Begin to cook the rice. Place the rice and 2.25 cups of water in a medium pot. Place a lid on top and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. As soon as it reaches a rolling boil, turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let it sit undisturbed for at least 10 more minutes (can sit longer if needed).
While the rice is cooking, prepare the rest of the vegetables. Cut the bell pepper into small pieces. Slice the green onions. Peel and shred the carrot using a cheese grater. Pull the cilantro leaves off of the stems. Rinse the black beans and and drain of excess water.
Rinse the shrimp and drain away the excess water. Heat 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the drained shrimp along with a pinch of salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Saute the shrimp over medium heat just until they have all turned pink and are no longer transparent (this should take less than 5 minutes). Turn the heat off and let the shrimp sit until you’re ready to add them to the salad.
Prepare the seasoning for the rice. In a small bowl combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and one teaspoon of salt. Stir to dissolve as much as possible (it won’t likely all dissolve, that’s okay).
Fluff the rice with a fork and then transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the rice vinegar mixture over top and then gently stir or fold it into the rice. Continue until all of the rice vinegar mixture has been folded in.
Stir the black beans into the rice mixture, and then the vegetables and shrimp. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.