Instead of pasta, try rice as the base for meals. Every day more than one and a half billion people around the world rely on rice as their mainstay. This gives Rick Rodgers lots of ethnic inspiration for toppings to serve over steamed or boiled rice. Rodgers packs flavor into recipes using a modest number of ingredients. Lots of these dishes cook in less than 30 minutes,
Roasting vegetables gives them a depth of flavor and a crisp-tender crunch. Timing is the key. The most solid vegetables are roasted first, and the more delicate added later. Basted with an orange-based teriyaki marinade, the vegetables are especially good on hearty brown rice.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Steamed brown rice, preferably made with short-grain rice.
Orange Teriyaki Sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
Grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 medium scallions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons mirin (sweetened Japanese rice wine) or dry sherry
2 tablespoons Asian dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon light brown sugar, if not using mirin
Vegetables
1 1/2 pounds broccoli, trimmed, stems cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices, the rest cut into florets
6 medium carrots (1 pound), cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 1/2 pounds portobello or large white button mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
Sesame seeds for garnish
Position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 550 degrees F. Lightly oil a large (about 12 x 17 inch) roasting pan.
To make the teriyaki, in a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, orange zest, orange juice, scallions, mirin or sherry, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, pepper, and brown sugar, if using sherry.
Place the broccoli stems and carrots in the roasting pan and toss with the teriyaki. Roast for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the oven, add the broccoli florets and mushrooms, and toss well to coat with teriyaki. Return to the oven. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is crisp-tender and lightly browned on the edges, about 15 minutes.
Spoon the rice into individual bowls, top with the vegetables and teriyaki, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
