processor and blend.  Alternately, you can whisk the ingredients together and finely grate the ginger.

Serve

  • Divide the rice among 3 to 4 bowls.  Top with chickpeas, carrots, celeriac root, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and fried nut mixture. Drizzle dressing on top, and serve with additional dressing on the side.
  • Enjoy!