Archive for Rice

Coconut Rice

April 15, 2007 at 3:41 pm · Filed under Rice, Side dishes, Vegan

This is an incredibly simple way to make white rice into something a little bit exotic & totally delicious. Makes a nice accompaniment to a spicy or strongly flavored entree.

The book says, “The floral fragrance and subtle flavor of Thai jasmine rice make it a delightful choice as a side dish. But adding unsweetened Thai coconut milk makes it even more appealing, contributing a bit of creaminess and more perfume to the aroma. This is a long-grain rice that cooks up nice and fluffy, with distinct grains. It does need a longer resting time (20 minutes) than a short-grain rice requires, but that will ensure absolutely perfect rice every time. Coconut rice is a fine accompaniment to pork saté with spicy peanut sauce, chicken with cashews, or oven-roasted barbecued ribs.”

Makes about 7 cups; Serves 6 to 8

2 cups Thai jasmine rice or other long-grain rice
1 can (13 or 14 ounces) coconut milk, preferably a Thai brand
3 1/2 cups water

1. Combine the rice, coconut milk, and water in a small, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer, without removing the cover, until all the liquid is absorbed, 20 minutes.

2. Remove the pan from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 20 minutes more before fluffing and serving.

From “Staff Meals from Chanterelle” by David Waltuck and Melicia Phillips.

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Coconut Rice

February 4, 2007 at 7:27 am · Filed under Rice

“The floral fragrance and subtle flavor of Thai jasmine rice make it a delightful choice as a side dish. But adding unsweetened Thai coconut milk makes it even more appealing, contributing a bit of creaminess and more perfume to the aroma. This is a long-grain rice that cooks up nice and fluffy, with distinct grains. It does need a longer resting time (20 minutes) than a short-grain rice requires, but that will ensure absolutely perfect rice every time.” — From “Staff Meals from Chanterelle” by David Waltuck and Melicia Phillips.

2 cups Thai jasmine rice or other long-grain rice
1 can (13 or 14 ounces) coconut milk, preferably a Thai brand
3 1/2 cups water

1. Combine the rice, coconut milk, and water in a small, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer, without removing the cover, until all the liquid is absorbed, 20 minutes.

2. Remove the pan from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 20 minutes more before fluffing and serving. Makes about 7 cups.

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Surinamese Mixed Rice (Moksi Alesi)

November 8, 2006 at 8:31 pm · Filed under Rice

Way back in 1998 I participated in an international vegan mailing list where a member contributed this recipe. I’m pretty sure that I have never eaten an “authentic” version of Surinamese mixed rice, but even if it isn’t the real thing, I think it is fairly easy, tasty and unusual.

This is her recipe and her explanation. The author’s comments about “forbidden” foods refer to her original version of this dish (she didn’t supply the original recipe), which must have contained non-vegan ingredients.

The original post:
Surinam has a very mixed population and thus a very varied kitchen. In daily life we eat “Surinamese” (=Afro-Surinamese), Indian, Indonesian, Chinese and since one year or so American food (Mc Donald, KFC and PizzaHut) as well…

I adapted a recipe that has its roots in the Afro-Surinamese kitchen, but now is appreciated by all inhabitants. I had to do a lot of adapting, for in the original recipe all what is forbidden in our opionon is used! I cook this recipe as a sundays meal.

The aim is that you make a gravy in which you cook rice, split beans and vegetables. In the end the rice is dry AND tasty. I cook from 1 to 5 on the stove. Then I put sauce and rice in the rice cooker, but perhaps it is for a start easier to finisch the cooking on the stove.

The recipe is not too easy to cook in the beginning. You have to develop the feeling how much gravy you need for your amount of rice. But keep trying, for in the end this recipe will be a favourite, espcially if you have to cook for a party.

1 pound brown rice
1/3 pound yellow split beans
1 1/2 pint of water (or a bit more or a bit less…)
1 big onion, in small pieces
1 tomato
2 spoons of tomato paste
1 hot pepper
1 vegan bouillon cube (optional, but it adds to the “Surinamese” taste)
1 cup cubed pumpkin
1 cup white cabbage, coarse cut
salt (optional)
black pepper (a lot!)

1. Cook the yellow split beans half done. Throw the cook water away.
2. Simmer the onion a few minutes, add the small cut tomatoe and the bouillon cube, simmer about five minutes. Add, if neccesary a bit of water.
3. Add the half cooked split beans and the tomato paste. Add the water. Stir, and simmer another five minutes.
4. Add the pumpkin and cook till pumpkin is half done.
5. Taste the sauce. Add black pepper. The sauce should taste rather strong.
6. Add the drained rice. The sauce level should be a phalanx above the rice. If necessary, add some water. Taste the gravy again! Stir, let the sauce cook, and put cabbage and hot pepper on top, and put the pot on the lowest possible gas. (The pepper gives a special flavour)
7. Simmer for about half an hour. Taste if the rice is nearly done. Sprinkle if necessary a bit of HOT water over the rice and cook another five minutes. Take the hot pepper out of the pot and stir the cabbage carefully – with a fork – through the rice. Put the pepper back.
8. Simmer for another five minutes. The rice should be dry and tasty.
9. Take the pot of the stove, take the lid of the pot and leave the rice five minutes untouched.
10. Cut the hot pepper in very small pieces (with a fork and knife, so that you don’t burn your hands.)
11. Serve with cucumber, onions and tomatoes in vinegar.

Succes and have a good meal.

Myrna Laret
Paramaribo, Surinam

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Winter Squash with Wild Rice Stuffing

July 8, 2006 at 4:00 pm · Filed under Rice, Squash

This is beautiful and delicious. You can use it as a main dish for vegans and/or a side dish for omnivores.

Winter Squash (such as Hubbard, Butternut, Buttercup, Acorn or Pumpkin)
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock or water (you can use chicken stock for a non-vegetarian version)
2/3 cup wild rice
1 large red onion, chopped
1 large celery rib, diced
2 medium apples, peeled, seeded, and diced
3 cups whole-grain bread crumbs (about 4 slices)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 cup apple juice
Light vegetable oil cooking spray

First, prepare the squash. Halve the squash lengthwise with a sharp knife and scoop out the seeds and fibers. Place halves, cut side up, in foil-lined shallow baking dishes and cover tightly with more foil. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes in a 375 degree oven, or until easily pierced with a knife but still firm. When cool enough to handle, scoop out some of the pulp, leaving a sturdy, 1/2-inch thick shell all around. Save the pulp for another use (the cooked pulp freezes well).

In a small saucepan, bring the stock or water to a simmer. Stir in the wild rice, cover, and simmer gently until the liquid is absorbed, 45 to 55 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a medium skillet with the vegetable oil cooking spray; sauté the onion and celery over medium heat until golden.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked wild rice, onion-celery mixture, apples, bread crumbs, dried cranberries, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine. Drizzle apple juice in slowly, stirring all the while, until the mixture is evenly moistened. Stuff into the prepared squash. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is slightly crispy. Makes 8 cups.

Adapted from Nava Atlas’ recipe in Veggie Life magazine, November 1997.

Note: The original recipe contained canola oil and walnuts. In this version, I substituted the vegetable oil cooking spray for the canola oil, and the walnuts were eliminated to suit the dietary needs of someone on an extremely low fat diet.

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Rizogalo

February 8, 2006 at 8:15 pm · Filed under Rice, Sweets

“This is Greek-style comfort food that I learned to make in Athens. The egg thickens the pudding, but if you just dump raw egg into hot rice, it will turn into scrambled eggs. Take the time to mix it in bit by bit — this is the best rice pudding.”

1 quart milk
½ cup water
pinch of salt
1/3 cup raw long-grain white rice
½ cup sugar (scant)
small piece of fresh lemon peel
1 egg

Wash the rice. Bring the milk, water, salt, rice and sugar to a boil over medium heat (not high heat) in a heavy bottomed pan, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for ½ hour, stirring occasionally. Add the lemon peel and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for another ½ hour to 45 minutes, until the mixture is just thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from heat.

Beat the egg in a medium-sized bowl and stir in a few spoonfuls of the hot rice mixture. Add a bit more hot rice and stir again. Repeat a few times until the mixture is well-diluted and the egg is heated. Pour the egg-rice mixture into the pot, stir well and simmer for a couple of minutes. Pour into serving dishes and sprinkle with cinnamon. Cool before serving (if you can wait that long).

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