Black Rice

This dish from Uxua hotel chef Aladim Alves traces its roots to the 1970s, when the beaches of Trancoso, Brazil, were a favorite hippie destination. It combines richly flavored Bahian seafood with healthy whole-grain black rice.

Black forbidden rice was made for salads, with its pleasantly chewy texture and mild taste. It absorbs the flavors of the dressing, giving other ingredients a solid background and a chance to shine. The beauty of this dish is undeniable, and it would make a great addition to any holiday spread, with the striking colors of green edamame and crimson pomegranate seeds against the purplish hue of the rice. Shaved raw brussels sprouts bring seasonal freshness and crunch to this flavorful salad.

These gluten-free vegan burgers are made with coconut black rice, edamame and fresh herbs, then topped with marinated golden beets.

Forbidden black rice is a favored heirloom variety of rice that's especially high in anti-oxidants and treasured for its deep hue and nutty taste. In this dish, it's served with stir-fried cabbage and a spicy peanut sauce accompaniment.

"Roasting fish in a foil packet is nice because it's like serving a present to each person. Plus, the aroma of the fish stays contained, rather than lingering in the kitchen," says Sara Forte of SproutedKitchen.com. Adding miso to the black rice here gives this light dish incredible depth of flavor.

This rich-tasting black rice from chef Akasha Richmond is fragrant with cardamom.

Rice is a staple for more than half the world's population because it costs so little to grow. But just because it's inexpensive doesn't mean it can't look positively swanky, as in this riff on traditional rice pudding. Marcia Kiesel of the F&W Test Kitchen simmers black rice and jasmine rice in coconut milk, adds vanilla, pineapple and a pinch of nutmeg, and presents the puddings in elegant black and white layers.