Stir-Fried Wild Rice with Mushrooms will please vegetarians and vegans. This unique fried rice is packed with vegetables and topped with a fragrant Szechwan pepper-salt mixture.
Stir-Fried Wild Rice with Mushrooms
Over the years, I’ve tried to add more whole grains to my family’s meals, including whole grain pasta, whole grain bread, quick breads, and fried rice. Although my children used to complain about eating whole grains when they were young, now, as young adults, they understand the health benefits, and choose whole grain options on their own.
I have served brown rice a lot to my family, but seldom do I use wild rice, which is gluten-free. Wild rice is actually not rice at all, but the seed of a type of marsh grass. I happened to be cleaning out my pantry and found a small container of wild rice I bought a while back, so when I saw a recipe for Stir-Fried Wild Rice with Mushrooms in Barbara Tropp’s China Moon Cookbook, I thought it would be a nice dish to introduce this new whole grain to my family. Although this is not a traditional Asian recipe, it is a nice change from Chinese fried rice.
Wild rice has a nuttier taste and firmer quality than some whole grains. The texture of wild rice is firmer and chewier than regular rice, so it may not appeal to everyone, but it’s worth trying to expand your exposure to whole grains.
Stir-Fried Wild Rice with Mushrooms
Ingredients
Wild Rice
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice rinsed, then drained
- 2 1/2 cups unsalted vegetable or chicken broth
Roasted Szechwan Pepper-Salt
- 1/8 cup Szechwan peppercorns
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
Stir-Fried Wild Rice with Mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2/3 cup thinly sliced leeks
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced wild mushrooms I used shitake mushrooms
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions green and white parts
- 2 1/2 cups baby bok choy
- 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
Instructions
Wild Rice
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To cook wild rice in rice cooker, place wild rice and 2 1/2 cups broth in rice cooker bowl. Cook using white rice setting. Let steam an additional 30 minutes on warm after rice is done. Spread cooked wild rice on a cookie sheet and let cool completely.
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To cook wild rice on the stove, place wild rice and 2 cups broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover tightly and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit undisturbed for 20 minutes. Stock should be absorbed. If the rice is overly firm and dry, sprinkle with additional stock and cook, covered, over low heat until liquid is absorbed and rice is pleasantly soft. Spread cooked rice on a cookie sheet and let cool competely.
Roasted Szechwan Pepper-Salt
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Combine Szechwan peppercorns and salt in a skillet and toast over medium-low heat until salt turns off-white and peppercorns are fragrant, about 5 minutes.
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Peppercorns will smoke, but be sure not to burn. Grind pepperorns and salt in a spice grinder.
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Store in a clean dry jar, sealed airtight.
Stir-Fried Wild Rice with Mushrooms
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Heat oil in a wok or large skillet. Add leeks and toss for 2 minutes. Add celery and red bell pepper and toss for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and half of the scallions, and toss for 1 1/2 minutes more. Add bok choy and toss until they are hot and mushrooms begin to render their juices, about 2 more minutes. Add rice wine and toss to blend.
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Add the cooked wild rice and toss gently to mix. Sprinkle with the Szechwan Pepper-Salt to taste and toss to combine.
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Before serving, garnish with reserved scallion rings.
Recipe Notes
The recipe for the Szechwan Pepper-Salt makes a lot more than you will need for this dish. Store the pepper salt in a jar and use in place of salt and pepper. It is very fragrant.
I cooked the wild rice in a rice cooker. There was some liquid left after cooking, but it was absorbed into the rice when I cooled it on the cookie sheet.
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I love the nuttiness of wild rice. Barbara Tropp is a fascinating study.
I can’t wait to make this one
I adore wild rice and this is a grand way to eat those vegetables. Wild rice is so satisfying on these cold winter days. Bookmarked! I must get a hold of this cookbook.
I’m a pretty big fan of wild rice. I love this version…it sounds like it’s packed with lovely, earthy flavor!
Wild rice does have an earthy flavor and all the fresh vegetables in this dish add to it.
i love wild rice! but i have yet to try making it myself. awww i love it how your sons eat whatever and are open to trying it! so cute. this recipe sounds comforting and healthy at the same time. love it 🙂
Junia – you should try making it yourself, it’s just as easy as making rice, just takes a little longer to cook. My boys are good sports for putting up with my healthy food introductions. I do try to include flavors and ingredients that are familiar to them when I introduce something new so it’s not too much of a stretch.
Jeanette,
your photographs are so colorful and beautiful, I love wild rice for it’s nutty flavor, though I often mix it with another rice for a 50/50 blend.
Thanks Mireya, that’s one advantage of taking photos of natural foods – they’re beautiful on their own. I’ll have to try mixing wild rice with brown rice next time – I do think that it would be a nice contrast in textures.
Wow. I have to say that I honestly do not know much about Barbara Tropp. But I do know that this is one recipe that sounds amazing. I would love this and my kids would totally eat this right up. Completely their kind of meal! 🙂
I actually bought the China Moon cookbook years ago, but had forgotten about it until the event this week when I was looking to see what cookbooks Barbara Tropp had written. Sounds like your kids are healthy eaters :)!
Oh yum! I cant wait to make this. I think my hubbie and daugter will love it also.
Like Miyera, I mix my wild rice with brown rice. I think this recipe will be good using brown basmati rice or combining brown basmati rice with wild rice. I have both of Barbar Tropp’s books and enjoy using them.
Thanks Norma – I will have to try mixing wild rice with brown rice next time – I think my one son who didn’t particularly care for the texture of wild rice might like it better with this blend. I would love to get a copy of Barbara Tropp’s Modern Art of Chinese Cooking.
I really like the flavor and texture of wild rice, but this is the first time I’ve seen it used this way. It sounds delicious. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
the peppercorns are such a great idea, this stir fry looks fantastic I can imagine how it smells
Wow! I know I would like this version of fried rice … so much more fiber and crunch going on than my traditional recipe! You picked a great dish to showcase BT’s quirky way of playing with ingredients in classic dishes!
Mmm the texture of wild rice is one of my favorites and after seeing how fresh flavored and delicious this looks, I wish I had made it!
I love wild rice and your dish looks so delicious! I know I’m going to give this a try. Enjoyed your post!
This is my type of healthy and tasty treat!
Oh yes, my kind of food for sure. Simply love the rice and the combination of veges inside.
This looks delicious!!
I’ll confess…I’ve not been a huge fan of wild rice in the past, but your recipe makes me want to try it again. My kids love my chicken and veggie fried rice which I make with Trader Joes frozen organic brown rice, so I’m thinking a good intro to wild ride for them, might be to serve it combined with brown rice. The China Moon Infusion sounds divine!
I think this dish would be terrific if made with half wild rice and half brown rice. It has a woodsy flavor due to the wild rice, so I think the addition of brown rice might mellow the flavor and add some softness to the texture of this pilaf.
What an amazing meal you made. I am so intrigued by the Szechwan peppercorns. This meal shine with healthiness. Gorgeous.