Rice... Mmmm Mmmm GOOD...
YES! Rice can be yummy and delicious. All it takes is some simple techniques and some basic know how to get creative... Yes with rice. And I know that most of you when they hear about rice think of the white stuff that accommodates the Chinese food. But rice is a lot more than that...
Rice has been the food of choice for million of people all over the world. The notarizing value of rice is unmatchable since it is a great source of crabs (energy) and fiber (that accounts for the brown rice). It is the principal food crop for about half of the world's population. It is native to many regions of Asia, but it is cultivated in many regions of the world after Alexander the Great introduced it to Europe and from there it immigrated to America. Currently there are so many different kinds of rice cultivated in the world. The major difference is those types is the shape. A long and thin grain will yield rice where the grains are separated. It is good for applications such as fluffy rice. Short grain rice will yield sticky grains that keep together in a agglomerate. It is good for sushi and in general applications where rice has to stay together. The middle of the line rice is just a mix of those to type and it is good for rizoto.
And ok cooking rice it might seems as simple as boiling water (and it is), timing is everything. So lets get started with the regular white rice that actually can be good. The first step in preparing good rice it is to wash it really well. Put it in a bowl and let cold water run through it while you are stirring. You will see the water becoming milky white. Repeat the process till you see the water be clean (3-4 washes will do it). Then soak the rice in cold water for about 30 min before you cook it. Drain and cook. If you are using a rice cooker go with the specifications of the manufacturer. For stove top cooking it requires 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water. That s what I use for most of the rices. Exception to this rule the wild and brown rice. Addition of salt salt and probably a bay leave, a few pepper corns will enhance the flavor. Put all together in a pot and let it boil over medium heat till the water is gone. And do not stir. Keep your hands of it ok. Stirring will make the grains to break and release starch that can make your boiled rice more than an putting rather than a nice fluffy rice. After finish cooking cover it with a wet towel and put the lid on top. This will let some of the steam that will evaporate to be captured by the towel. If you don 't have the towel the steam will condensate and drip back to the rice and give it a watery taste. When it is ready to served remove the spices and with a wooden (or a couple of chop sticks.) fork and gently moves fluffen it up.
Pilaf is an alternative more delicious way to cook rice. It is originated in the middle east, but on one way or the other it is used the eastern part of Mediterranean. Here a source of fat is used to coat the rice grains and transfer more effective heat to the rice. The heat will crisp a bit the rice which will make it to hold it's starch better. My favorite pilaf recipe is a family recipe passing from generation to generation, but it is on it 's own another post. But just do this.
-3 tlsp butter
-1/2 cup of long grain rice
-1/3 cup pine nuts
-1/3 cup raisins
-1 stick of cinnamon
-1 cup of water, or chicken/vegetable broth
-salt and pepper
Melt the butter over medium heat. When is melted add the pine nuts, the raisins and the cinnamon stick. Stir and let nuts get some color. Add the rice and stir until the rice is nicely coated with the butter. If you think that the butter is not enough add some more. It is crucial at this point the rice to be coated with butter so do not hesitate to add more if you need. At this point you have to options add the water/broth and finish it in the pot, or put it in a ceramic dish with cover and finish in the oven. In both cases do not stir. Season to taste. Just aerate it again with a fork.
Hmmm... you like stirring your rice huh? Risotto is a traditional Italian dish made with rice. It represents one of the noblest and at the same time one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy. It originated in Northwestern Italy, specifically Eastern Piedmont and Western Lombardy, where rice paddies are abundant. It is one of the pillars of Milanese cuisine. A simple but delicious recipe is the scallions and mushroom.
-1/2 Cup of dry wild mushrooms
-1/2 Cup white wine
-1/2 Cup chicken broth
-1/2 Cup medium grain rice
-1/2 Cup of finely chopped scallions
-3 tbsp butter
-salt and peper
Put the mushrooms in the broth/wine solution to rehydrate them. Leave them at least for an hour. Squeeze out the extra liquid in a container and add more broth to have in total 1 1/2 cup liquid. Melt the butter over medium heat and add the scallions to saute them with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and let cook for 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until there is no extra liquid in the pot. Add about a 1/4 cup of the liquid you saved and stir slowlly till the liquid is gone. Add another 1/4 cup and repeat the process. The most crucial step here is what you had to avoid in the previous recipes. STIRRING! Stirr in a slow but constant rate thrgh the whole process. This will slowly release some of the starch from the rice grains and that will make the texture more creamy. The stirring is more important than the addition of the liquid in small portions. This will just guarantee that the cooking will not be done fast, so the starch will have the required time to realease the starch.
Oh boy that was a long post. And three racipes? Ok two and a half recipes. I a tired... So long fellows.
Rice has been the food of choice for million of people all over the world. The notarizing value of rice is unmatchable since it is a great source of crabs (energy) and fiber (that accounts for the brown rice). It is the principal food crop for about half of the world's population. It is native to many regions of Asia, but it is cultivated in many regions of the world after Alexander the Great introduced it to Europe and from there it immigrated to America. Currently there are so many different kinds of rice cultivated in the world. The major difference is those types is the shape. A long and thin grain will yield rice where the grains are separated. It is good for applications such as fluffy rice. Short grain rice will yield sticky grains that keep together in a agglomerate. It is good for sushi and in general applications where rice has to stay together. The middle of the line rice is just a mix of those to type and it is good for rizoto.
And ok cooking rice it might seems as simple as boiling water (and it is), timing is everything. So lets get started with the regular white rice that actually can be good. The first step in preparing good rice it is to wash it really well. Put it in a bowl and let cold water run through it while you are stirring. You will see the water becoming milky white. Repeat the process till you see the water be clean (3-4 washes will do it). Then soak the rice in cold water for about 30 min before you cook it. Drain and cook. If you are using a rice cooker go with the specifications of the manufacturer. For stove top cooking it requires 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water. That s what I use for most of the rices. Exception to this rule the wild and brown rice. Addition of salt salt and probably a bay leave, a few pepper corns will enhance the flavor. Put all together in a pot and let it boil over medium heat till the water is gone. And do not stir. Keep your hands of it ok. Stirring will make the grains to break and release starch that can make your boiled rice more than an putting rather than a nice fluffy rice. After finish cooking cover it with a wet towel and put the lid on top. This will let some of the steam that will evaporate to be captured by the towel. If you don 't have the towel the steam will condensate and drip back to the rice and give it a watery taste. When it is ready to served remove the spices and with a wooden (or a couple of chop sticks.) fork and gently moves fluffen it up.
Pilaf is an alternative more delicious way to cook rice. It is originated in the middle east, but on one way or the other it is used the eastern part of Mediterranean. Here a source of fat is used to coat the rice grains and transfer more effective heat to the rice. The heat will crisp a bit the rice which will make it to hold it's starch better. My favorite pilaf recipe is a family recipe passing from generation to generation, but it is on it 's own another post. But just do this.
-3 tlsp butter
-1/2 cup of long grain rice
-1/3 cup pine nuts
-1/3 cup raisins
-1 stick of cinnamon
-1 cup of water, or chicken/vegetable broth
-salt and pepper
Melt the butter over medium heat. When is melted add the pine nuts, the raisins and the cinnamon stick. Stir and let nuts get some color. Add the rice and stir until the rice is nicely coated with the butter. If you think that the butter is not enough add some more. It is crucial at this point the rice to be coated with butter so do not hesitate to add more if you need. At this point you have to options add the water/broth and finish it in the pot, or put it in a ceramic dish with cover and finish in the oven. In both cases do not stir. Season to taste. Just aerate it again with a fork.
Hmmm... you like stirring your rice huh? Risotto is a traditional Italian dish made with rice. It represents one of the noblest and at the same time one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy. It originated in Northwestern Italy, specifically Eastern Piedmont and Western Lombardy, where rice paddies are abundant. It is one of the pillars of Milanese cuisine. A simple but delicious recipe is the scallions and mushroom.
-1/2 Cup of dry wild mushrooms
-1/2 Cup white wine
-1/2 Cup chicken broth
-1/2 Cup medium grain rice
-1/2 Cup of finely chopped scallions
-3 tbsp butter
-salt and peper
Put the mushrooms in the broth/wine solution to rehydrate them. Leave them at least for an hour. Squeeze out the extra liquid in a container and add more broth to have in total 1 1/2 cup liquid. Melt the butter over medium heat and add the scallions to saute them with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and let cook for 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until there is no extra liquid in the pot. Add about a 1/4 cup of the liquid you saved and stir slowlly till the liquid is gone. Add another 1/4 cup and repeat the process. The most crucial step here is what you had to avoid in the previous recipes. STIRRING! Stirr in a slow but constant rate thrgh the whole process. This will slowly release some of the starch from the rice grains and that will make the texture more creamy. The stirring is more important than the addition of the liquid in small portions. This will just guarantee that the cooking will not be done fast, so the starch will have the required time to realease the starch.
Oh boy that was a long post. And three racipes? Ok two and a half recipes. I a tired... So long fellows.
posted by Unknown at 10:26 AM
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