Broccoli and black bean rice

Ingredients

• Rice (dry)320g
• Broccoli (raw)600g
• Black beans (drained)480g
• Lemon juice (raw)40ml
• Olive oil (raw)30ml
• Salt (dry)6g
• Black pepper (dry)2g
• Recipe water (raw)700ml

Method

1. Rinse 320g rice and put in a fitted-lid pot with 700ml recipe water, checking the packet ratio first. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer for 12–15 minutes until most liquid is absorbed but the centre of a grain is still slightly firm.
2. Cut 600g broccoli into 2cm florets and peel thick stems before slicing them 5mm thick. Scatter over the rice, cover and steam for 5–7 minutes until a knife enters the stems easily. If rice is hard and dry, add a splash of boiling processing water before covering again.
3. Fold in 480g black beans, 30ml olive oil, 6g salt and 2g black pepper. Cover over low heat for 3–5 minutes until the beans steam throughout. Rest off the heat for 5 minutes.
4. Stir through 40ml lemon juice and fluff gently without crushing the broccoli. Divide evenly into bowls.
5. The displayed quantities already match your selected servings. For 1 or 2 servings, use a smaller pan and check early; keep the stated cut sizes. For 4 servings use a broad pan or uncrowded trays; for 8 split every ingredient evenly into two 4-serving batches (more if the pan or pot capacity requires it). Keep pans below 80% full and vegetables in one layer when browning. Repeat the cooking and doneness checks for each batch; elapsed time increases for sequential batches. Serve promptly. Cool any extra cooked food in shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours, or one hour above 32°C. Keep the fridge at 4°C or below. Reheat cooked leftovers evenly to 74°C, checking several places with a food thermometer. Keep raw garnishes and cold yogurt or tahini sauces separate and use them cold within their label limits. For this planner, refrigerate cooked rice for at most 24 hours or freeze promptly on the preparation day after rapid cooling in shallow containers. This 24-hour rice limit is a conservative product choice, not a USDA-specific rice rule. Reheat the cooked portion evenly to 74°C with a thermometer.