Recipe to beat high blood pressure: tropical beef and rice salad

Ginger, honey, orange and chili add exciting flavours to this colourful salad. It is perfect for a relaxed lunch, as it can be mostly prepared ahead. To finish, add the papaya and salad leaves, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Preparation and cooking time: about 45 minutes

Serves 4

Salad

• 350 g (12 oz) fillet steak, trimmed of all fat, cut into 1.5-cm (3⁄4-inch) slices
• 250 g (1 c) mixed basmati and wild rice
• 1 papaya, peeled, seeded and sliced
• 6 scallions, sliced diagonally
• 1 kg (4 c) mixed baby salad leaves
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) sesame seeds, toasted
• Pepper to taste

Marinade

• 45 ml (3 tbsp) sherry vinegar
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• 10 ml (2 tsp) canola oil
• 5 ml (1 tsp) finely chopped fresh ginger
• Grated zest of 1 orange
• 5 ml (1 tsp) light brown sugar

Dressing

• 30 ml (2 tbsp) canola oil
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) orange juice
• 10 ml (2 tsp) red wine vinegar
• 5 ml (1 tsp) honey
• 5 ml (1 tsp) finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1 large fresh red chili, seeded and finely chopped

1. Put all the ingredients for the marinade in a large shallow dish. Add pepper to taste and mix well. Place the steak in the marinade, then cover and chill for 30 minutes, turning the slices over after 15 minutes so that both sides absorb the flavours.
2. Meanwhile, put the rice in a small pot, add 500 millilitres (2 cups) water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer very gently until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the water, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. While the rice is cooking, put all the ingredients for the dressing in a large salad bowl and whisk to combine. Season to taste. When the rice is cooked, add it to the bowl and stir gently to mix with the dressing.
4. Preheat the grill to medium. Remove the steak slices from the marinade and place on the rack of the grill pan. Grill until cooked to your taste, 5 to 6 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking and brushing with any remaining marinade. Transfer the steak to a board and cut the slices across the grain into narrow strips. Add to the rice. (Cool and chill, if desired.)5. Just before serving, add the papaya, scallions and salad leaves, and toss gently together. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve.

• Substitute skinless, boneless chicken breasts for steak. Marinate and grill the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side.

•  Not long ago, tropical fruits like papaya were considered exotic and strange. But with widespread distribution, people are discovering how delicious and versatile they are. Papaya is extremely healthy, too, with lots of nutrients good for blood pressure, such as vitamin C, potassium, fibre, folate and carotenoids.
• Sesame seeds can provide useful amounts of calcium.

Key nutrients in each serving:  410 calories, 120 calories from fat, 13 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 23 g protein, 55 g carb, 6 g fibre, 65 mg sodium.

Blood pressure nutrients: 79 mg vitamin C, 65 mg magnesium, 599 mg potassium, 79 mg calcium.