Rice, Rice Baby

Most of the world eats rice.  It is a staple that sustains many developing nations.  Although not our favorite grain, it finds its way onto kitchen tables quite a bit.  Yet somehow rice has become a food that we eat with our family, but we seldom serve it to guests.  I too am guilty of treating rice like the ugly shirt in our closet, great for around the house but not when anyone is looking.  Perhaps this is because rice is unpredictable, bland, or considered cheap.  Undaunted, I have challenged myself to make better rice.  Over the past year I have had some major misses, but I've learned a couple of things along the way.  One thing I know for sure, "ricery" (my new word for the art of cooking rice) can be challenging, but it opens up the door for all types of ethnic cuisine.

Know Your Rice

When I was a kid there were only four types of rice that I was aware of: (1) white rice, (2) brown rice, (3) Uncle Ben's, and (4) fried rice.  Not to say that my mother didn't use multiple varieties, but for a teenager this is basically all the mental capacity we have rationed off for rice knowledge.  The rest of our brain is reserved for more pressing teenage matters.  Sadly I took this limited knowledge into married life for a few years until I started cooking.  Then I discovered there was more to rice than color or speed.  Check out this simple rice guide that mentions some of the big hitters.  By-the-way, if you haven't guessed by now, the internet is my source for cooking basics.  I use websites like the previous link any time I'm cooking.  Here are a couple that are not mentioned on that guide:

1. Jasmine Rice: I like this rice for any dish where you are likely to actually taste the flavor of the rice and the rice isn't simply a vehicle to deliver some other sauce or flavoring.  This means I don't use this for soups or anything like that.  I do this because Jasmine Rice is very aromatic and has more flavor than American long white rice.  It is more expensive than regular white rice, but I will pull out the jasmine if I'm going to serve stir fry or some type of curried dish.
2. Wild Rice:  One of my favorite dishes that my wife makes is a chicken and wild rice soup.  Although wild rice is actually a grass, it traditionally falls into the rice category.  Try mixed with other varieties as a side with chicken or fish.

Know How to Cook Rice

This one is simple.  Every type of rice is different.  Some need to be rinsed, others soaked.  Look up the type of rice you are using and follow the directions found on the interwebs.  You may find that the old 2-1 (two parts water, one rice) recipe for rice may leave you less than satisfied if that is the only thing you do.  If you need sticky rice, make sure you have the right rice and prepare it the right way or you'll just have mushy rice.

Blake's Tips Learned from the Ricery Trenches

1. Fried Rice?  Don't plan on making good fried rice with a freshly cooked batch of rice.  Cook it in the morning, chill it, and then use it for fried rice that night.  The rice will have a much more appealing texture like you would find at your local take out place.
2. Cooking with Vegetables?  If you are going to cook other foods in with your rice, like meats and vegetables, make sure that you decrease your water or just plan on eating mush.  Meats and veggies (and I guess fruits too) will release water throw off your 2-1 ratio.  For some reason this is the lesson that took me too long to figure out.  My wife endured plenty terrible all-in-one rice dishes before I started to get the hint.
3. Mix it:  I am not particularly fond of brown rice, but I have learned to like it when mixed with white rice.  We keep a container of premixed rice in the cabinet to use at home.  Try it if you know brown rice is better for you, but prefer white.  It certainly has helped me adjust.
4. Leave it alone.  Checking on the rice will not help.  Stirring it certainly wont help.  Follow the recipe and you will be fine.  Rice is like a zit, playing with it will usually make things worse.
5. Try Chinese Black Rice (Forbidden Rice):  I hear it cooks up purple with the consistency of brown rice.  It is the final frontier of ricery.  Once illegal to have unless you were the emperor, it is now available in specialty stores.  Sadly, black rice is too powerful for me to wield without more training.  I fear I would become corrupt like Frodo Baggins when he wore the ring.  One day I will be man enough, but that day has yet to come.

Finally, while growing up I had a tendency to eat leftover white rice like cereal in a bowl with milk and a little sugar.  It seems to disgust my wife, but it tastes really good to me.  Try it and see if you taste some of the nostalgia with me.