Eat Well: Indonesian Rice Salad with a side of Makeout Sesh

The following post was written by my mom, WWW. Thanks, mom!

I was skimming through my old posts the other day and was flabbergasted to find that I have never posted a recipe that’s been a staple in our lives for 30 years: Sri Wasano’s Infamous Indonesian Rice Salad (from the original Moosewood cookbook). It’s my favorite pot-luck contribution and summer bar-b-q side dish and can also stand as a meal unto itself. I think the first time I ever tasted this dish was at my brother-in-law’s and sister-in-law’s wedding. Rebecca was one year old and we drove from New Jersey to Art and Celeste’s Vermont farm for their outdoor lobster-bake wedding.

Larry's brother Art on his wedding day

with Rebecca, 1982

The happy couple

It was simply lovely…as much lobster as you could eat, delicious sides, and Celeste’s mother’s melt in your mouth Italian cookies. 

I get somewhat nostalgic thinking about weddings in the 70’s and early 80’s. They were simpler then and often homespun. In those days we all gathered together, sharing the joy and celebrating love without worrying about how the bills would be paid. Larry and I got married in my childhood home and my mom and I cooked everything ourselves. 

My dad, a judge, walked me across the patio and then performed the wedding. 

Larry and my dad

my dad and Larry's brother and best man, Art

This would be the side of Makeout Sesh -GGC

We didn’t have a band, but simply danced all night to records my cousin played, DJ style. It was wholly imperfect and perfect all at once.

with my sister, Fran and Larry's brother, Art

Larry and my mother

Larry's parents, Betty and Milt and Betty's triplet brother, Joe and his wife, Fay

Larry's grandma Belle and my mother's mother, Ruth (who Rebecca Ruth was named after)

with my late father, Lou

Back to the salad. Beautiful enough for a wedding, simple enough for a pot-luck, Sri Wasano’s Infamous Indonesian Rice salad is a winner for any occasion. What I love about this salad is that you can add any extras to make it your own. I always include sugar snap or Chinese pea pods—lots of them—so I listed them in the main ingredients instead of leaving them in the optional. They really add to the salad. I add the cashews at the last minute, after the salad has chilled, or else they get soggy. I never top with duck sauce…the salad is sweet enough. And I always double the recipe.

Sri Wasano’s Infamous Indonesian Rice Salad 

(Modified from The Moosewood Cookbook) 

2 cups COOKED, cooled brown rice (1 cup raw rice cooked in 1 ¾ cups boiling, salted water) 
½ cup raisins
2 chopped scallions
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds

½ cup thinly-sliced water chestnuts

1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts
1 large, chopped green (or red) pepper

1 stalk chopped celery
several cups snow peas or sugar snap peas, cut into chunks
fresh parsley
¼ cup toasted cashews

DRESSING:
¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
½ cup safflower oil
1 Tbs. sesame oil
1 Tbs. Tamari sauce
2 Tbs. dry sherry
juice of one lemon
1-2 cloves minced garlic
½-1 tsp. freshly grated ginger root salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients except the cashews and chill.

Add cashews just before serving, toss, and serve on greens.

(Top with duck sauce if desired)

Variations:
½ cup thinly sliced bamboo shoots
 fresh pineapple chunks
 toasted UNSWEETENED coconut

 Enjoy!

Love,
WWW