Crispy Brown Rice "Kabbouleh"

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons dried currants
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 3/4 cup short-grain brown rice
• Kosher salt
• Vegetable oil (for frying; about 2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped cauliflower florets
• 1/2 small bunch curly kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 small English hothouse cucumber, finely chopped
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons sumac (optional)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Special equipment:

• A deep-fry thermometer

preparation

Combine currants and vinegar in a small bowl; let sit at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Cook rice in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, 45-50 minutes. Drain rice, return to pot, cover, and let sit 10 minutes. Spread out on a baking sheet; let dry out overnight in an unlit oven or on countertop.

Fit a medium saucepan with thermometer and pour in vegetable oil to measure 2". Heat over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 350°. Working in 4 batches, cook rice until golden and puffed, about 1 minute. Using a fine-mesh sieve, transfer puffed rice to paper towels to drain; season with salt and let cool.

Meanwhile, pulse cauliflower in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to large bowl. Working in batches, pulse kale in food processor until finely chopped (be careful not to turn into a purée), adding to cauliflower as you go. Add puffed rice, currants with soaking liquid, cucumber, scallion, olive oil, Aleppo pepper, and sumac, if using; toss to combine and season with salt, black pepper, and more vinegar, if desired.