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September 12, 2009
Making Rice a Fresh, New Meal with these 5 Ideas
Washing Rice
Rice needs to be thoroughly washed. A good way to do this is to put it into a colander, in a deep pan of water. Rub the rice well with the hands, lifting the colander in and out the water, and changing the water until it is clear; then drain. In this way the grit is deposited in the water, and the rice left thoroughly clean.
Best Method for Cooking Rice
The best way to cook rice is by steaming it. If boiled in much water, it loses a portion of its already small percentage of nitrogenous elements. It requires much less time for cooking than any of the other grains. Like all the dried grains and seeds, rice swells in cooking to several times its original bulk. When cooked, each grain of rice should be separate and distinct, yet perfectly tender.
Easy steamed rice
Wash 1 cup of long grain rice. In a medium sauce pan or larger pan if you’re doubling portions to fix for a crowd, combine rice with 2 cups of water and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook uncovered until it comes to a boil. Stir and fluff rice and lower heat to just a simmer. Cover with a tight lid (do not remove lid to peek while cooking) and simmer approximately 14 min. Then, continuing to keep lid sealed, remove pan from heat and let set about 5 minutes. Rice should then be ready to serve.
Boiled rice (Japanese method)
Thoroughly wash rice and soak it overnight. In the morning, drain rice and cook it in an equal quantity of boiling water. (Ratio would be 1 cup of water for every 1 cup of rice) For cooking, the best option is to use a stewpan with a tight fitting cover.
Heat the water to boiling and then add the rice. After stirring, place on the cover. Do not remove the lid during the boiling stage. As the water boils, steam will puff out freely from under the cover, but when the water has nearly evaporated, which will be approximately 8 – 10 minutes, according to the age and quality of the rice, only a faint suggestion of steam will be observed. The stewpan must then be removed from the heat to some place on the range where it will not burn and left to swell and dry for 15 – 20 minutes.
Making rice a fresh, new meal with these 5 ideas…
1. Rice with fig sauce
Need a breakfast that will ward of hunger until noon? Steam a cupful of rice as directed above. When done, serve with a fig sauce. Dish a spoonful of fig sauce with each serving of rice and serve with plenty of milk or cream. Rice served in this way requires no sugar for dressing and is a most wholesome breakfast dish.
2. Orange rice
Craving a little sweetness, but want something solid too? Wash and steam the rice. Prepare some oranges by separating into sections and cutting each section in halves, removing the seeds and all the white portions. Sprinkle the oranges lightly with sugar and let them stand while the rice is cooking. Serve a portion of the orange mix with each serving of rice.
3. Rice with raisins
Want something a little old-fashioned and hearty? Carefully wash a cup of rice, soak it, and cook as directed for steamed rice. After the rice has begun to swell, but before it has softened, stir in a cupful of raisins with a fork. Serve with milk or cream.
4. Rice with peaches.
Here’s a nice dish to enjoy with family. Steam the rice and when done, serve with cream and a nicely ripened peach pared and sliced on each individual dish.
5. Browned rice
Make it a grand meal! Spread a cupful of rice on a shallow baking tin, and put into a moderately hot oven to brown. It will need to be stirred frequently to prevent burning and to secure a uniformity of color. Each rice kernel, when sufficiently browned, should be yellowish brown, about the color of ripened wheat.
Steam the rice using two cups of water for each cup of browned rice, omitting the preliminary soaking. When properly cooked, each kernel will be separated, dry and mealy. Rice prepared in this manner is undoubtedly more digestible than when cooked without browning.
*Browned rice can make a delicious meal for even a crowd by adding chicken breast stir-fried in a little olive oil and serving the chicken & rice mix with sweet-n-sour sauce.
Making Rice a Great Meal by NewsletterClips.com
