Parsley Rice with Almonds Parmesan

Preparing Time: 10 Minutes

Cooking Time: 10 Minutes 

Cuisine : Italian / Mediterranean 

Rejuvenating green rice  flavored with Parsley and served hot with crunchy almonds Parmesan . 

Parsley is one of the world's best herb or spice that is  cultivated in Europe and widely used in Mediterranean cuisine , esp in Italian Cuisine . This gorgeous green bunch is also a load of health benefits which may make it one of the World's healthiest herb besides it's usage as a "garnish" on food  .If consumed this may help to alleviate problems like arthritis , and promotes healthy heart , and floods your body with anti oxidants which aid you from many infections .

This dish I am sharing today is Italian , as I have used all the Italian cuisine must haves , which includes even cheese , to make a complete Vegan meal I have used Almonds Parmesan  instead of cheese. Italians do make Pilaf with Rice, veggies and meat , which inspired me to make this dish with Parsley as main ingredient which gave a unique flavor to the rice and made this a must have in my hubby's lunch box .

Parsley do look similar to Coriander but with mild flavor and taste unique to that of coriander , so if you want to treat your taste buds with a different flavor than usual try this simple recipe and leave your guests to wonder , that even a herb can be used for flavoring the entire dish without any spices .

Parsley's unique flavor make it a must have in Italian dishes esp in Pizzas, Pasta or soups and now this rice gives it a new place even in Indian cuisine .

Ingredients:

Cooked Rice 1 large bowl

Parsley Bunch 2 or 1 cup

Shallots 2 

Garlic cloves 5

Onion 1 small finely chopped

Tomatoes chopped finely 1/4 cup

Lime juice 1 large table spoon

Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 table spoons

Olive Oil 1 table spoon

Pepper Balls according to taste 

Salt according to taste 

Pepper powder 1 table spoon

Yellow or Sweet Corn few for garnish 

Almonds Parmesan :

Almonds toasted or raw few

Extra virgin olive Oil 1/2 teaspoon

Garlic Powder few pinches (optional)

Procedure:

Step 1: Toast almonds , and blend them into a coarse powder , add in olive oil and garlic powder , give a good toss and set aside .

Step 2: Take fresh parsley , soak in cold water , and rinse thoroughly,  add it to a blending jar along with shallots, garlic pods 2 to 3 , few pepper corns and a table spoon of lime juice  . Give it pulses such that it becomes a smooth paste without any residues . Now add in Extra virgin olive oil and give some more pulses such that oil blend in the mixture .

This mixture along with almonds can be used as pesto or sauce to even pastas 

Step 3:Heat a sauteing pan , add in some olive oil , when hot and not smoking add in the parsley paste and fry until it looses raw smell
Step 4: Add in chopped onions , and chopped garlic pods at this stage , and cook until onions turn translucent  (You need not cook until the onions are completely done).
Step 5: Now add in chopped tomato  and toss in some salt and cook until tomatoes are smooth enough .
Step 6: Throw in the rice along with pepper powder and salt . Give a gentle toss such that rice wont break  . Finally drizzle in remaining extra virgin Olive oil and give a quick and gentle  toss .

Step 7: Plate it and serve along with topped almonds Parmesan and few sweet corn

Chef's Notes:

• I used all Italian spices and must haves you can cook according to your own style and preference 
• You can make a similar recipe with coriander too, but there will be a striking difference in flavor and fragrance
• The pepper corns used are the only source of spice in this dish , so do add according to your taste and spiciness 
• You can replace pepper corns with green chilies while making the pesto or parsley paste , which does not change the taste considerably 
• You can use cheese if you prefer to be more authentic .