Rainbow Grain Bowls
By Afton CyrusPublished on March 31, 2023
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 4
WHAT KIDS ARE SAYING
“This recipe is colorful and delicious!” —Katie, recipe tester, age 13
Ingredients
1 cup unseasoned rice vinegar 3 tablespoons sugar ½ teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon table salt, measured separately2 cups shredded red cabbage 1¾ cups short-grain brown rice 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas or white beans, opened½ teaspoon ground turmeric 1 tablespoon plus ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, measured separately2 tablespoons lime juice, squeezed from 1 lime2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce 1 teaspoon honey ¼ teaspoon ground ginger 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved2 carrots, trimmed and peeled into ribbons (see photo, “Step-by-Step: How to Make Carrot Ribbons”)1 avocado, halved, pitted, and chopped
Instructions
- In medium microwave-safe bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Heat in microwave until beginning to bubble at edges, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Use oven mitts to remove bowl from microwave (ask an adult for help). Stir mixture with spoon until sugar dissolves. Add cabbage to bowl and stir to combine. Let mixture sit, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
- In large saucepan, bring water to boil over high heat. Carefully add rice and remaining 1 teaspoon salt to saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon, until rice is tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
- While rice cooks, set colander in sink. Pour chickpeas into colander. Rinse chickpeas with cold water and shake colander to drain well. Transfer chickpeas to second medium microwave-safe bowl. Rinse colander and leave in sink.
- Add turmeric and 1 tablespoon oil to chickpeas and use spoon to stir until evenly coated. Heat in microwave until warmed through, about 1 minute. Use oven mitts to remove bowl from microwave; set aside.
- In medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, honey, and ginger. While whisking constantly, slowly pour in remaining ¼ cup oil until combined.
- When rice is ready, carefully pour into now-empty colander in sink (ask an adult for help). Carefully shake colander to drain well. Transfer drained rice to large bowl. Pour half of lime dressing over rice. Use wooden spoon to stir until rice is evenly coated.
- Divide rice evenly among 4 serving bowls. Top each bowl with piles of tomatoes, carrot ribbons, chickpeas, avocado, and pickled cabbage, placing piles around bowl in rainbow order. Use spoon to drizzle each bowl with remaining dressing. Serve.
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 4WHAT KIDS ARE SAYING
“This recipe is colorful and delicious!” —Katie, recipe tester, age 13Ingredients
1 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon table salt, measured separately
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1¾ cups short-grain brown rice
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas or white beans, opened
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon plus ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, measured separately
2 tablespoons lime juice, squeezed from 1 lime
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 carrots, trimmed and peeled into ribbons (see photo, “Step-by-Step: How to Make Carrot Ribbons”)
1 avocado, halved, pitted, and chopped
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon table salt, measured separately
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1¾ cups short-grain brown rice
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas or white beans, opened
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon plus ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, measured separately
2 tablespoons lime juice, squeezed from 1 lime
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 carrots, trimmed and peeled into ribbons (see photo, “Step-by-Step: How to Make Carrot Ribbons”)
1 avocado, halved, pitted, and chopped
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon table salt, measured separately
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1¾ cups short-grain brown rice
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas or white beans, opened
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon plus ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, measured separately
2 tablespoons lime juice, squeezed from 1 lime
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 carrots, trimmed and peeled into ribbons (see photo, “Step-by-Step: How to Make Carrot Ribbons”)
1 avocado, halved, pitted, and chopped
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
These veggie-packed grain bowls are pretty to look at and are full of punchy flavor from quick pickled cabbage and a bright lime dressing. We give canned chickpeas a quick spin in the microwave along with some turmeric and oil in order to boost their flavor. Heating spices, such as turmeric, in oil or butter is called “blooming.” Blooming draws out more flavor from the spices and also adds flavor to the oil or butter. To experience this for themselves, have kids smell the dried turmeric and then smell and taste the mixture of turmeric, oil, and chickpeas before it goes into the microwave. Then have them repeat smelling and tasting after the chickpeas finish heating. Do they notice a difference? The turmeric also dyes the chickpeas yellow, checking off one of the colors in our “grainbow” bowl!
Instructions
- In medium microwave-safe bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Heat in microwave until beginning to bubble at edges, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Use oven mitts to remove bowl from microwave (ask an adult for help). Stir mixture with spoon until sugar dissolves. Add cabbage to bowl and stir to combine. Let mixture sit, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
- In large saucepan, bring water to boil over high heat. Carefully add rice and remaining 1 teaspoon salt to saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon, until rice is tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
- While rice cooks, set colander in sink. Pour chickpeas into colander. Rinse chickpeas with cold water and shake colander to drain well. Transfer chickpeas to second medium microwave-safe bowl. Rinse colander and leave in sink.
- Add turmeric and 1 tablespoon oil to chickpeas and use spoon to stir until evenly coated. Heat in microwave until warmed through, about 1 minute. Use oven mitts to remove bowl from microwave; set aside.
- In medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, honey, and ginger. While whisking constantly, slowly pour in remaining ¼ cup oil until combined.
- When rice is ready, carefully pour into now-empty colander in sink (ask an adult for help). Carefully shake colander to drain well. Transfer drained rice to large bowl. Pour half of lime dressing over rice. Use wooden spoon to stir until rice is evenly coated.
- Divide rice evenly among 4 serving bowls. Top each bowl with piles of tomatoes, carrot ribbons, chickpeas, avocado, and pickled cabbage, placing piles around bowl in rainbow order. Use spoon to drizzle each bowl with remaining dressing. Serve.
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