# Recipe Ideas to Liven up Rice



## PA Baker (Jun 3, 2005)

Here are some ideas to liven up plain rice (brown or white).  Try adding:

Cilantro and chiles for a Southwestern flavor
Chopped spinach and Parmesan cheese
Red beans, "lite" coconut milk and thyme
Tomatoes, green peppers, hot sauce, and steamed shrimp
Slivered almonds, fresh fruit, cinnamon, cloves and ginger
Stuff cooked rice into vegetables like seeded butternut squash or large tomatoes.  Then bake 15-20 minutes.  Top with Parmesan if desired.


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## Lugaru (Jun 3, 2005)

Good topic... let's see...

* Add a couple of eggs and a big dose of texas pete or tabasco for red rice. 
* Boil with one tomato bullion cube for mexican pink rice. 
* Buy one of those yellow rice packs (made in spain, spices included) and prepare it following the directions but add some fried shrimp, sausage, squid, chicken or whatever you want (especially if all of the above) for a great paella. 
* Rice + sugar + coconut milk and top with slices of mango. Mmmmmm....


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## middie (Jun 3, 2005)

i love rice with milk and suagr... will have to try the cinnamon and cloves with it next time. oh and the almonds if i have them.


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## sarah (Jun 4, 2005)

another good idea is to add fried cashews and some raisins and shredded carrots cooked in a little oil and water and sugar.


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## velochic (Jun 16, 2005)

We make a Turkish pilaf that has onions, fresh dill, pine nuts, chopped chicken, currants and cinnamon.  Yummy.  We love pilaf.  It's so verstile!


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## buckytom (Jun 16, 2005)

i make an herb rice by putting 3 cloves, 4 bay leaves, garlic powder, and lawry's seasoned salt in the water well before making the rice. bring to a boil, then cover and shut off the heat. let the flavors mix in the water, then later on, bring to a boil again, add yellow rice, reduce heat, cover and simmer until the water is absorbed into the rice. fluff with a fork and stir in blanched baby peas and diced red pepper.


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## ticoterry-EXPAT (Jun 16, 2005)

I always use 3 bullion cubes to 1 cup of liquid...beef, if side dish to beef, chicken, if chicken, this is in lieu of salt in the water...
Rice is great as a breakfast left over when formed into a patty (mixed with one whipped egg per patty) and fried over medium heat and flipped once, until crusty..I fry them in E.VO.O..............


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## Constance (Jun 16, 2005)

I like to make one dish meals with rice. 
If I'm using uncooked meat (chicken tenders, thinly sliced boneless pork loin or sirloin steak) I season the meat with garlic, salt or soy sauce and pepper, brown quickly in a bit of olive oil, then add water or broth and add the rice. When it's almost done, I add the vegies and let it finish cooking. 
If I'm using pre-cooked meat, I add it a few minutes before the vegies. 
If I'm using seafood, I add it after the vegies. 
I sometimes (all right, often) use those packaged mixes (Uncle Ben's, Zatarains, Rice-a-Roni), but don't use soy sauce with them because they are already loaded with sodium. You can always serve it on the side if want.


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## kitchenelf (Jun 16, 2005)

Saute some onions until brown, add raw rice and brown, then add about 10 whole cloves, 4 broken stucks of cinnamon, appropriate amount of chicken stock.  Bring to a boil, cover, simmer for 20 minutes, after the 20 minutes top rice with golden raisins and do not stir - let sit for 10 minutes then stir.  You have to pick out the cloves (count them before hand) and the cinnamon sticks.

This is excellent with a chicken curry made with coconut milk.


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## marmalady (Jul 2, 2005)

Simple and yummy for summer dishes - cook the rice in some vegetable stock, when rice is done add some minced chives and lemon rind. Beautiful with a grilled chicken breast.


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## pdswife (Jul 2, 2005)

I top my rice with

some onions sauted in butter
with a few handfuls of bay berries and
a few tablespoons sugar all cooked together
until syrupy.


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