Featured Rice Recipe

Rice comes in a variety of grains, shapes, sizes and can be prepared in many different ways.  Worldwide there are more than 40,000 different varieties of rice, so there are many options.  Most popular varieties are: brown rice, wild rice, white rice, short grain rice, long grain rice, Jasmine rice, Basamati rice and Arborio rice.

A beneficial feature of rice is that it is easily flavored or seasoned to compliment any other cuisine dish it is being served with.  Did you know rice is also easily “puffed” like many other cereal grains.  Think of a very popular cereal – Rice Krispies or puffed rice cereal…Who knew rice could taste so good for breakfast?

Rice is one of the most popular foods in the world.  It is second only to corn as the world’s highest production grain.  Most commonly used in East and South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the West Indies cuisine, rice is a staple food for billions of people.  With a large portion of corn crops grown for purposes other than human food, rice is the most important grain with regard to human nutrition.  It provides more than one fifth of the calories consumed worldwide by humans.  Between 1961 and 2002, per capita consumption of rice increased by 40% and more than 20% of adult Americans now report eating at least half a serving of white rice or brown rice per day.

Fried Rice

Fried rice is one of the most popular dishes in Asian cuisine, especially Chinese food.  Rice is first steamed or boiled.  It’s then added to a large wok with oil, seasonings, vegetables, egg and quite often a protein like chicken, beef or pork. Soy or oyster sauce is often added for extra flavor as well.

Fried rice recipes can have as many variations as the cook can dream up.  Popular garnishes include shallots, Chiffonades of fresh parsley or coriander leaves, carrots sliced into shapes or diced chili sprinkled on top of the heaped rice.  Fried rice is usually made with previously made rice, if you do not have any on hand we have a fried rice preparation tip to get similar consistency in rice without waiting for it to age.

Chicken and Rice

Chicken and rice can be made as casserole dish, rice soup, chicken and rice stew or as a side dish to each other.  As you can see there are endless amount of options when it comes to dish styles, flavors and ethnicity.  Although many feel its roots are based in southern or “soul food” style cooking, Asian inspired recipes are also very popular.  What all these recipes seem to have in common is the cooking process – a casserole style approach.  Rice is usually the bottom layer in the dish with pieces of chicken then being placed on top.

Beans and Rice

Beans and rice is a popular dish found in Latin American, Spanish, Caribbean and Mexican cuisines.  With its basic ingredients, bean and rice dishes are found throughout the world.  In North America, rice and beans are usually thought of as southern food with influences of Latin or Caribbean via the seasonings.

This dish usually features white rice and then black, red or brown beans are added.  Different regions have different seasonings.  In New Orleans, the delicacy known as “red beans and rice” is often served with a side of smoked sausage or a fried pork chop.  Beans and rice is also very nutritious.  Rice is an excellent starch and protein source.  Beans are also high in protein and other essential minerals.

Rice Pudding

Rice pudding is a bit of an unusual dessert the first time someone tries it. With a texture not commonly found in desserts, rice pudding is a delicious treat that is also quite filling.  It’s made of cooked rice, water or milk, spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger and usually some sort of sweetener.  Dried fruit like raisins can also be added.

In the United Kingdom, rice pudding is a very traditional dessert.  The earliest rice pudding recipes date back to 1615 and were called whitepot at the time.  English rice pudding is prepared by using pudding rice, milk, cream, and sugar and is often flavored with vanilla, nutmeg, and/or cinnamon.  It can be made in two ways: in a saucepan or by baking in the oven.

Rice Casserole

Since rice is easily flavored or seasoned, it makes an excellent starch to use in a variety of casseroles.  Whether chicken, beef, seafood or pork is used, rice goes with them all.  Vegetables like broccoli, green onion or carrots can also be added and cheese is used for a topping.  A sauce is also used as a cooking liquid for the rice casserole as well as a way to keep the rice casserole from drying out. Cream or tomato based sauces are most commonly used.

Risotto

Risotto is something that can intimidate people but it is really quite easy to prepare.  Medium or short grain rice is usually used when preparing risotto.  By definition, risotto is an Italian style of cooking rice in a broth that leads to a creamy consistency.   It is one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy.  The risotto broth is usually flavored with meat, seafood or vegetable seasonings and cheeses like Parmesan or Romano are added at the final stages of cooking for additional flavor.

Gumbo Recipe

Gumbo is a southern style soup or stew that was created in Louisiana in the 18th century.  It’s made from a strong stock of beef or seafood and then vegetables and rice are added.  Stew style Gumbo recipes are served over a bed of rice as well.  There are two main varieties of Gumbo.  Creole gumbo is made with shellfish, tomatoes and a thickener like rice.  Cajun gumbo is spicier and contains shellfish or fowl and has a darker roux.  Pork like sausage or ham can also be added.

Gumbo is a slow cooking dish which usually simmers for at least three hours so that all the flavors can blend together.  Vegetables are added before the meat and seafood is always added last to prevent over cooking, keeping the dish ever so delicious.

Rice Soup

Rice can be added to almost any soup that calls for pasta or potatoes.  An excellent substitution because of it’s high nutritional value, rice soup recipes are also easily customizable for picky eaters.  The trick to using rice in a soup is to cook the rice first – so that it’s about 85% cooked.  This will eliminate most of the starch that is released in cooking and won’t transfer it to your soup base.  Add it to the soup and let the rice finish cooking.  This process will also help the rice pick up the flavors of the soup so each mouthful will be delicious.  Give rice soup a try, you will like it!

Rice Pilaf

Rice pilaf is a term with a variety of meanings, depending on what kind or style of cooking is being used.  Rice pilaf is a dish where rice is cooked in a seasoned broth.  In some situations, color can be added to the rice by the use of burned onion as well as spices and seasonings.  Depending on the cuisine, rice pilaf can also contain meat.

Rice pilaf has been around for centuries – Alexander the Great was served rice pilaf after his defeat of Sogdian capital of Marakanda.  He was so impressed with the dish, he brought the rice pilaf recipe back to Macedonia and spread it throughout Eastern Europe.  Now available around the world, rice pilaf is well on the way to becoming a favorite dish in such unlikely places as Russia and Ukraine.

Jambalaya Recipe

Jambalaya is a Creole recipe of Spanish and French influence based in Louisiana.  Normally Jambulaya is made with sausage, chicken, rice, tomatoes, celery and spices.  In Creole cooking, there is something called the “holy trinity”.  It refers to celery, peppers and onions.

Most Creole and Cajun recipes use the holy trinity for flavor and seasoning.  Jambalaya is also regional with variations found throughout the southern states.  Jambalaya is widely considered to be one of the easiest dishes to make so it makes an excellent started recipe for anyone looking to discover the tasty Creole cuisine.

Spanish Rice

Spanish rice is also referred to as Mexican rice.  It is a dish prepared with white rice, garlic, onions, tomatoes, cilantro or parsley and other ingredients.  It can be prepared by sauteing the rice in a large skillet until it’s a lovely golden brown.  Then chicken or vegetable stock is added as are vegetables.  Herbs like cilantro or parsley are added just before serving.  Regional variations are also found and Spanish rice recipes often call for corn or peppers to be added.  Interestingly, Spanish rice is not found in Spain.  The term “Spanish rice” is not used by Mexicans of Mexican “foodies” either.

In Mexico, this dish is just referred to as arroz (rice).  Mexican or Spanish rice is very popular in Tex-Mex cuisine.  Here it can include chunks of grilled vegetables and is served with fajitas, burritos or enchiladas.  In South American cuisine, Spanish rice is served with just tomatoes and chilies to give it a distinctive redish orange color and a smokey garlic and onion flavor.  It is served as an accompaniment to other authentic Mexican cuisines.

Sticky Rice

I was surprised to learn that sticky rice is technically called “Glutinous rice“.  It is a variety of short grain Asian rice that becomes especially sticky when cooked.  This rice is grown in the south central region of Asia and dates back more than 2000 years.  Most commonly found in Asian dishes, sticky rice is usually a side dish or dessert rather than a main staple.

Interesting Sticky Rice Fact: In China, according to legend, glutinous rice played a very important role in the construction of the Great Wall of China.  It was used to make the mortar and chemical tests have since been conducted to confirm this is true for the city walls of Xian.

How to Make Rice

Many people struggle cooking rice, but it is really very easy.  Add some water, a little salt and a little butter and its ready to cook.  Different variations of rice will have slightly difference cooking methods, but the overall approach is the same.

Start by rinsing your rice. The simplest way to cook rice is the absorption method.   Measure out the required water into a heavy base pot with a tight fitting lid.   Brown rice will take a little more water, short grain rice will take a little less.  Once the water has boiled away, now it’s time to let your rice rest.  Remove it from the burner, leaving the lid on and let it rest for 5 minutes. This allows all the moisture in the pot to re-distribute and produces better tasting, better textured rice.

Steaming and using a rice cooker are two of the other most common ways to prepare rice.  Rice is one of those foods where practice really does make perfect so the more you make rice, the better you will become at it.  View our easy to follow “How to Make Rice” video to see how easy it really is to make perfect rice every time.

Saffron Rice

Saffron rice is prepared using white rice, saffron and usually vegetable bouillon.  Saffron rice is found in many countries with small variations depending on the local region.  In Turkey, Saffron rice is made from basamati rice and included butter and bay leaves for additional seasoning.  Saffron is one of the world’s most expensive spices but since a little goes a long way, the unique color and taste of Saffron make it well worth the expenditure.  Here is an online saffron rice supplier that offers many different sizes with price points for all budgets.

Dirty Rice

Dirty rice is traditional Cajun cuisine prepared with white rice cooked with small pieces of chicken liver or giblets.  This gives it the famous dark or “dirty” color and a distinctive, but not spicy flavor.  Similar to a pilaf, dirty rice also contains the “holy trinity” of Cajun/Creole cooking.  Parsley and chopped green onions are used as garnishes. While dirty rice found in the Cajun regions of southern Louisiana and Mississippi, it also appears in other regions of the American South.  In some of these regions, dirty rice is known as rice dressing.  It is an excellent side dish to salmon, so let’s get dirty!

Brown Rice Recipes

Brown rice, which is also known as “hulled rice”, is non-milled or partly milled rice.  Considered a kind of whole, natural grain, brown rice has become more popular in recent years with the increasing focus on whole grains and unprocessed foods.   It has a mild nutty flavor, is chewier and more nutritious than white rice, but spoils more quickly due to the “germ” which is removed to make white rice.  All rice including long grain, short grain or sticky rice can be eaten as brown rice.  Cooking methods are slightly different for brown rice so be sure to read the cooking directions well in advance so adjustments can be made for cooking time and methods.

Rice Cooker Recipes (Steamer)

A rice cooker is the simplest, easiest way to prepare rice.  The cooker does all the work for you.  Rice cooker recipes are plentiful and easy to follow.  Almost all rice cookers come with a small recipe book and then a little quick research on this site will help find rice cooker recipes.  Rice cookers are also very versatile so other dishes can be made in them too.  Again a little bit of online research will reveal thousands of recipes that include everything but rice.

Enjoy Preparing Our Featured Rice Recipes

Rice is an extremely easy to cook food that can be served with any type of meat, vegetable or seafood.  It’s great on it’s own when it’s served plain with a touch of butter or when it’s seasoned to the hilt and full of flavor.  With rice, all that really is required is a sense of adventure and a few spices to play around with.  From the rice fields to you kitchen, rice grains have a lot to offer in such a small size.  Enjoy all our featured rice recipe!