Rice is always on the menu at home
Celtic heritage notwithstanding, we probably eat a lot more rice
than most Americans. The pantry usually has several varieties,
so
”
rice?
”
usually creates a little discussion.
Rice is always on the menu at home
Celtic heritage notwithstanding, we probably eat a lot more rice than most Americans. The pantry usually has several varieties, so “rice?” usually creates a little discussion.
But the other night, at the end of a long day, rice, quick and simple, seemed the answer. We eat so much of the stuff that our cookbook collection includes an excellent one by author Sri Owen – “The Rice Book.” Now that’s truth in advertising, because every single recipe depends on rice. Her recipe for fried rice is so popular in our house that the pages of her book describing it are described by the family as “scratch and sniff” for their multiple food stains.
There are quite a few ways to deliver a great pot of rice, even dedicated rice cookers. But getting a good batch of rice off the top of the stove is about as complicated as boiling water. For starters, it’s a good idea to follow the directions on the bag the stuff comes in.
We eat a lot of jasmine rice, a white rice that’s on the sticky side and perfumed with its own unique flavor. If you eat Thai food, you know all about it. To a cup of rice, I add 1 ½ cups water, bring it to a boil, cover tightly and reduce to a simmer for 18 minutes. Then it goes onto a folded towel on the counter for 10 minutes. Perfect every time.
When we got home, the rice went on right away, because we’d be having fried rice for dinner. If one doesn’t have the patience to let freshly steamed rice get cold before frying it, the result is rice that soaks up oil until it’s a heavy mess. So the steamed rice went onto the garage floor to cool off while vegetables got chopped.
And that’s the key to successful fried rice: the grains are just a vehicle for all the other things. What follows is based upon Owen’s recipe, but it always varies depending on what’s at hand. In summer, it’s often topped with freshly chopped basil. An egg, beaten with a tablespoon or so of water and then fried in thin tortillas before being cut into thin ribbons makes a good garnish. So do tomato wedges in season. Occasionally, I like to add some thinly sliced napa cabbage or broccoli, whatever is in the garden or the refrigerator at the time.
And while meat is not essential to the dish, last week’s included a little leftover pork. Usually we prepare it with chicken but good fried rice demands nothing from an animal – it’s a great main dish on its own.
Fried rice
1 ½ c. cooked long-grain rice
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. butter
3 shallots or 1 small onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
2 red chilies, chopped finely (remove the seeds first if you’re timid about heat) or ½ tsp. chili powder.
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp tomato puree or tomato ketchup
1 cup button mushrooms cleaned and thinly sliced
3 medium carrots, diced very small
½ cup corn kernels
½ cup peas
Garnishes
(use whatever appeals to you)
cilantro
basil
tomato
crisp-fried onion
hard boiled egg or thin omelet (see above)
meat or seafood of your choice
Heat the oil and butter in a wok or large frying pan. Stir-fry the shallots and garlic for about a minute, and then add all ingredients except for the rice and garnishes. Continue frying, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir it in until it’s hot and takes on the color of the tomato and paprika. Add any cooked meat in the last two minutes to blend it in and allow it to heat.
The rice can be garnished with any of the suggestions above. This recipe feeds four generously.
When we have leftover plain rice, I’ll often add water to the pot while doing dishes, and put it back on to simmer. There’s no recipe to what the Chinese call congee or jook. The key is to add enough water to make a rice porridge thin enough to be eaten with a spoon, like a thick soup. Again, this can be dressed up in whatever way your appetite dictates. I often add a little soy, a few ginger slices and a drizzle of sesame oil, sprinkling lots of cilantro on it after it’s in the bowl.
As odd as it sounds, it’s an incomparably better breakfast than most bowls of oatmeal that I’ve consumed.
