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Rice, a staple at mealtimes, is very nutritious, but of course it can get a little boring if we don't work with our rice to turn out appetising and delicious dishes.
Contrary to what many believe, delicious rice can be done in just minutes by simply sautéing a few aromatics, like peppers, onions and garlic, adding to rice with some chicken or vegetable stock and simmering until it's cooked.
Different types of rice will give you different tastes as well. Parboiled rice is great in sturdy meat and rice cookups, as well as in fried rice. White rice makes great rice puddings and basmati rice makes wonderful flavoured rice dishes.
Brown rice, which is the most nutritious type of rice, has a flavour all its own and a rather chewy texture, but once you've become used to these qualities you'll love it as well.
Rice is an easy dish to do ahead, and tastes as good the next day. What's even better, cooked rice freezes well, too, so go ahead and enjoy your rice in all different flavours.
Peas and rice
cookup
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 lb chicken, seasoned
1 onion, chopped
1 tbs chopped celery
1 tbs chopped thyme
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 pimento peppers, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 cup black eye peas (or any other) cooked peas
1 cup parboiled rice
2 1/2 cups vegetable/chicken stock or 1 cup coconut milk and
1 1/2 cups stock
2 tsp salt
1 hot pepper, left whole
Heat oil in a large sauté pan, add chicken pieces and
brown well, add onion, celery, thyme, garlic, and peppers. Cook
until fragrant and tender. About 5 minutes, add tomato, peas
and stir well, add rice, stir and add stock or coconut milk,
season with salt, drop in hot pepper and bring to a boil. Cover
and lower heat to low, cook for a further 30 minutes until rice
is tender and chicken is cooked.
Spiced Rice Pilaf with
Chick Peas and Pine Nuts
1 1/2 cups Basmati rice
3 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 14 oz tin chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup currants or raisins
Salt and pepper
Rinse Basmati rice in lots of cool water until the water becomes
clear, soak rice in more water for 20 minutes then place in a
strainer and drain there for another 20 minutes.
Heat oil in a sauce pan, add onions, and garlic, sauté
until tender, about four minutes.
Add cinnamon, turmeric and paprika, stir, now add the chickpeas.
Add pine nuts and combine.
Add rice and sauté with spices so that all the rice grains
are coated.
Add chicken stock, stir well.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add raisins or currants, bring to a boil and cover and simmer
ntil rice grains are tender.
Fluff with a fork.
Serves four to six
Baked Vegetable Rice
Casserole
1 cup parboiled rice
2 tbs vegetable or olive Oil
1 large onion finely chopped
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup Italian tomato sauce
1 cup peas and carrots, frozen
1/2 cup milk
1 beaten egg
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
Boil rice and cool.
Heat oil in a sauté pan, add onion and pepper and sauté
until fragrant.
Add tomato sauce and cook until mixture is saucy and onions are
tender, about 10 minutes.
Combine rice with tomato mixture and add vegetables.
Combine milk with egg and one cup of cheese.
Add to rice mixture.
Preheat oven to 375F
Turn ingredients into a greased casserole dish.
Combine breadcrumbs with 1/3 cup grated cheese and parsley.
Spoon on top of rice.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Serves four
Split Pea
Kitcheree
1/2 cup yellow split
peas, washed and picked over
1 cup Parboiled Rice
2 tbs vegetable. oil
1 2 inch stick cinnamon
2 sticks clove
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp saffron powder, turmeric
2 1/2 cups broth
Salt to taste
Cook split peas in water for about 10 minutes, drain.
Heat oil in sauce pan; add garlic, cinnamon, cloves, onion and
ginger.
Add saffron and cook for a few minutes, add split peas and rice,
stir and fry for a few minutes more.
Add broth, bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes.
Fluff with a fork and serve.
Serves four
BAKED RICE AND VEGETABLE
CASSEROLE
1 cup parboiled rice
2 tbs butter
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, uncooked
1/2 cup milk
1 beaten egg
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Topping:
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated cheese Try it!
Boil rice and cool.
Heat butter. Add onion and pepper and sauté until fragrant.
Add tomato sauce and cook until mixture is saucy and onions are
tender, about ten minutes.
Combine rice with tomato sauce, vegetables, milk, egg, cheese.
Stir.
Preheat oven to 375ÝF.
Turn ingredients into a greased casserole dish.
Sprinkle with breadcrumbs, mixed with one-third cup grated cheese.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Serves four.
CARIBBEAN RICE PILAF
1 1/2 cups parboiled or basmati rice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup raisins
2 large dried Chinese black mushrooms
3 tbs chopped chives
Sauce:
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tbs rum (optional)
2 tbs light soy sauce
1 tbs sesame oil
1 tsp Chinese chili sauce
1 tsp salt
2 tsp grated orange peel
Soak black mushrooms in two cups warm water for two hours.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms and slice.
In a small bowl combine sauce ingredients and stir well.
Melt oil in saucepan. Add garlic, peppers, and onion and sauté
until fragrant.
Add rice and stir to coat.
Add raisins and sauce. Cover and simmer until cooked, 18-20 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in chives.
Serves four to six.
INDIAN SPICED BROWN
RICE PILAF
1 cup brown rice, rinsed
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cardamom seed
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or chadon beni
Heat oil in a heavy saucepan. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
Add onion, garlic and dried spices and turn to combine.
Add rice and stock. Bring to a boil. Season with salt and cover.
Lower heat and cook for 45 minutes.
Toss with fork and sprinkle with chadon beni.
Serves four.
BLACK BEANS AND RICE
This is a speciality of the Spanish Caribbean islands.
1/2 cup dried black beans
1 bay leaf
Pinch brown sugar
1 tbs vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 hot pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tsp ground cumin/geera
2 cup rice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped chadon beni/cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
The night before soak the beans in plenty of water.
Drain the beans the next morning, place in a heavy pot, cover
with water, add bay leaf, black pepper and a pinch of brown sugar,
simmer beans until tender, about 45 to 60 minutes. At this point
make sure there is not too much water left in your beans.
Drain off excess water.
In a sauce pan, heat oil, add garlic and onion and pepper, stir
until fragrant add beans and combine, add cumin and stir. Add
rice and broth bring to a boil, cover and simmer 20 minutes until
cooked. Adjust salt.
Sprinkle with chadon beni
Serves four to six.
Rice and Beans
This is a typical Caribbean dish. In Jamaica, cooks often use
pigeon peas; other countries use beans. Black turtle beans are
easy to get at the supermarket, but feel free to switch. And
while Scotch bonnet peppers are traditional, I used an easier-to-find
jalapeno. If you go the authentic route, use less because the
Scotch bonnet is hotter.
2 cups water
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon jalapeno or Scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup long-grain rice
1 can black turtle beans, rinsed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Combine water, coconut milk, jalapeno, thyme and rice in
a pot. Bring to a boil, cover, turn heat to low, and cook for
5 minutes.
Add beans, cover and cook 10 minutes more or until rice
is cooked. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, 5 minutes
longer.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with
parsley. Serves 4.