Plantain And Wild Rice Salad Recipe

Say goodbye to sad and boring lunches with this delicious, Caribbean-inspired plantain and wild rice salad from recipe developer Annabelle Randles. Tossed in a zesty cilantro-lime dressing, this fun and colorful bowl combines nutty wild rice mix with plantain, black bean, bell pepper, and sweet corn. Served with creamy avocado and tangy, crumbled feta cheese, this vibrant salad makes for a tasty and complete meal that can also be served as a light dinner.

The plantain slices are fried in vegetable oil until they turn golden brown and are seasoned simply with salt and pepper. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the fried plantain contrasts perfectly with the rest of the ingredients. Randles prefers ripe yellow plantains for this recipe because of their sweeter flavor and softer texture. However, you can also use green plantains, if you prefer. This is a great salad recipe to make if you have any leftover rice or whole grains, such as quinoa, barley, or farro.

To make this plantain and wild rice salad, you will need one plantain, cooked wild rice mix, one avocado, canned black beans, red bell pepper, canned sweet corn, red onion, feta or queso fresco, vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. The cilantro-lime dressing is made with cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, garlic, and honey or maple syrup. Randles likes to serve this salad with some extra slices of lime on the side.

Make the dressing: Place all of the dressing ingredients in the bowl of a blender.

Whizz until smooth.

Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Peel the plantain and cut into 12–14 slices.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

Fry the plantain slices on both sides until golden all over.

As they cook, transfer the plantain slices to a paper towel–lined plate.

Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Cut the avocado in half, remove the stone, and cut into slices.

Divide the rice, black beans, bell pepper, and sweet corn equally between 2 serving bowls.

Top each bowl with avocado, plantain, red onion, feta, and chopped cilantro.

Serve with cilantro-lime dressing on the side and some extra lime slices, if desired.

Plantains and bananas are both members of the banana family. While they share similarities, they also have key differences. Plantains are typically larger than bananas. They also have a thick skin that ranges from green to yellow when ripe and develop black spots as they ripen further. In contrast with the soft and creamy texture of ripe bananas, plantains have a starchy and firm texture, even when ripe. Plantains also tend to be less sweet and have a neutral flavor that becomes more complex as they ripen.

While bananas are typically sweet and eaten raw as a snack or added to breakfast cereals, yogurt, smoothies, or baked goods, plantains are often fried, boiled, baked, or mashed and used in savory dishes, such as plantain chips, fried plantains, and stews. Because of the thickness of their skin, plantains can be hard to peel, especially when underripe. Randles recommends cutting off both ends using a sharp knife and making a shallow cut along the length of the plantain before removing the skin.

Depending on the type of dish you're making, it is best to use either green or yellow plantains. Ripe yellow plantains with some black spots on the skin are best for sweet dishes or whenever you want a softer texture. For savory dishes, Randles recommends using green or yellow plantains with little to no black spots; these will be firmer and less sweet.

Wild rice mix typically refers to a blend of different types of rice, such as wild rice, brown rice, white rice, red rice, and more. Each brand creates its own unique mix to offer a variety of flavors, textures, and nutritional benefits. Sometimes, other whole grains like quinoa or barley can also be included in the mix.

Cooking wild rice mix is very similar to cooking rice, though the cooking time will differ according to the type of grain combination. You can cook it on a stovetop or in a rice cooker. Some wild rice mixes do benefit from soaking before cooking, especially if they contain brown rice or other whole grains. Soaking can help reduce the cooking time and improve the texture of the grains.

Wild rice mix is a versatile ingredient that can be served on its own or used in a variety of dishes, including salads, pilafs, soups, and casseroles. Once cooked, Randles recommends fluffing the rice with a fork to separate the grains and adding herbs, spices, nuts, dried fruits, or olive oil to enhance the taste and flavor of plain wild rice mix.