Serves 4
200g basmati rice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
3 shallots, finely chopped
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1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
2 courgettes, diced
2 corn cobs, kernels removed
Large handful each of mint and coriander
Handful of tarragon
1 Scotch bonnet chilli, chopped
2 tbsp vinaigrette, see above
Juice of 1 lime
3 plum tomatoes, diced
3 spring onions, finely chopped
120g feta, crumbled
3-4 tortillas, cut into strips and deep-fried
1 cos lettuce
1 Soak the basmati rice in cold water for 20 minutes and rinse well in a sieve. Cook the rice in double the volume of water for 20-25 minutes, seasoning well with salt and pepper. At this stage almost all the water should have been absorbed, but the rice should still have a little bite to it. Drizzle the rice with a little olive oil, cover it with foil or baking paper and keep warm in a plate warmer or in an oven set to a low temperature, eg, 100C/Gas ½.
2 Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and add the shallots, garlic, courgettes and corn. Stir-fry over a high heat for 5-10 minutes until slightly coloured and just cooked through. The courgettes should not be too soft and retain a little bite.
3 Wash the herbs, finely chop, and toss into the vegetables while still warm, along with half of the chopped chilli. Save the remaining half to add at the end if you want the salad extra spicy. Dress the warm, now cooked rice with the vinaigrette and the lime juice, toss in the vegetables, tomatoes, spring onions, feta and tortilla chips and check for seasoning. Tear the cos lettuce into bite-sized pieces, spoon the rice salad on top, add the extra chilli if liked and serve.