Rice is grains obtained from a cereal plant. It is a very versatile product and is used extensively throughout the world. Rice is one of the most widely eaten foods globally. It can be served as an accompaniment or as part of a main dish.
Rice is the main food crop for about half of the world’s population. There are around 250 varieties of rice, but initially, only two types need to be addressed.
1. Short grain – short, rounded grains with a soft texture, suitable for sweet dishes and risotto (an Italian specialty). Arborio is a type of short grain rice.
2. Long grain – narrow, long grains with a distinctive flavor, such as basmati. It has a firm structure, which helps keep the grains separate when cooked. It is used for plain boiled or steamed rice served with savory curry-type dishes.
A third variety used in cooking is whole grain, used for savory dishes, but the recipes in this article all use either short or long grain rice. Wild rice, often mentioned, is not rice but an aquatic grass used for special dishes or salads. Rice flour can be used for thickening soups.
Rice can be cooked by steaming. This can be done in a rice cooker following the manufacturer’s instructions.
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Nutritional Benefits of Rice
Rice is a very useful and versatile carbohydrate. When added to dishes, it helps to proportionally reduce the fat content (i.e., because more carbohydrate is eaten, less fat is likely to be consumed).
Recipes for Cooking Rice
Plain Boiled Rice
i. Ingredients
| Ingredients | 4 portions | 10 portions |
|---|---|---|
| Basmati rice, dry weight | 100g | 250g |
ii. Cooking
- Pick and wash the rice and place in a saucepan. (Picking the rice means checking that there is nothing in it that should not be there).
- Add plenty of lightly salted boiling water.
- Stir to the boil, then simmer gently until tender (approximately 12–15 minutes).
- Pour into a sieve and rinse well, first under cold running water, then very hot water.
- Drain off all water and leave the rice in a sieve placed over a bowl and covered with a clean tea cloth.
Braised Rice (Pilau)
i. Ingredients
| Ingredients | 4 portions | 10 portions |
|---|---|---|
| Oil, butter, or margarine | 50g | 125g |
| Onion, finely chopped | 25g | 60g |
| Rice, long grain | 100g | 250g |
| White stock, preferably chicken | 200ml | 500ml |
| Salt |
ii. Cooking
- Place half the fat into a thick-bottomed pan.
- Add the onion and cook gently without coloring until the onion is soft (2–3 minutes).
- Add the rice and stir to mix. Cook over a gentle heat without coloring for 2–3 minutes.
- Add exactly twice the amount of stock to rice.
- Season lightly with salt, cover with greased paper, and bring to the boil.
- Place in a hot oven (230–250°C) until cooked (approximately 15 minutes).
- When cooked, remove immediately to a cool container or pan. If the rice is left in the pan in which it was cooked, the heat will be sufficient for the rice to continue cooking, which will result in it overcooking and being spoiled.
- Carefully mix in the remaining half of the fat using a two-pronged fork.
- Taste, correct the seasoning, and serve.
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Traditional Italian Risotto
i. Ingredients
| Ingredient | 4 portions | 10 portions |
|---|---|---|
| Onion, finely chopped | ||
| Butter | 75g | 150g |
| Short grain rice, e.g., Arborio | 200g | 500g |
| Chicken stock | 1 litre | 2 litres |
| Salt |
ii. Cooking
- In a thick-bottomed pan, lightly sweat the onion in half the butter, without coloring.
- Add the rice and stir with a heat-resistant spatula until it is thoroughly coated with butter.
- Pour in a large ladle of boiling stock and stir until completely absorbed.
- Repeat this procedure, adding more stock until the rice has swollen and is almost cooked. Check by tasting it. It will usually take about 20 minutes.
- When cooked, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the other half of the butter, half the Parmesan, and season lightly.
- Leave to rest for 2–3 minutes to allow the rice to swell.
iii. Serving Suggestion
Serve with more Parmesan. Try something different: This is a basic dish that lends itself to many additions, e.g., sliced mushrooms, prawns.
Risotto with Lemon Grass, Capers, and Green Olives
i. Ingredients
| Ingredients | 4 portions | 10 portions |
|---|---|---|
| Onion, finely chopped | 50g | 125g |
| Vegetable oil | ||
| Garlic, crushed/chopped | 1 clove | 2 cloves |
| Lemon grass, crushed and chopped | 3 stalks | 6 stalks |
| Arborio rice | 450g | 1125g |
| White stock | 650ml | 1625ml |
| Ground black pepper | ||
| Capers | 2 tbsps | 5 tbsps |
| Stoned green olives | 100g | 250g |
ii. Cooking
- Sweat the onions in the vegetable oil with the garlic until soft.
- Add the lemon grass to the onions.
- Add the rice and stir for two minutes until the rice is translucent.
- Add a little stock and cook the rice until the stock has been absorbed.
- Repeat with more stock until it has all been used and/or the rice is soft. Season with ground black pepper.
- Add the capers and olives to the rice and serve.
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