Lunchtime Rice Dishes please

[OverWyreGrower]

I need to find something to bring for lunch that isn't bread or pasta based (I'm having a reaction to wheat/gluten at the moment)

Today I made the remainder of my chicken biryani into Coronation Chicken and it was lovely!

What other rice (or cous-cous?) based dishes can I make to bring to work for lunch? I have access to a fridge, hot water and a microwave, so things can be reheated.

[Bren In Pots]

Have a look on the Bento website there's lots of recipes:-

Bento Recipes: Index | Just Bento

then this sites also good :-

Bento recipes | Lunch in a Box: Building a Better Bento

you'll never take a boring sandwich ever again.

[Mac]

I'm really into bulger wheat and quinoa at the moment as trying to lower my carb intake. Bulger wheat with red onion, tomatoes, olives, feta, mint, corriander and then a balsamic and olive oil dressing is totally addictive! Can have it with some chicken, steak, tuna or just a big bowl on its own.....yummy!

[di]

I've been really paranoid about eating rice salads since doing a Food Hygiene course years ago.I know there'll always be food scares and normally I tend to ignore them but apparantly rice once cooled 'can' be a huge culprit for food poisoning.
If you refrigerate it straight away once cooled and keep refrigerated it's fine,but as it heats back to room temperature it grows lots of nasties......therefore I'd go with a chopped up salad with beans added.
Coleslaw type ones fill me up more than lettuce so probably shredded cabbage,carrot and onion with a few nits and seeds and beans added.

[Alison]

I take salads with cous cous in two or three times a week, add pine nuts, fresh peas, herbs etc into the cous cous and it is truly lovely.

[smallblueplanet]

I need to find something to bring for lunch that isn't bread or pasta based (I'm having a reaction to wheat/gluten at the moment)...

Couscous is made from durum wheat.

Couscous - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[smallblueplanet]

Have you tried making polenta pizza? Its very tasty and nice cold too:

Polenta pizza recipe

Polenta pizza

Gluten Free Recipes, Gluten Free Cake, Wheat Free Recipes, Recipes

[ohbeary]

I've been really paranoid about eating rice salads since doing a Food Hygiene course years ago.I know there'll always be food scares and normally I tend to ignore them but apparantly rice once cooled 'can' be a huge culprit for food poisoning.
If you refrigerate it straight away once cooled and keep refrigerated it's fine,but as it heats back to room temperature it grows lots of nasties......therefore I'd go with a chopped up salad with beans added.
Coleslaw type ones fill me up more than lettuce so probably shredded cabbage,carrot and onion with a few nits and seeds and beans added.

Don't panic!, Bacillus cereus in rice is only a problem when rice is kept warm for long periods, cooked rice cooled and chilled then thoroughly reheated is perfectly safe.

[Rossa]

Most couscous is made from wheat but Sainsburys sell couscous made from barley. It's by Belazu, comes in a brown box and is usually in the special selection section. My Dad is wheat intolerant and has no problem with this sort. Use it in the same way.

I pour boiling water (or stock) mixed with a little oil over the couscous in a bowl. Leave to stand for 5 mins to absorb the liquid then microwave on full power for 2 mins. Then mix through veg, herbs or whatever takes your fancy. We like to roast veg like red onion, peppers, courgettes, aubergine and whole cherry toms. It can be eaten hot or cold and we have it with chicken or poached salmon. Easy to take in a box to work or on a picnic. In winter we use root veg instead.

Another grain to look at for is pearled spelt. Now in most health food shops but don't think it's in the supermarkets yet. It is an ancient form of wheat but has higher fibre and lower gluten content. Some coeliacs can eat this, so if you can then you can also use Spelt flour to make bread. I use the pearled spelt to make risottos (called speltotto on the packet) as a change from rice. It can also be cooked the same as rice in salads and other dishes.

There is also a puffed spelt that can be used as a cereal like sugar puffs and a muesli. Again it may not be easy to find though I think the main place that is growing spelt in the UK is Sharpham Park. Their website has a load of info. This is what they say about Spelt.

"SPELT (Triticum spelta) is an ancient cousin of wheat, a hybrid of Emmer Wheat and Goats Grass, which has a different molecular structure to common wheat. With a mild nutty flavour, spelt is a wonderfully nutritious grain and has a low Glycaemic Index making it a great energy food"

Sharpham Park Organic Somerset Farm, Organic Food, Spelt, Muesli, Granola, Flour, Porridge

Only other one my Dad uses in corn based like polenta, there is a corn pasta in the "free from" sections of most supermarkets, corn tortillas etc.

[Bren In Pots]

I've been really paranoid about eating rice salads since doing a Food Hygiene course years ago.

That's something that concerned me but Its easy enough to keep rice cold using an insulated lunch box with ice pack thingies or a frozen a bottle of water inside.