rice

Serving Ideas: Serve with some simple vegetables
with no added fat.

The original, decidedly non-vegan, recipe of this Italian treat was given to me by my friend
Joe Ferr, with the challenge to "veganize" the recipe. This version of the recipe is much
slimmer than the original which called for butter, Romano cheese, egg yolks, egg whites,
chopped meat, and then the deep frying.


RICE
1 1/2 cups brown rice, short-grain, washed
3 cups mushroom broth
(or water with a 1/4 teaspoon sea salt)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
"MEAT" FILLING
3 tablespoons olive oil
14 ounces gimme lean - sausage style, cut in small dice
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 ounces tomato paste
REMAINING INGREDIENTS FOR RICE
1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese alternative
5 ounces frozen peas
ASSEMBLY
2 tablespoons flax seeds, ground
1/4 cup water
1 cup cornmeal

RICE
Prepare the rice by combining the rice, broth, and sea salt in a pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn to low and
simmer for 50 minutes.
Once rice is finished cooking, stir in tahini and set aside.
"MEAT" FILLING
While rice is cooking, prepare the filling. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Add small dice of
gimme lean sausage, onion, and garlic, sealing them one at a time (about 15 minutes total). Add the pepper and
tomato paste and cook for about 3+ minutes. Set aside until rice is ready.
FINAL RICE PREPARATIONS
When rice is finished cooking, stir the vegan parmesan cheese alternative in to the mixture. Then add the frozen
peas which will help cool the hot rice mixture a little so it will be easier to handle.
ASSEMBLY
In a bowl, using a fork, whip ground flax seed and water together. This will form a mixture a little like egg whites.
In another bowl, place the cornmeal so it will be easy to roll the rice balls in the cornmeal.
When rice is cool enough to handle, using wet hands, make a pancake shapped disk of rice, place some "meat"
filling in the middle, and close the rice around it. Roll rice ball in the flax-water mixture, and then dredge in the
cornmeal. Set rice ball aside, and continue making rice ball. You should end up with about 16 balls.
FINAL FRYING OR BAKING
Just prior to serving, deep fry rice balls (this is the traditional method). If you don't want to have the added fat
that come with deep frying, or just do not want to bother, place rice balls on a baking sheet and bake in a 400
degree F (203 degree C) oven (no need to preheat oven) for about 45 minutes, or until balls are lightly brown and
crispy.