What's your favorite way to dress up rice?

[cmarchibald]

I cook rice a LOT. I am an American expat living in the Middle East and have spent most of the last 6 years in either the Middle East or Asia. Rice has become my primary starch. I use it often when I make various stir-fry dishes, naturally, but more often serve it as a side dish with a meat and a veggie.

When I was a kid, rice was served with butter and salt and that's what rice was supposed to taste like. I still like a good buttery rice now and again....but once I started cutting down my butter and salt intake some years ago I became accustomed to eating rice plain. My favorite is brown basmanti rice because I like the added texture.

The problem is, after years of eating plain rice....I am becoming bored with it. I've tried experimenting by adding some spices here and there, but nothing comes out right. So....help me out. What are some of your easy/favorite ways to add (healthy) flavor to rice?

 

[BigAL]

Well, this is healthy...maybe.

There is the simple rice w/cream of mushroom soup w/added mushrooms, baked.

Cheesy rice, similar to make'n homemade mac & cheese w/a roux. Add some corn & mushrooms &/or broccoli to that also.

Shrimp fried rice, veggie fried rice, plain w/soy sauce.

Now I'm hungry.

 

[justplainbill]

Various baked Spanish rice recipes. In it's simplest form- raw rice topped with onions, red peppers, tomato sauce and grated parmigiano or locatelli is baked in a rich broth.
Getting fancier-
http://www.spain-recipes.com/image-files/spain-recipes-logo.jpg

 

[BigAL]

Great point, Bill. Reminds me of stuffed green peppers. Ground burger, rice, sauce, topped w/cheese all stuffed into green peppers and baked.

 

[Selkie]

I often fix an aromatic jasmine rice. Other spiced rice mixtures I have cooked at one time or another are:

* Chili Powder
* Italian Seasoning Mix
* Gumbo File (Pronounced fee-lay) (Powdered sassafras.)
* Powdered shrimp
* Powdered beef or chicken bouillon
* Curry or Marsala spice

Each of these gives plain rice a welcome change. I add a spice mixture before steaming so it absorbs the greatest amount of flavor as it cooks.

 

[cmarchibald]

Well, this is healthy...maybe.

There is the simple rice w/cream of mushroom soup w/added mushrooms, baked.

My mom used to make that a lot and I fully agree it is tasty. I wonder what I would need if I wasn't going to use a canned soup but all fresh ingredients from scratch....

Cheesy rice, similar to make'n homemade mac & cheese w/a roux. Add some corn & mushrooms &/or broccoli to that also.

Shrimp fried rice, veggie fried rice, plain w/soy sauce.

Now I'm hungry.

Yum....that makes 2 of us!

 

[cmarchibald]

Various baked Spanish rice recipes. In it's simplest form- raw rice topped with onions, red peppers, tomato sauce and grated parmigiano or locatelli is baked in a rich broth.
Getting fancier-
http://www.spain-recipes.com/image-files/spain-recipes-logo.jpg

Thanks Bill! I love Spanish rice and have done that a couple times. Since I can't buy pork here I always feel it's missing something. Plus I haven't made it often enough to get the consistency right without burning the bottom of the pan. Need more practice I think.

Thanks for the suggestions, Selkie. I have added curry to my rice but I think I overdid it or did something wrong. The flavor was much too strong (and I'm a curry fan). How much do you use? Do you combine it with anything else? Any special techniques?

 

[jabbur]

I've cooked the rice in both beef and chicken broth often adding the corresponding bullion for additional flavor. To the beef version I add onions and garlic. My family loves jasmine rice with cream cheese and ranch dressing mix.

 

[Selkie]

...I have added curry to my rice but I think I overdid it or did something wrong. The flavor was much too strong (and I'm a curry fan). How much do you use? Do you combine it with anything else? Any special techniques?

I season my rice the same way I would as if I were adding salt - light in quantity in the palm of my hand first, and looking for just enough spice to produce a slight color change as if each kernel were dusted with only a few grains. The flavor will take care of itself as long as the aroma is there.

Enjoy whatever you decide to do!

 

[licia]

Growing up in the south, we ate rice a lot too. My mom used to make chicken and rice and spareribs and rice. Both are very good and cooked together. She would cook the chicken or spareribs in broth or water with salt and pepper til almost done then add regular long grain rice and finish til rice was tender. A meal in one pot.

 

[Yakuta]

There are many simple ways to dress up rice. Given you are in Kuwait, you should get your hands on middle eastern and indian ingredients easily. I was not clear if you were just looking for general ideas or more southern or american ways of preparing rice.

I am Indian so here are a few things I can share:

Just some oil and let it heat, when it's really hot, throw in a couple of bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and tbsp of cumin seeds. Reduce the heat and then add some chopped green chili and garlic. Put in rinsed and washed basmati rice (drain the water first), some salt, water and let it all cook. Extremely flavorful rice. You can throw in frozen vegetables, fava beans etc to this along with some chopped mint, cilantro etc and it will make it into what we called a pulao or you may call a pilaf.

You can also add cooked lentils (I cook it aldente similar to rice, drain, season it with spices of my choice and mix it with the rice) to your rice and it's almost a whole meal served with a side or yogurt raita (it's basically yogurt with chopped onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and herbs)

Fried rice - You can easily make it with cooked and shredded chicken which is available in the middle east along with vegetables of your choice, egg, soy and hoisin sauce.

Lamb is available in plenty there so if you are adventurous look up a biryani recipe (It's a good amount of work) and try it out. It's worth all the effort. You can think of it as a paella of India.

All the best

 

[mollyanne]

If you click on "Off Topic Forum" under "General Forums" on the blue bar above and then scroll down to my thread called "Favorite Animated Shorts" you will find a stop-motion youtube video of a Thai Rice Recipe that looks DELISH...with coconut and salmon

I'll see if I can get the link and post it here too. The song in the background is annoying but if you have a healthy sense of humor then that helps a little

Here it is but you have to click on "Watch on Youtube" because it says it's embedded...just click on the underlined words though and it'll happen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxjz9diKOtI&feature=player_embedded

 

[Andy M.]

Rice pilaf
Chinese Fried Rice
Risotto
Paella
Jambalaya

 

[Alix]

"Toast" the rice first by sauteeing in some oil til its golden, then pour any kind of broth over it. Brings out a lovely nutty flavor. I often add toasted slivered almonds too.

I'm not sure what kind of rice you have available, but my family is currently thoroughly enjoying a Wild Rice Blend that has several whole grains in it.

 

[GB]

I like to use different liquids to make my rice (and other grains). Chicken stock is one that many people already do. A favorite of mine though is cranberry juice (cut with some water). It tastes great and can look great too.

 

[Mimizkitchen]

I like to make a saffron rice with garlic, peppers, and onions.. When the rice is cooked I add (chopped and seeded) diced tomatoes.. It is yummy!!!

 

[cmarchibald]

There are many simple ways to dress up rice. Given you are in Kuwait, you should get your hands on middle eastern and indian ingredients easily. I was not clear if you were just looking for general ideas or more southern or american ways of preparing rice.

I am Indian so here are a few things I can share:

Just some oil and let it heat, when it's really hot, throw in a couple of bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and tbsp of cumin seeds. Reduce the heat and then add some chopped green chili and garlic. Put in rinsed and washed basmati rice (drain the water first), some salt, water and let it all cook. Extremely flavorful rice. You can throw in frozen vegetables, fava beans etc to this along with some chopped mint, cilantro etc and it will make it into what we called a pulao or you may call a pilaf.

You can also add cooked lentils (I cook it aldente similar to rice, drain, season it with spices of my choice and mix it with the rice) to your rice and it's almost a whole meal served with a side or yogurt raita (it's basically yogurt with chopped onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and herbs)

Fried rice - You can easily make it with cooked and shredded chicken which is available in the middle east along with vegetables of your choice, egg, soy and hoisin sauce.

Lamb is available in plenty there so if you are adventurous look up a biryani recipe (It's a good amount of work) and try it out. It's worth all the effort. You can think of it as a paella of India.

All the best

These are just the kind of ideas I was hoping to get, thanks Yakuta! I have picked up many Indian and Middle Eastern spices and I'm trying to learn how to cook with them because I love love LOVE Indian/Arabic cuisine. Love biryani, it's one of my staples whenever I go out for Indian food (that and garlic naan...). I'd love to learn how to cook both.

 

[cmarchibald]

If you click on "Off Topic Forum" under "General Forums" on the blue bar above and then scroll down to my thread called "Favorite Animated Shorts" you will find a stop-motion youtube video of a Thai Rice Recipe that looks DELISH...with coconut and salmon

Oh I'm gonna have to check that one out....my boyfriend and I are both bananas for Thai food. I grew up on Cajun cooking so I really enjoy spicy food. He is something else though. If I like my food raging volcano fire hot....his taste is closer to nuclear. I am slowly getting accustomed to making our dinners a compromise of suitable spiciness.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

My mom used to make that a lot and I fully agree it is tasty. I wonder what I would need if I wasn't going to use a canned soup but all fresh ingredients from scratch....

Saute' 4 ounces of chopped mushrooms and about 2 ounces of diced onion in 3 tablespoons olive oil or butter. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and cook until slightly golden. Stir in cream, half&half or milk until thickened (about 2 cups, depending how thick you like your mushroom soup) salt and pepper to taste. Then continue with rice dish.

 

[cmarchibald]

Beautiful! Thanks!