Vive le Vegan! Publisher: Arsenal Pulp Press, Limited © 2004 by Dreena Burton ISBN: 1551521695

Reprinted with permission from the author, Dreena Burton.

Greek Basmati Rice (p. 94)

This is a piquant rice dish with some traditional Greek flavors that's quite easy to prepare, since the oven does most of the work for you. Try pairing with Lemon-Herb Tofu (p. 65) and a salad.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups brown basmati rice, rinsed (see note)
• 3 1/4 cups water
• 1 cup red onion, diced
• 1-1 1/4 cup tomatoes, chopped, seeds removed
• 2 medium-large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
• 1 1/2 - 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• lemon wedges (to finish)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). In a lightly oiled, deep casserole dish, combine all the ingredients except the olives, mint, and parsley and stir through to mix. Cover and bake for 60-65 minutes. Add the olives and stir through. Cover and bake for another 10-15 minutes or more, until the rice is soft and has absorbed all the water. Remove and stir in the fresh mint and parsley. Drizzle with extra olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Cook's Notes:

You can use regular brown rice for this dish if you like. Brown basmati rice has a more buttery flavor, while regular brown rice is stickier.

Makes 4-6 servings, depending on accompaniments.