How to spice up taste of rice

[georgevan]

I like the convenience of rice being quick and easy but the taste is very plain and tasteless and boring. What I need is something to add to rice to make it tasteful and not soy sauce because that doesn't do it for me. Any ideas to spice up the taste of rice?

 

[dragnlaw]

Butter, cheese, mushrooms, Italian Seasoning, Old Bay

Vegies - chopped broccoli, carrots, any!

Concentrated bouillions/powders/pastes/liquids

 

[Andy M.]

Sauté a little shallots or onions in lots of butter. Add some orzo or anger hair pasta broken up into short pieces. Sauté the pasta until it turns golden brown. Add washed rice and chicken broth. Simmer for 20-25 minutes. Rest for 5.

 

[karadekoolaid]

Look for pullao rice, George.
Or Biryani rice.
Or Indonesian Nasi goreng.

That should give you some ideas.-

 

[blissful]

We eat a lot of homemade kimchi (fermented, spicy) with rice, and I make Tom Yum sauce with rice/peas/onions/peppers. I use brown basmati rice.

 

[georgevan]

Butter, cheese, mushrooms, Italian Seasoning, Old Bay

Vegies - chopped broccoli, carrots, any!

Concentrated bouillions/powders/pastes/liquids

What kind of powders, pastes,or liquids?

 

[dragnlaw]

What kind of powders, pastes,or liquids?

Look in your cupboard. What kind of powders, pastes or liquids do you have in there?

 

[GinnyPNW]

Look for pullao rice, George.
Or Biryani rice.
Or Indonesian Nasi goreng.

That should give you some ideas.-

+1 on this. Try some different types of rice. I think Jasmine rice has a wonderful aroma and flavor. That said, I also use Cal Rose and Basmati often, depending upon recipe and texture I need. Have you tried making coconut rice? Heavenly!

Do you make your rice on the stovetop or rice cooker...or?

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Frank's Original Red Hot Sauce. I put that $hit on everything!

 

[letscook]

Saute onions and garlic add to the rice. and instead of water use a broth veggie/chicken/beef.

 

[roadfix]

Sprinkle some furikake on your rice and you’re good to go.

 

[GotGarlic]

I make Mexican rice by replacing 1/4 cup (or more, to your taste) of the water with prepared salsa. Another version is to add a 4-oz. can of chopped green chiles and some cilantro.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

You can add flavour to rice by simply cooking it in broth/stock instead of water. Use whatever stock you have; chicken, beef, vegetable, shrimp, etc.

If you REALLY want to add flavour, use my one of my Mexican rice recipes below:

Mexican Rice​

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 14½ oz can petite diced tomatoes, with juice
• ½ red bell pepper, diced
• ½ green bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed, diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp Mexican oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

Pour vegetable broth, beef broth, and juice from petite diced tomatoes into a large measuring cup. Add water to make 2½ cups, if required. Put all ingredients into a rice cooker or a medium sized pot and cook as you would everyday rice.

Place the finished rice in serving bowl and garnish it with fresh cilantro. If you're one of those unfortunate people for whom cilantro tastes like soap, use parsley.

Mexican Yellow Rice​

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• ½ cup red onion, finely diced
• ½ cup mixed vegetables
• ¼ cup chopped bell pepper
• 1 jalapeño pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups water
• 2 tsp chicken bouillon
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp coriander

Instructions:

In a sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium. Sauté the onion until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes, add the mixed vegetables and continue to sauté until heated through, 2 minutes. Add garlic and continue to sauté until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds.

Transfer the sautéd vegetables to a rice cooker, add the rice, water, chicken bouillon and stir to dissolve bullion. Add the turmeric, thyme, cumin and coriander, close the lid and turn on the rice cooker.

Black Beans & Rice​

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup brown rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup onion, chopped
• ¾ cup bell pepper, diced (any color)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup prepared black beans
• 1½ cups vegetable broth
• 1 Tbs red wine vinegar
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• 1 scallion, green and white parts, sliced thin on the bias

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, combine 3 cups chicken broth with ½ tsp salt. Bring the broth to a boil, stir in the rice, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

In a sauté pan, heat 1 Tbs olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion and bell pepper until crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds. Stir in the black beans, vegetable broth, vinegar, bay leaf, black pepper, cumin, and ½ tsp of salt. Bring the bean mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and add the bean and vegetable mixture to the rice. Place the black beans and rice in a serving bowl and garnish it with sliced scallion.

 

[jennyema]

Furikaki. Japanese rice seasoning.

You can buy it in most Asian markets

https://www.japancentre.com/en/pages/40-furikake-rice-seasoning

 

[Vinylhanger]

Sushi rice vinegar. A good amount mixed in and I can eat it all by itself.

 

[roadfix]

Ochazuke…. simply pour green tea over sticky rice. You can also add furikake.

 

[Silversage]

Instead of using water to cook rice, use a flavorful broth or stock.

As an alternative, I sometimes add a tsp of Better Than Bullion.