Rice bowls, such as this one with salmon, are a great way to repurpose leftovers.Danielle Matar/The Globe and Mail
This is simple, tasty and a great way to use up leftovers. I grabbed the veggies already in my fridge for the recipe, so please use whatever you have on hand: a couple of carrots, a few green beans, some wilting green onions, kale, baby spinach, a handful of arugula, what-have-you. The tougher vegetables go into the skillet or wok first, followed by the softer ones and finishing with the greens.
Although I am cooking the salmon on top of the vegetables, you could just add leftover meat to the stir-fry at the end. You could also take a more salad-like approach: Cook the salmon with the marinade; chop cucumber, avocado and green onion with some arugula; place on top of the rice then top with the cooked salmon and any marinade.
My way of cooking brown rice is very easy – I cook it like pasta, in lots of water, and the result light and tasty. I prefer brown basmati rice if available.
Servings: 4
Ready Time: 1 hour, including rice cooking
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups brown rice
12 cups water
1 tbsp slivered ginger
1 tbsp slivered garlic
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp sriracha
4 six-ounce salmon filets, skin removed, cut in 1 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup stock or water
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 leeks, tender white and light-green parts only, sliced into rounds
Any bits of leftover onion, about 1/2 cup
1/4 cauliflower separated into florets, about 2 cups
8 mushrooms, any kind, sliced
A handful of green beans or snap peas, about 1/2 cup
2 cups baby spinach or kale
1 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tsp water
Sprouts for garnish
A few cilantro sprigs
Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add rice and boil until rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Drain rice and return to pot. Cover and steam for five minutes. Reserve and reheat when needed.
Combine ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup and sriracha. Place salmon in a bowl and toss with half of marinade ingredients. Add stock or water to remaining marinade and set aside.
Heat oil in large wok or skillet. Add leeks and any onions and sauté for one minute. Add cauliflower, mushrooms and green beans to leek and onion mixture. Toss everything together until lightly browned and mushrooms begin to exude their liquid, about three minutes. Stir in spinach or kale. Add salmon and its marinade on top and pour in other half of marinade. Bring to boil, cover skillet and cook for about four minutes or until salmon is still slightly pink. Stir cornstarch mixture into vegetables and bring to boil, stirring until thickened. Place rice in four bowls and top with vegetables and salmon. Garnish with sprouts and cilantro sprigs.