A Few Variations on Rice

Rice was always a very plain dish, Minute Rice with a touch of butter, in our family meal and as a consequence I didn’t really like rice. It was a different story when we ordered Asian food – loved fried rice because it was interesting.
In the last 7.5 years working at Linwood House it has been an honour to meet guests from all over the world. I am grateful for the cooking tips they have shared so that creating dishes from their cultures are more authentic.
Just adding a few fragrant spices makes all the difference to rice. Instead of bland plain rice you have opened your senses to the aroma, textures and colours of this addition to your meal. Of course...eating is all about the senses so that you savour, eat slowly, inhale the aromas and let it linger a bit longer in your mouth! These are all simple touches we can put into our meal preparation that elevate the quality and enjoyment without adding a lot of effort or expense.
My staple rice in the cupboard in jasmine rice and arborio rice

Coconut Rice. This is a great flavour with Thai or Indian food.
Just add a tin of coconut milk along with the water as you make your rice. Add a pinch of nutmeg and a pinch of cinnamon as well. If you add a pinch of turmeric it will be a beautiful yellow gold colour. Great fragrance!
Fragrant Rice. This rice totally changed my view on rice – and every time D would make it I thoroughly enjoyed it.
-Saute garlic and onions in a bit of olive oil. Then add your washed rice and stir until it is fully coated. Add your liquid that is either chicken or vegetable broth and a touch of salt if desired. Through in a cinnamon stick and a couple of bay leaves and cook until done. Add finely chopped red peppers and some fresh chopped parsley.
The colours and fragrance of this rice are just amazing!
Saffron Risotto. When I lived in Italy my friend A-M made the most wonderful food and risotto was one of the things she showed me how to do when we were at a summer house in Nerano. Always use butter to make this dish, use hot broth, white wine and my secret ingredient is balsamic vinegar. Cast iron pots are the best for cooking this in and my bright red one goes with me when I cook this dish at other locations.
I love this rice with steaming mussels, chorizo, sauted fresh spot prawns and chicken – my version of paella.
It also goes well with lamb chops that are marinated in lemon rind, lemon juice, chopped rosemary and thyme, olive oil, garlic and red wine. Then just grill the chops and serve over a bed of this bright risotto.
-Sauté ½ cup of finely chopped onions in 2 generous tablespoons of butter for about 5 – 7 minutes. Then add 2 cups arborio rice and stir to completely coat the rice in the butter. Stir until the rice becomes ever so slightly golden.
-Have 6 cups of broth heated and ready to add slowly to the rice as well as one cup of white wine. Also have a few threads of saffron added to the hot chicken broth.
-Ladle the broth, ½ cup at a time into the rice and continually stir. When the liquid is absorbed add another ½ cup of broth. Repeat this process, interspersing the wine addition, until all the liquid has been added. It will still be a bit soupy in texture, but the saffron should make it a strong yellow colour.
-I always add a touch of salt next as well as about 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar. Add another dash of butter, cover and let cook on a low heat for about ½ hour. I have baked this at 350 in the oven in the covered pot and it works just as well.
-When you are ready to serve this add about ½ cup of grated pecorino or parmesan cheese as well as freshly chopped parsley, salt and pepper if desired.
Fried Rice. The secret to this Asian dish, according to my friend from Beijing, is to sauté green onions in a touch of regular oil and a dash of sesame oil. Then add the cooked rice. Put a touch of white wine into your egg when you mix it up and then pour it into the rice. You can add whatever vegetables you like. I also like to add some grated ginger to the pan when I am sautéing the green onions in the oil mix.
Morrocan Flavours – I have used this way of preparing rice along with Lebanese Kibbi Balls (flavourful meat balls that have bulgar wheat in them.
-Saute some chopped onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil. Add your rice and then your broth. Then add a touch of salt, a pinch of cinnamon, a little nutmeg, cumin and curry powder. Cook as per the instructions on the package until done.
-Just before you serve it add some crumbled feta cheese, toasted pine nuts, chopped cilantro and some raisins. Cover it again and let it sit for 5 minutes or so.
-Don’t forget to inhale the fragrances as you serve this out! Hopefully this aroma will already be wafting through the house and sending its own invitation for dinner.

There are so many more ideas out there on preparing rice but this is just a couple of ways that might give you one new idea or two to add to your meal plans for tonight! Let your senses be open as you taste, smell, feel, know the sound of and the see the colours of the food you on your counter that will be your meal.