Cooking Basics - Rice, recipes

Cooking Basics

Rice

It is hard to exaggerate the importance of rice in Chinese culture. To the Chinese, rice is a symbol of life itself. There are many sayings that demonstrate the status of rice. In the south, people commonly greet each other by asking "Have you had your rice today?" A person who loses his job is said to have had his rice bowl broken. And when you are a dinner guest it is considered bad manners not to consume every grain of rice in your bowl.

According to a charming myth, the Chinese were first introduced to rice by a wild animal. A prolonged period of flooding had destroyed all the crops, leaving people with no choice but to hunt animals. One day, a wild dog ran up to them. The people noticed several yellow seeds attached to his tail. The grateful people planted the seeds and rice grew.

Today, in many parts of China rice is a fixture at every meal. And not just boiled rice, either - it is used in everything from noodles to desserts to poultry stuffing. Congee, a type of rice gruel mixed with vegetables, is a popular breakfast dish. And then, of course, rice is a feature of many main entrees.

A Brief History

The precise origins of rice are lost to history, but experts believe the plant probably got its start in India. Certainly, archeological evidence indicates that the southeast Asians were the first people to cultivate rice: artifacts imprinted with rice grains dating back to 4,000 BC have been discovered in Korea.

Rice soon spread outward from southern Asia into China and beyond. It is thought that the Greeks were introduced to rice when Alexander the Great brought it home with him from his travels to India in the 4th century BC. The Moors took rice with them when they invaded Spain, and the Spanish in turn introduced the Italians to rice in the 1400's. From there it quickly spread through southern Europe. While rice wasn't one of the staples the Pilgrims packed on the Mayflower, it has been a staple crop in the United States since the late 1600's.

Speaking of the Mayflower, rice is not the first thing that springs to mind when you think of British cuisine - or even French cuisine for that matter. The reason for this probably stems back to medieval times. Malaria was prevalent in southern Europe in the 1500's and 1600's, and many people believed the swampy conditions needed for rice production contributed to the spread of the disease. Needless to say, this meant northern Europeans were less than eager to make rice a staple in their diet.

Fortunately, the incidence of malaria had no impact on rice's status in China. There are several references to rice in Buddhist scriptures. (The lack of similar references to rice in either Jewish scriptures or the Bible add to the case for rice originating in southern Asia). Today, China is one of the countries that make up the rice bowl, an area that produces the majority of the world's rice.

Rice is a member of the Graminae family. There are two species of cultivated rice, Orzya sativa and Orzya glaberrima, with the former being the most common. There are many local differences within this species. For example, the separation of Australia from New Guinea when a land bridge disappeared means that Australian rice has its own unique characteristics. Similarly, Chinese rice is different from rice grown in South Asia.

When we think of China and rice the image that comes to mind are fields of rice paddies. In fact, the Chinese were the first to develop the idea of growing rice in wet areas such as coastal plains and river deltas. The rice seeds are first sown in beds, and then transplanted to an aquatic environment when they are about 25 - 30 days old. The idea of transplanting seeds is very important to the success of rice as a crop. Lack of water supply is a frequent problem for Chinese farmers, as are weeds that compete with the rice plants for the available water supply. The shorter the period of time the rice seedlings are in this environment, the better their chances of survival.

A harvested rice kernel contains a bran layer, and is enclosed by a hull. White rice has had both the bran and hull removed during the milling process. By contrast, brown rice has had only the hull removed. The result is a much more nutritious dish, containing protein and several minerals. However, parboiled white rice has been processed before milling and thus retains most of its nutrients.

Cooking with Rice

The Chinese normally use long grain rice, which produces a fluffier rice. If you are following a recipe that calls for long grain rice, and need to use the short grain variety instead, remember that rice grains have different absorption rates and adjust the amount of water accordingly. (In this case you would reduce the amount of water by 1/4 to 1/2 cup per cup of rice).

In China, glutinous or "sticky" rice is used mainly for snacks and sweets. However, in other parts of Asia it is used in place of regular rice. For example, a reader recently shared with me his experience living in Laos and northern Thailand, where glutinous rice is a staple food. The rice is soaked for at least two hours, and then steamed. People take the steamed rice and knead it in a ball. It is then dipped in one of the courses and you use a finger to collect some of the course. (Glutinous rice is available at most Asian grocery markets).

Two less well-known types of rice are black rice and red rice. Grown throughout Asia, red rice is a member of the glutinous rice family. It is not considered to be very edible, but there is a great deal of interest in the potential health benefits of red rice extract. You'll often find it in health food stores, as it is believed to help lower cholesterol levels and improve blood circulation.

Black rice is also a type of sticky rice, commonly used in Thai and Philippino cooking. A layer of bran covers the rice grains, giving it a brown or blackish color. It is used in desserts, especially those made with coconut milk.

How To Cook Rice

Time Required: 30 minutes

1. Rinse the rice in water to get rid of excess starch.

2. For every cup of rice, add 1 1/2 cups water.

3. Bring the rice to boil, uncovered, at medium heat.

4. When boiling, turn the heat down to medium low.

5. Place the lid on the pot, keeping it tilted to allow steam to escape.

6. When you can see holes or "craters" in the rice, put the lid on tight.

7. Turn the heat to low.

8. Simmer for another 15 minutes.

9. Fluff up rice and serve.

Tips:

1. For best results, use long grain rice.
2. For a bit of variety, try one of the scented rices, such as jasmine. The amount of the water required and the cooking time will be less than for other types of long grain rice.

More

* Use long grain white rice when cooking Chinese food. Medium grain rice is also acceptable, but the Chinese use short grain rice mainly for dishes such as congee.
* Don't use instant or precooked rice. Large bags of long grain white rice are available in Asian markets and most supermarkets - Dragon King is a good brand.
* Opinions vary on converted rice - rice that has been parboiled with the husks on. While it is more nutritious than white rice, I find it tastes rather bland. It takes longer to cook than regular rice so if you do use it, follow the instructions on the box carefully.
* For fluffier, faster cooking rice, try soaking it in cold water for about thirty to sixty minutes prior to cooking.
* Before cooking, rinse the rice several times, until the water comes out clear. This removes any starch and residue - otherwise the rice may be sticky.
* When cooking rice in a saucepan, be sure to use a pot with a heavy bottom - copper is best. This will give the rice a thinner crust.
* Don't use salt or butter when cooking plain rice - this kills its natural sweet flavor.
* Another tip if your rice is taking a long time to cook - do you know how long the bag has been sitting in the cupboard? Older rice can lose some of its moisture, requiring more water and a longer cooking time than fresh rice.
* Leftover rice will keep for days, and it's perfect for making fried rice. Just be sure to wait until the rice is perfectly cold before storing it in the refrigerator. For the best results, wait a couple of days before making the fried rice - this gives the ingredients more time to blend together.
* If the cold rice is a bit lumpy, try sprinkling a bit of cold water on it.
* For a bit of variety, try one of the scented rices such as jasmine or basmati. Just remember that the amount of water required and the cooking time will be less than for other types of long grain white rice.

Recipes

Shrimp Rice Soup

INGREDIENTS:

* 2 cups white rice
* 9 ounces shelled and deveined shrimp
* 1 tablespoon sesame oil
* 1 tablespoon rice wine
* 12 cups water
* salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Rinse rice and set aside for 2 hours or until moistened.
2. Heat sesame oil in a saucepan. Add shrimp and rice wine and gently fry. Add rice and fry for 1 minute.
3. Pour water into saucepan and boil over medium heat. When the rice and shrimp mixture is thickened, or the rice expands about 3 times, reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook for 10 minutes, or until heated through, stirring constantly. Season with salt and serve hot.

Broccoli, Rice, Cheese, and Chicken Casserole

INGREDIENTS:

* 2 cups water
* 2 cups uncooked instant rice
* 2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken, drained
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
* 1/4 cup butter
* 1 cup milk
* 1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli
* 1 small white onion, chopped
* 1 pound processed cheese food

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Mix in the instant rice, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.
3. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, mix the prepared rice, chicken, cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, butter, milk, broccoli, onion, and processed cheese.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Stir halfway through cooking to help cheese melt evenly.

Shrimp Rice Soup

INGREDIENTS:

* 2 cups white rice
* 9 ounces shelled and deveined shrimp
* 1 tablespoon sesame oil
* 1 tablespoon rice wine
* 12 cups water
* salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Harvest Rice Dish

INGREDIENTS:

* 1/2 cup slivered almonds
* 2 cups chicken broth
* 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
* 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 3 onions, sliced into 1/2 inch wedges
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar
* 1 cup dried cranberries
* 2/3 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
* 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
* salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place almonds on an ungreased baking sheet. Toast at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Mix broth, brown rice, and wild rice in a medium saucepan, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 45 minutes, until rice is tender and broth is absorbed.
3. In medium skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and brown sugar. Saute until butter is absorbed and onions are translucent and soft. Reduce heat, and cook onions for another 20 minutes, until they are caramelized.
4. Stir cranberries and mushrooms into the skillet. Cover, and cook 10 minutes or until berries start to swell. Stir in almonds and orange zest, then fold the mixture into the cooked rice. Salt and pepper to taste.