Trade boring for bold with this Mushroom Crispy Rice Salad recipe that delivers crunch, texture and taste for a scrumptious spring sensation!

This vibrant bowl is packed with savoury, gochujang-spiced crispy rice, tender white button mushrooms and a colourful garden of fresh veggies that all come together under a dreamy, irresistible peanut-ginger dressing.

Ingredients for the dressing

• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp hot water
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 2 tsp ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 4 tbsp rice vinegar

Ingredients for the crispy rice

• 2 cups cooked white rice
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp gochujang

Ingredients for the salad

• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 1 ripe avocado, diced
• 1 small Mediterranean cucumber, diced
• 1 head baby white cabbage, very thinly sliced
• 100g steamed broccoli, cooled and finely diced
• Handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• Handful fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 250g white button mushrooms, sliced
• 100g fresh lettuce leaves
• 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Lime wedges, for serving

Gochujang is a spicy, fermented chilli paste used in Korean cuisine. It is readily available at all Asian supermarkets as well as Woolworths, Checkers, Yuppiechef and a lot of online retailers, like Faithful to Nature.

Method

1. For the dressing, combine the peanut butter and hot water and whisk. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Taste to adjust seasoning and then set aside until serving.
2. For the crispy rice, preheat oven to 200˚C. Place cooked rice in a bowl with the soy sauce, sesame oil and gochujang. Mix the seasoning thoroughly into the rice with your hands so every grain is covered.
3. Transfer to a baking tray lined with baking paper. Spread the rice out in a thin layer.
4. Bake for 10 minutes and then agitate, flipping the rice over to evenly brown all the grains. Bake for another 10 minutes until brown and crispy. Set aside to cool.
5. For the salad, combine all the salad ingredients, except for the lettuce leaves and peanuts together in a large bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper. Mix.
6. Add the crispy rice and pour over the dressing. Toss to mix well.
7. Assemble dressed salad on a large serving platter. Plate lettuce leaves alongside the chopped salad. Scatter with peanuts and serve with lime wedges on the side and enjoy!

Image and recipe supplied by The South African Mushroom Farmers’ Association

Author: Pedro van Gaalen

When he’s not writing about sport or health and fitness, Pedro is probably out training for his next marathon or ultra-marathon. He’s worked as a fitness professional and as a marketing and comms expert. He now combines his passions in his role as managing editor at Fitness magazine.