I'm going to a cook-out tonight and I offered to bring a dish. The host is making Chicken Kebobs with a Watermelon Glaze so I must make an appropriate side. What dish will do justice to and enhance such an unusual, but refreshingly taste-of-summer sounding kebob?

Rice dishes always feel at home with savory kebobs, and tropical flavors sound as if they'd be particularly yummy with the juices of Watermelon-Glazed Chicken, whatever that may be. I took it off the beaten track by using an Asian black rice, reminiscent of Thai desserts at Marnee Thai on Main Street, Ann Arbor.

Feel free substituting a basmati rice, for the black rice, if you wish. If I'm lucky, maybe the hostess will share her recipe with us for tomorrow's blog.

Yield: 6-8 servings Time: 30 minutes Cost: apx. $12.00

Ingredients

1 cup black rice* 2 tablespoons lime juice Chopped zest and juice from 1 orange 1 tablespoon grated ginger 2 tablespoons honey 1/3 cup peanut oil 2 tablespoons chopped mint 4-6 cups diced tropical fruit, such as mango, pineapple and papaya 1 cup unsalted cashews 1-2 cups unsweetened coconut

* I used a Chinese black rice, "Lotus Foods Forbidden Rice", I purchased from Plum Market.

Instructions

1. Cook rice in salted water according to package instructions. 2. While rice is cooking, combine lime juice, orange zest and juice, ginger and honey. Whisk in peanut oil and stir in mint. 3. Combine rice and dressing and season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. (This can be made up to 24 hours in advance.) 4. Just before serving, stir in tropical fruit, cashews and 1 cup of coconut, adding additional coconut to taste.