Three ways to make rice more exciting
By Roshni Riar, Staff Writer
I’m going to level with you here, I eat a lot of rice. There’s a couple of reasons for this: It’s cheap, filling, and easy to cook. I regularly and shamelessly buy 10-pound bags of rice from Walmart and lug them home, planning entire meals around the delicious grain. What I try not to do though, which can be tough, is succumb to my own laziness and eat it plain. While a bowl of plain rice does make a relatively effortless cheap meal, it’s definitely not the most exciting or enjoyable. With a few extra minutes and dollars, you can spice up the way you use rice and end up with some really impressive dishes. To help you get there, I’ve put together my three go-to rice recipes for you to try and hopefully enjoy too.
Spicy rice
2 cups of rice
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 habanero or serrano pepper, deseeded and minced
1/3 cup green onion, roughly chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
This recipe for spicy rice is the result of a happy accident that involved throwing a bunch of things in a pot, hoping for the best, and ending up with something amazing.
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a sauce pot on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add shallot, garlic, and hot pepper. Sauté for three to five minutes, until everything is soft and the shallot is translucent.
Add rice to pot and stir thoroughly, making sure it’s coated in the aromatic oil. Add broth and water to pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and lower heat to medium low, simmering for 12 to 14 minutes until rice is cooked.
Take cooked rice off heat and slowly mix in green onion and cilantro with a fork, which fluffs the rice as well as incorporates the herbs. Salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Fried rice
2 cups cooked, cold rice (day old is best)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium eggs
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/2 cup frozen green peas
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large pan, heat sesame oil on medium high heat. Once hot, add onion and garlic to oil, sautéing until soft and translucent.
Add cold rice to pan, breaking up any clumps and tossing in oil to coat the grains. Sprinkle in dried chili pepper now, if any heat is desired. Pour soy sauce over rice and mix, making sure to evenly distribute it. If it looks a little dry, feel free to add a touch more soy sauce, but avoid making the dish too saucy.
Using a spoon, begin to make a hole in the center of the rice, pushing it to the edges of the pan. Once all the rice has been pushed away from the center, crack both eggs into the middle of the pan. Scramble the eggs with your spoon, constantly folding so they don’t brown. When the eggs are just slightly wet, start to mix them into the rice, pulling the rice back to the center of the pan. Add frozen peas, constantly tossing until they have thawed. Dish up a big bowl and enjoy.
Rice pudding
1 cup rice
2 cups milk of choice (I use coconut milk)
2 cardamom pods
2 tablespoons sweetener of choice (I use organic cane sugar)
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped almonds
I know rice pudding doesn’t sound particularly appealing but trust me when I say this recipe is perfect for a cold, winter night—plus this one is really simple.
All you need to do is put everything in a pot and boil for 10 to 12 minutes, making sure to stir constantly. You can also use precooked rice and cook for half the time. Feel free to add any other spices you want as well! This is a versatile and reliable way to have something warm and sweet after dinner.
