Makes 4 | 20 mins wo-to-go
My family & I love steamed rice. Don't dismiss it as boring or un-nutritious.
Fragrant Basmati to go with Indian curries,
foral Jasmine with fish and Asian stir fries,
Royal red to increase nutrient density (and it looks so pretty), a bit of
Black (wild) to add chew not to mention minerals, antioxidants & 18 amino acids and let's not forget
wholesome brown with the nutrient dense germ and bran intact. Call us strange but we love rice accompanying a green leafy salad and fish, chicken thigh on the bone or a piece of quick cook meat protein for a simple, healthy & delicious dinner.
Rice is
gluten free, cheap, plentiful, always on hand and if you mix some of the unpolished varieties with the 'white ones' then you get a wider range of nutrients. Don't stress over rice, half the world's population eat it as their prime source of energy and nutrition and for many of us we get our main nutrients from the accompanying foods. So, if it's white, keep your serve size smaller and eat max of once a week and ENJOY...unless of course you have active growing boys who's insatiable tummies need filling.
One $15 rice cooker, a little imagination & 15 minutes later dinner is ready as you can whip up a salad and BBQ some fish or meat whilst the rice is cooking.
YOU'LL NEED.....
2 cups of rice (rinsed) *of your choice ( eg 50|50 basmati + red rice)
2.5 cups of water (or DIY stock - chicken or veg)
6 cloves
6 cardamon pods
1 stick of cinnamon
1/2 tspn salt
8 peppercorns or ground pepper
Following are optional - any or all
2-3 slices of fresh ginger
1-2 cloves of garlic
splash of sesame oil
splash tamari or soy
1/4 cup dried coconut
1 onion - finely sliced and sautéed
pinch of saffron
TO MAKE....
- Add ingredients to rice cooker. Turn on and forget about it.
- Once the switch has flicked to 'warming' mode remove lid and pluck out whole spices that have risen to the top.
- Fork thru to fluff up.
TIPS & TRICKS
-
* Rinsing helps remove some of the starch and keeps the grains separate and less sticky. Soaking does this too but not necessary.
- 1 cup rice + 1.25 cups liquid in the rice cooker.
- Love your rice cooker as you can prep the rice at least an hour ahead of time, won't have a hard-to-wash-saucepan + it ALWAYS comes out perfect.
- If you don't have a rice cooker, bring rice to boil on stove top, give it a quick stir, cover, simmer gently for 15mins. (use a simmer pad if you have gas)
- Eat left rice for lunch with a dollop of hummus or baba ganoush + fresh herbs & a sprinkle of seeds or seaweed, or
- Top leftovers with an egg and sprouts.
KIDS
Start with white and gradually intro the different colours (call it rainbow rice) so they get use to chewing for longer and become comfortable with the flavours.
Image source - http-//en.wikipedia.org
