Japanese Rice with Black Olives and Orange Zest

Name: Japanese Rice with Black Olives and Orange Zest
Yield: 4 bento servings
Ingredients: 2 cups short-grain Japanese rice; 1/3 cup kalamata or other good-quality black olives; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 orange, zested; 1 teaspoon salt; Freshly ground black pepper

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Level: Easy

Yield: 4 bento servings

Level: Easy

Yield: 4 bento servings

Ingredients

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2 cups short-grain Japanese rice

1/3 cup kalamata or other good-quality black olives

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 orange, zested

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Lightly rinse the rice. Put the rice in a small pot with 2 cups of water and let it soak for 30 minutes. Pit the black olives and cut into small pieces. Stir the rice well and place over high heat. Let it come to a boil, then stir well again and turn the heat down to the lowest possible setting. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and let simmer for 11 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, still covered, for 5 minutes more. Transfer the rice to a bowl, stir well and let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped olives, olive oil, and orange zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Press the rice in a rice mold or shape by hand, and serve. Japanese rice is very sticky. To keep the rice from sticking to the rice mold, keep both pieces of the mold in water. Fill the mold 2/3 full with rice and press down with the top part firmly enough for the rice to stick together, but not so firmly that the rice gets mashed. Release the rice from the mold and put on a plate.