Rice in all its glory!

[Zhizara]

Red rice is also called cargo rice. Where I live (SE ON), it is in the Thai food section in the grocery store. Probably available in ethnic groc. stores. Cargo rice/red rice has a nutty flavour--takes about 45 minutes to cook. Nice addition to rice dishes.

And, BTW, wild rice is not a rice, it is the seeds of an aquatic grass and the state grain of the state of MN.

K.

Thanks. I'll look for it. I love nutty.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Thanks. I'll look for it. I love nutty.

I guess you do...

 

[CWS4322]

Wild Rice Pilaf Mix (~2 qt)

3 c wild rice, rinsed and drained
2 c lentils (green or brown), rinsed and drained
1/2 c roasted almonds, pecans, or sunflower seeds (salted or unsalted)
2 c raisins or a combination of raisins and dried cranberries
1-1/2 c chopped dried mushrooms (I like using a mix of morrels, shitake, and cremani)
1 c pearl barley
1/2 c brown, white, or cargo rice
3 T dried parsley flakes
2 T dried minced onion
2 tsp dried minced garlic
1 T dried basil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp dried sage (I use powdered)
1/8 tsp powdered bay leaf

1. Heat oven to 300. Spread rice and lentils on cookie sheet (thin layer--I usually do 1 c at a time), bake 10-15 minutes until dry and roasted. Stir often.
2. Combine all the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add rice and lentils, blend well. Store in 2 1 qt. airtight jars.

To serve:

Add 1/3 c pilaf mix to each 1 c of boiling water/beef/chicken stock. Reduce heat and simmer for 55-60 minutes. Ready when the wild rice "splits."

 

[fricassee]

I often infuse jasmine rice with something aromatic like crushed lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, bay leaves, lemon or lime juice.

I make literally over 20 kinds of risottos and have a back injury that makes it difficult to stand for more than 10 minutes in one spot. So, earlier in the day I mince my shallots and reconstitute my dried mushrooms or mince my chives or whatever. Then I do make the risotto, doing it in many steps. You don't have to stir it constantly - I often must sit and rest. There are so many variations that it is impossible to tire of them! Risotto is one of my favourite things.

 

[mollyanne]

I can't believe this thread. I never knew there was so much to discuss about rice....but then I never discussed it "in all it's glory" before

It's a killer thread...lots of useful info....thanks Zhizara. I can smell the dreamy aromas just reading through it

 

[Andy M.]

I grew up in an Armenian household and rice came in one form only - pilaf. White rice was a major shock to me when I had it for the first time.

I know there are many varieties of pilaf. Mom made a simple and tasty version that still appears on my plate regularly.

4 Tb Butter
2 Oz Angel hair or vermicelli broken into inch long pieces
1 C Long grain white rice, well rinsed
2 C Chicken stock/broth

Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan and add the pasta. Cook over medium high heat stirring frequently until the butter and the pasta are a medium to dark brown. This a key step. The browning of the pasta and butter is a major contributor to the flavor of this dish.

Add the rinsed rice and stir until the rice is well coated with the butter.

Add the stock/broth and bring it to a full boil. Reduce to a simmer cover and cook for 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes remove the pan from the heat and leave it to rest.

Fluff with a fork and serve.

 

[pacanis]

That sounds like the homemade version of chicken flavored Rice a Roni.
I'm going to give this a try. Thanks for the recipe, Andy. What a great way to use up leftover stock before it gets too old.

 

[CWS4322]

Wasn't rice-a-roni based on a recipe from an Armenian immigrant who rented a room to one of the people who then took the recipe and refined it for packaging? Seems to me there was a segment on NPR about that a couple of years ago...

 

[Andy M.]

That sounds like the homemade version of chicken flavored Rice a Roni.
I'm going to give this a try. Thanks for the recipe, Andy. What a great way to use up leftover stock before it gets too old.

Fred, I prefer to think of Rice-A-Roni as a commercial version of Mom's pilaf.

BTW, Near East makes the best commercial rice pilaf I've had.

 

[pacanis]

Fred, I prefer to think of Rice-A-Roni as a commercial version of Mom's pilaf.

BTW, Near East makes the best commercial rice pilaf I've had.

As soon as I read my post I realized I was putting the cart in front of the horse

 

[Zhizara]

I can't believe this thread. I never knew there was so much to discuss about rice....but then I never discussed it "in all it's glory" before

It's a killer thread...lots of useful info....thanks Zhizara. I can smell the dreamy aromas just reading through it

Glad you like it. I didn't plan it at all, just looking for seasonings to use in long grain and wild rice, but the types of rice available are inspiring.

It definitely turned into an interesting thread.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Silly question but why do you put beef and chicken together?

Because the combination of flavors in this dish make it really good tasting, especially with a little sage, or thyme mixed in. Besides, it's how I was taught to make it. But my MIL would add the uncooked rice into a caserole dish, stir in the other ingredients, cover with foil, and bake it. I just do in in a pan on the stove top.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Zhizara]

I like to mix stocks together sometimes, especially to make rice. Combos can be very tasty.

 

[msmofet]

I was just asking because I have done that before and people think I am strange!! LOL

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I was just asking because I have done that before and people think I am strange!! LOL

We all know you're strange. I mean, you hang out around here with people like me, BT, and a host of other really odd people like us. Of course, BT holds the record so far for being the craziest of our unique group. Why just yesterday, I saw a huge virtual snowball go sailing over my house. It must have been 40 foot wide. But he missed and it just landed harmlessly in a nearby gravel pit. Didn't he say that he put sardines on crepes or something?

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[msmofet]

We all know you're strange. I mean, you hang out around here with people like me, BT, and a host of other really odd people like us. Of course, BT holds the record so far for being the craziest of our unique group. Why just yesterday, I saw a huge virtual snowball go sailing over my house. It must have been 40 foot wide. But he missed and it just landed harmlessly in a nearby gravel pit. Didn't he say that he put sardines on crepes or something?

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

YIKES!!

 

[Zhizara]

We all know you're strange. I mean, you hang out around here with people like me, BT, and a host of other really odd people like us. Of course, BT holds the record so far for being the craziest of our unique group. Why just yesterday, I saw a huge virtual snowball go sailing over my house. It must have been 40 foot wide. But he missed and it just landed harmlessly in a nearby gravel pit. Didn't he say that he put sardines on crepes or something?

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

And here I was thinking of all the other strange people here at DC and you popped into my mind. Pot calling the kettle black.

I suppose you will be sending virtual snowballs his way, but of course, you wouldn't miss.

 

[msmofet]

And here I was thinking of all the other strange people here at DC and you popped into my mind. Pot calling the kettle black.

I suppose you will be sending virtual snowballs his way, but of course, you wouldn't miss.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

And here I was thinking of all the other strange people here at DC and you popped into my mind. Pot calling the kettle black.

I suppose you will be sending virtual snowballs his way, but of course, you wouldn't miss.

Though BT and I are similar, there is a difference. He was born with it. It's a natural talent of his. I cultivate my strangeness. And yes, living here about as far north as I can get, I have more virtual snow with which to make virtual snowballs. In fact, I fired the first shot this year. I think that I missed too. But that's OK. I pack mine loosely so that they break apart in the air, a cluster snowball if you will, with a whole bunch of little snowballs raining down on the target. I don't need to be accurate. And I flavor my virtual snowball with vanilla, sugar, and nutmeg, or sometimes I use fruit syrups, that way, Bucky gets to make snow cones.
Wooould you like me to fire a couple in your direction, hmmmmm?

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[Zhizara]

Though BT and I are similar, there is a difference. He was born with it. It's a natural talent of his. I cultivate my strangeness. And yes, living here about as far north as I can get, I have more virtual snow with which to make virtual snowballs. In fact, I fired the first shot this year. I think that I missed too. But that's OK. I pack mine loosely so that they break apart in the air, a cluster snowball if you will, with a whole bunch of little snowballs raining down on the target. I don't need to be accurate. And I flavor my virtual snowball with vanilla, sugar, and nutmeg, or sometimes I use fruit syrups, that way, Bucky gets to make snow cones.
Wooould you like me to fire a couple in your direction, hmmmmm?

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

Bring 'em on. I've got some butterscotch syrup and a big bowl. Mmmmm.

I won't have any return fire, unless I can get a source for some mudbugs to send your way.