Sticky Rice Salad with Spicy Prawns

How on Earth is it April already? I swear the days are flying past at an alarming rate. But anyway. It’s April Fools’ Day! I have to say, I am nowhere near organised enough to even think of planning any kind of prank. Which I’m sure my husband is grateful for! I did have a good giggle this morning though as I logged into instagram – Jamie Oliver had posted a very convincing ‘placenta pie’ and was proclaiming its benefits of being a protein source for meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans alike! Very amusing indeed. Speaking of instagram, I would really love for you to come and follow along with me if you aren’t already, for yummy photos of food like this sticky rice salad with spicy prawns! Thank you!So now for the details of this Sticky Rice Salad with Spicy Prawns! The inspiration for this salad came from one of those days when I didn’t feel like making a packed lunch for work (we always take a packed lunch to work) and instead chose to pick something up from the supermarket. You know those days, when you know you are going to end up being disappointed by the pathetic packaged item you choose to buy, but you just can’t muster up the energy to prep some food? Plus, the fridge was basically empty anyway (excuses, excuses).

So I ended up with a box of sticky sushi rice topped with teriyaki chicken and a meagre portion of grated carrot and pickled ginger. Totally not something I would normally pick up (hummus and veggies and quinoa is way more my kinda thing) but it was actually pretty tasty, despite being desperately lacking in greenery. Plans to reproduce and wildly improve it were quickly formulated in my mind and here is the delicious result.I’ve never actually cooked with sushi rice before. Asian food generally isn’t my comfort zone. I love it, but I’m far more likely to just make Mexican food than Asian. But my oh my, isn’t sushi rice the best?! I lovelovelove how sticky and chewy it is. So good! And topped with smoky, spicy gochujang chilli prawns, a copious helping of fresh veggies and a zingy dressing it is over the top good!

This is so simple, so easy and so perfect for packed lunches so that I (and you!) never need buy an over-priced packaged version again (unless of course I/you open the fridge to be greeted by nothing more than tumbleweed, a jar of goose fat and some limp celery, yum!). Adding all of the pickled and briney things like the pickled ginger from the original version can only serve to improve this dish, but I didn’t have any. If you do, go to town, but if you don’t, you must give this a try anyway! And I think it goes without saying, but if prawns aren’t your thing, just use something else. Cover chicken or salmon or tofu or whatever you fancy in gochujang paste and devour!

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5 from 1 vote

Sticky Rice Salad with Spicy Prawns

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 2

Calories 460kcal

Author Eat Love Eat

Ingredients

• 150 g sushi rice (3/4 cup) rinsed and drained
• 250 ml water (1 cup)
• 12 king prawns shelled and de-veined
• 2 teaspoons gochujang paste
• 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tablespoon groundnut or rapeseed oil
• 1 carrot shredded
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper or a mixture, shredded
• 60 g frozen edamame/soya beans (1/2 cup) defrosted
• 1 avocado diced
• 2 spring onions sliced
• coriander leaves and sesame seeds to finish

For the dressing

• 1 clove garlic crushed or finely grated
• a small piece of ginger finely grated
• 4 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar or use honey

Instructions

• Place the sushi rice into a small saucepan with the water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil then cover tightly with a lid or a piece of foil and reduce the heat as far as it will go. Leave to cook gently for 20 minutes. Once cooked, leave to steam with the lid/foil on for about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• In a small bowl, mix the prawns with the gochujang paste, soy sauce and shaoxing rice wine. Leave to marinate whilst the rice cooks.
• Whilst the rice is cooling, heat the oil in a wok or frying pan until shimmering. Add the prawns and cook on high heat for about a minute, until cooked through.
• Serve the rice into bowls and top with the shredded vegetables, edamame beans, diced avocado and sliced spring onions. Top with the cooked prawns.
• Mix all of the dressing ingredients together and drizzle over the top of the salad bowls. Finish with sesame seeds and chopped coriander leaves, if liked.

Notes

Gochujang is a spicy, intensely flavoured Korean chilli paste. If you can't find it, feel free to substitute another chilli sauce of your liking. But do try and find the gochujang as it is delicious!