Spicing Up My Rice

[Zhizara]

I really like making rice with onion soup mix.

The mix takes 4 cups of water, so I use 2 cups of rice and don't add any salt.

It makes a perfectly seasoned rice with very small bits of onion and a lovely rich flavor.

 

[Rocklobster]

You can use half tomato juice and half chicken stock also. Changes the flavor and color.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I really love my stock rice at the minute - really changed how i cook! much better than plain boiled rice lol

The way i do it involves bringing the water to the boil, dissolving the stock in said water, then add the rice and once boiling again re-cover and turn the heat down. Leave for approx. 10 minutes. Once done i leave to stand for a couple of mins and then drain and you can deffo taste!

couple of things to note i guess:
Rice - this is with White Long Grain Rice, Brown rice might take more for the stock to penetrate the rice?
Rice/Water Ratio - to get a strong flavour its approx 1 cup of rice : 2 cups of stock water. Or for a slightly milder flavour 1cup of rice : 3 cups of stock water...

BROWNING OF RICE
When you say brown the rice in some hot oil, just for simpletons like me - do you mean rice out the packet, (wash rice,) into pan until browned and then pop into my boiling pan of (maybe stock) water?

Further to that - might try only doing that with half the rice... could mix up the colour a little?! anyone tried that lol

First of all, it sounds like you're using bullion cubes. When I said stock I was referring to canned stock as in Swanson's or store brand canned beef or chicken stock.

In my discussion about browning rice I was referring to white rice, not brown rice. I haven't tried browning brown rice.

Rice:water ratio and cooking time - traditionally you use two parts of water to one part of rice (either kind of rice). Traditional cooking time is 20 minutes for white rice, 40 minutes for brown rice. This assumes the rice is tightly covered and that you don't peek, and I'm referring to stove top cooking. A rice cooker may have different suggested cooking times.

And again, I have not noticed any significant change in rice taste when I substitute canned stock for water. I don't use bullion cubes.

 

[kezlehan]

This is what I love to do with rice. I find it exceedingly tasty and satisfying. In fact I might make it tomorrow now!
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f20/my-mushroom-and-rice-one-pot-recipe-75674.html

 

[carpy1985]

First of all, it sounds like you're using bullion cubes. When I said stock I was referring to canned stock as in Swanson's or store brand canned beef or chicken stock.

I am using at the moment some Knor Chicken Stock which I add to the boiling water before adding the rice

I am also using Long Grain White Rice as its 'Family Friendly' lol

 

[Claire]

Leftover plain rice is the very definition of fried rice. Leftover everything. look over your leftovers. Any meat, chop onions, garlic and mostly any vegetable. I like some zip and add some hot sauce. Ginger. Soy sauce. Fry (I like peanut oil, because you can get it good and hot, but any vegetable oil will do). At the last minute scramble an egg or two and toss in.

 

[carpy1985]

Leftover plain rice is the very definition of fried rice. Leftover everything. look over your leftovers. Any meat, chop onions, garlic and mostly any vegetable. I like some zip and add some hot sauce. Ginger. Soy sauce. Fry (I like peanut oil, because you can get it good and hot, but any vegetable oil will do). At the last minute scramble an egg or two and toss in.

I like the flair and creativity that cooking involves. I am just starting to develop mine!

Adding a Knor stock to rice was revolutionary for me haha normally I would just have boiled rice and grilled chicken and be happy with it!

 

[Timothy]

I like the flair and creativity that cooking involves. I am just starting to develop mine!

Stick around DC for awhile, carpy. Man, we sling food ideas around like crazy! I've gotten more wonderful recipes from DC than any other source in my life.

When reviewing my personal cookbook, "Oh Wow" is my most used comment.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I am using at the moment some Knor Chicken Stock which I add to the boiling water before adding the rice

Is that a liquid product? Powdered? Solid cubes? If liquid, is it standard strength or concentrated? Is it pure or does it have spices added?

 

[Claire]

Flinging food around? You should see my floor when I'm in full steam. I was without a dog for almost two years, and, yes, I missed the companionship. But I also missed having a little being who would eat anything that hit the floor before hubby or I could step on it and grind it into the floor or slip and fall on it! I'm a mess.

 

[carpy1985]

Is that a liquid product? Powdered? Solid cubes? If liquid, is it standard strength or concentrated?

It's liquid and I guess concentrated as you need to dissolve in 500-750ml of water.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

It's liquid and I guess concentrated as you need to dissolve in 500-750ml of water.

If you can, please look at the ingredients and see if it has things like spices, flavor enhancers, etc.

The stock I use is just pure stock with no seasonings not even salt added.

I've recently seen Knor and other competitors have introduced highly concentrated stock, in little pouches that they suggest adding to any dish to kick up the flavor. From what I can tell on TV they appear to be an ounce or less, and probably intended to replace 8 oz. or more standard stock.

 

[carpy1985]

If you can, please look at the ingredients and see if it has things like spices, flavor enhancers, etc.

The stock I use is just pure stock with no seasonings not even salt added.

I've recently seen Knor and other competitors have introduced highly concentrated stock, in little pouches that they suggest adding to any dish to kick up the flavor. From what I can tell on TV they appear to be an ounce or less, and probably intended to replace 8 oz. or more standard stock.

See attached photo for the ingredients




If I use this with the recommend 500ml of water it is (to me) strong. For my girlfriend I have to use 750ml to tone it down a little

 

[taxlady]

See attached photo for the ingredients


View attachment 12730

If I use this with the recommend 500ml of water it is (to me) strong. For my girlfriend I have to use 750ml to tone it down a little

There's 2% chicken fat and .2% chicken powder. The rest isn't even chicken. Knorr seems to have gotten some better - no MSG, but salt is still the 2nd ingredient.

 

[carpy1985]

There's 2% chicken fat and .2% chicken powder. The rest isn't even chicken. Knorr seems to have gotten some better - no MSG, but salt is still the 2nd ingredient.

Ha I know what you mean! Luckily I don't have a lot of salt in my diet anyway and most importantly for a newbie it's much easier to use to begin with lol

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Sorry, the ingredients on the right side of the image are too dark for me to read.

I suspect we're discussing two different things. I was referring to not noticing much change in rice using pure canned chicken stock (low fat) with no other ingredients added. I can see at least salt, sugar and yeast extract on your ingredients, and that's just on the left side of the image.

I'm just trying to reconcile my not noticing any great improvement from adding stock vs. your noticing an improvement. Apparently we are adding different things. Apparently your stock and my stock are not the same thing.

 

[carpy1985]

Sorry, the ingredients on the right side of the image are too dark for me to read.

I suspect we're discussing two different things. I was referring to not noticing much change in rice using pure canned chicken stock (low fat) with no other ingredients added. I can see at least salt, sugar and yeast extract on your ingredients, and that's just on the left side of the image.

I'm just trying to reconcile my not noticing any great improvement from adding stock vs. your noticing an improvement. Apparently we are adding different things.

By the sounds of it by using the stock I'm adding anything but chicken lol

What is the workings of the stock you use?! Sounds healthier than mine!! If it doesn't add much flavour then is there another reason for using it?

EDIT: took a better photo (i hope)

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Okay, as near as I can make it out your product has:

INGREDIENTS: Water, Salt, Vegetable Fat, Flavoring (contains barley), Sugar, Chicken fat (2%), Yeast Extract, Carrot, Leek, Thickeners (Xantham Gum, Locust Bean Gum), Parsley, Chicken Powder (0.2%), Colour (Burnt Sugar Caramel, Mixed C?????), Pepper, Rosemary Extract.

My stock (Swanson's or store brand) canned stock contains nothing but pure chicken stock with less than 1% fat. There are no seasonings, no salt, no anything except the stock.

The point is that you notice a difference when you add stock while I don't notice much if any difference because you're adding a variety of additional spices while all I'm adding is chicken, and not much fat either.

With my stock you would add the spices that you want rather than a prepared kit of spices like your stock contains. Also, it's desirable to not add any salt until near the end of the cooking process because cooking often reduces the liquid, so it can't be seasoned properly until it has reached nearly the final thickness. If you season it earlier in the process and then lose liquid the result will taste more and more salty because everything has become more concentrated.

I'm not so sure there's anything unhealthy in your stock, but I'd rather know what I'm adding to my recipes by adding ingredients I choose. Also, when you use a formulated product you're stuck with that brand product if you want to recreate your recipes, must include brand names when you share your recipes with others, while my recipes use generic fresh ingredients (most of the time) and can be reproduced by others without reference to brand names.

By the way, your stock doesn't contain chicken. It uses chicken powder and chicken fat. Yum!

 

[carpy1985]

Okay, as near as I can make it out your product has:

INGREDIENTS: Water, Salt, Vegetable Fat, Flavoring (contains barley), Sugar, Chicken fat (2%), Yeast Extract, Carrot, Leek, Thickeners (Xantham Gum, Locust Bean Gum), Parsley, Chicken Powder (0.2%), Colour (Burnt Sugar Caramel, Mixed C?????), Pepper, Rosemary Extract.

My stock (Swanson's or store brand) canned stock contains nothing but pure chicken stock with less than 1% fat. There are no seasonings, no salt, no anything except the stock.

The point is that you notice a difference when you add stock while I don't notice much if any difference because you're adding a variety of additional spices while all I'm adding is chicken, and not much fat either.

With my stock you would add the spices that you want rather than a prepared kit of spices like your stock contains. Also, it's desirable to not add any salt until near the end of the cooking process because cooking often reduces the liquid, so it can't be seasoned properly until it has reached nearly the final thickness. If you season it earlier in the process and then lose liquid the result will taste more and more salty because everything has become more concentrated.

I'm with you! I like the idea of adding my own later on as I can vary the heat of the dish much easier that way!

And a less salty dish also appeals as I'm not the biggest fan (unlike my mum lol)

I will pick these things up quite quickly it seems by hanging out at cafe DC

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I suspect you should have no problem obtaining fat free or low fat canned stock. Look for it in or near the canned soup section.

At least in America restaurants, fast food places (I hesitate to call them restaurants) and convenience foods often contain huge amounts of salt, probably to increase the taste of the product. As a result people who eat these salty foods get acclimated to salty foods and tend to use more salt on everything. I'm not sure if more salt is bad for everybody but I am sure that more salt is bad for many of us. My opinion is to use just the minimum necessary salt to get the desired taste, and no more.

More flavor is not necessarily good, at least in my opinion. Some convenience foods (microwave ready) taste so highly flavored to me (Lean Cuisine for example) that I quickly tire of any specific variety because my sense of taste gets overstimulated, and if I use their brand too often (like I used to take to work every day for lunch) I reach a point where I just can't eat it anymore. In this case I think it would be a better product if they didn't use so much concentrated flavor and flavor enhancers.

Between super-sizing and over salting our fast food "restaurants" and convenience food producers are killing us.