Three levels of rice preparation
By Morgan Hannah, Life & Style Editor
Rice is the foundation of many meals and is a staple in homes across the world. This hearty grain can be a student’s best friend; it’s so cheap! And, depending on which type of rice you use—long-grain, jasmine, white, brown—and how you cook it—in the oven, on the stovetop, or with the good ol’ rice cooker—you’ve got plenty of options available. With its delicious flavour, unparalleled versatility, ease on the wallet, and high vitamin B and iron content, it’s no wonder why many people choose to eat rice.
Here are three easy, inexpensive, and amazing rice recipes that I’ve prepared to help out fellow students:
Pennies Poké Bowl
Okay, so this dish costs a little more than pennies but it’s pretty damn close. For the dressing all you’ll need is some soy sauce, sesame oil, orange juice, and ginger mixed in a jar. Then take a can of tuna, drain it, and put it in a bowl with the rice. Pour your dressing on the tuna and fold it all together. Add in some sautéed shallots and a sprig of cilantro. Chop up half an avocado, halve some grape tomatoes as well, and sprinkle in some sesame seeds.
Simple Veggie Burrito
The title says it all. Chop up the following: one red bell pepper, half a medium-sized red onion (use personal preference to decide), corn (shucked off a cob is honestly the best and juiciest corn you can get), one carrot (peeled), half a can of black beans (washed and drained), and cherry tomatoes (halved).
Once all of the vegetables are chopped, throw them in a preheated wok with some veggie oil and cook them with the occasional stir until all the veggies are softened and sautéed. Then gently mix in one cup of your favourite cooked rice along with some cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper to taste.
For the wrap, there’s the option of flour tortillas or corn tortillas. Make sure to preheat the tortillas—especially if going with corn tortillas—using a panini press. If you don’t have access to a panini grill, two stainless steel heated frying pans pressed on either side of the tortilla will do the trick. Fill your heated tortilla with the fried veggies and rice mixture (grated cheese is optional) and wrap it tightly. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.
Roast Chicken and Rice
This recipe is super simple. You pop it into the oven for one hour and walk away.
Using a roasting pan, dump one cup of your favourite rice and one and a half cups of water. Add spices like salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Put a bit of margarine in the mixture. Gently place a quarter of cut, without giblets (WOG) chicken into the centre of the roasting pan and apply a light layer of a savoury spice blend, marjoram, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Tuck bok choy blades and chopped onion into any remaining space. Cook at 400 degrees for one hour.
