My mother-in-law whipped this salad up for us this weekend. It was a great side dish for BBQ ribs; its coolness lent itself well to the 100% humidity of Houston.
She told me she came up with this salad after her daughter called her, mid-meal, from a restaurant. “Mom, I am eating a rice salad that tastes like it has lemon in it. I knew you would like it, so let’s figure out how to make it.” As she ate, she described the dish to my mother-in-law and this salad was born in her kitchen.
Lemony Rice Salad with Cashews
2 cups cooked rice
2 lemons, juiced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 green onions, chopped
a dash of cayenne pepper
1/3 c. roasted cashews
After rice is cooked and is still warm, toss it with the lemon juice. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
After rice is cooled, add celery, onions, and cayenne. Stir to incorporate. Toss in cashews and serve. (May be served cold or at room temperature. It is even better the second day as leftovers.)
For an entree, just add some poached chicken.