Brown rice, wild rice, black rice, basmati rice- the list goes on!
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Where is rice grown?
Picture of Californian rice field available at Allposters
Staple food
We can also add that rice is mostly produced where it is eaten. In Asia, most people have rice as their staple food. On an average over 100 kg of rice is consumed per person in Asia. Compare this to about 3 kg per person in Europe!Many of the rice-producing countries also have a large percentage of cheap labour, something which comes in handy when growing rice. It is a very hard work, time consuming and back-breaking. A lot of it has to be done by hand.
Get picture of Japanese rice field from Allposters.com
How is rice grown?
Growing rice requires a lot of water. A lot! For every kilogram of rice about 5000 liters of water is needed.One common method of cultivating rice is flooding the paddies with water after the seedlings have been planted.(or before) A benefit of this is that it prevents weeds from growing. After planting the seedlings, the water is drained partially and the level controlled.
It takes about four to five months for rice to mature, and when ready to be harvested it has changed colour from green to yellow. Usually rice is harvested before it is fully mature, in poorer countries still by hand, using a sickle. The rice will now be dried before processed.
Picture of Chinese rice field available at Allposters.com
Some different kinds of rice
Basically rice can be divided into two kinds- Japonica and Indica. Japonica is usually grown in cooler climates, and include the short- and medium-sized kinds. The long-grain kinds, Indica, are grown in hotter climates. Within these two basic groups there is an endless variety of rice!Shorter grains: Rice used in Japan
Medium grains: Arborio rice (used for risotto) These are sticking more together. They also absorb a lot of liquid without getting mushy, so ideal for risotto!
The short and medium size kinds are often over-lapping.
Long grains: Basmati and Jasmine. The longer grain kinds tend to be less sticky, easier to separate after cooking. A fluffy kind!
Get picture of Wild Rice from Allposters.com
Brown rice is very popular!
Why eat rice?
If you are not already convinced of the benefits of eating rice, consider this:-Rice is included in the group of complex carbohydrates, which give energy to our bodies.
-Very low in fat, and cholesterol-free!
-Contains Vitamins E and B, potassium and proteins.
-Easy to digest.
Rice and Spice picture available at Allposters.com
Buying rice
How is rice prepared?
It is usually best to eat rice when freshly cooked, getting the full flavour. However, some recipes call for "old" rice. Everybody has their own way of cooking rice, the best of course! Basically this is how it is done:Wash the rice to make sure there is no dirt or hull left. It also helps remove some of the starch if you don't want the rice to stick too much together. When ready, the water should be clear!
For every cup of water, use one and a half cups of water.
Add all into a pot and bring to the boil, uncovered.
Turn the heat down, medium low, adding a lid to the top, with a little opening for steam to escape.
Stir occasionally.
When most of the water has been absorbed, turn the heat down low and close the lid.
Leave it to cook few minutes, then turn off the heat and allow the steam and heat to finish cooking the rice.
Fluff it up with a fork and serve!
Picture by bour3
Rice Cookers
Fried rice
This is an excellent way of using left-over rice. It doesn't matter if the rice has been in the fridge, this will make it fresh and tasty again. Even freshly cooked rice can be used, of course. This is a basic recipe that can be altered with different kinds of meat and vegetables. Whatever you happen to have at hand is fine!
.
Ingredients
- Beef - cut in strips
- Carrot- finely sliced
- Spring onion- chopped
- Soy sauce
- Rice
- Salt and Pepper
- Oil for frying
- Egg - optional
Instructions
Fry the beef-strips in a little oil. Add carrot and spring onion.If you like soy-sauce, a dash of that, otherwise some salt and pepper.
Continue stirring until soft, then add rice and mix all together. Serve!
Instead of meat you can use shredded, boiled chicken, bacon rashes, ground beef etc. Add other vegetables of your choice, like broccoli, green beans or peas. Some have to be half-boiled first to get a good texture when fried.
Many also make a thin omelett, cut it in stripes and mix with the rice.
Picture by kai2034
Seeing is believing?
My favorite risotto
- Serves: 4
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 45 min
In Italy rice is often served as a first course on its own, not as an addition to another dish. Therefore the rice is seasoned with herbs, wine, stock, cheese or other items. Risotto is basically made in three steps: Frying the seasoning in oil, frying the rice in the seasoning, cooking the whole thing by adding wine and/or stock. This sounds easy, but it takes some practice to know how and when to add the liquid.
Ingredients
- 200 g ham- cubed
- 1 onion- finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic- finely chopped
- 1 litre of stock
- 1 big glass of dry white wine
- 400 g rice
- butter
- parmesan cheese
Instructions
Start out by heating the stock- it should be kept hot!
Fry onion and garlic slowly in a mixture of oil and butter.
Add the rice and ham, and fry for a few minutes until it starts loosing its colour.
Turn up the heat and add the wine, all the time stirring.
When the rice has absorbed all the wine it is time to start adding stock, a little at the time. Allow it to be completely absorbed before adding more. All this is done on a low heat, to make sure the rice gets cooked through.
When ready, take off heat and add butter and parmesan. Close the cover and allow the flavours to really go deep into the rice!
Instead of ham you can use mushrooms, other vegetables or meat. It is up to you to try!
Picture by Selina_catz
Read about rice!
How about you?
Have you been convinced that rice is fabulous?
Do you eat rice every week?
Yes, I like rice and make sure to include it in my diet often.
SayGuddaycom says:
I use rice in soup and to add body to lots of meals. It keeps well and that is important when you live ona boat
TravelingRae says:
Yes. I eat rice about three weeks out of the month. I make enough for the week and then add seasonings based on what I want to do with the rice.
Bus_Stop_Toy_Shop says:
Yup, we eat a lot of rice in our house - mostly short grain, but sometimes long grain too.
Henk says:
My wife is Asian, so we eat rice (almost) every day.
WindyWinters says:
I love rice and have at least four different varieties on hand. We had lots of potatoes growing up but mom still had rice.
No, I might eat it once in a while, but not on a regular basis.
GramaBarb says:
Not much anymore. I wish there was a neutral button :)
Irenemaria says:
I CAN stand it but here in Sweden we are potato people
A quiz on rice
Give us this day our daily rice!
So says the Bible in Chinese, showing how important rice is to them. Unfortunately, not all people are able to eat their rice (or other food) every day. To help them this organization has made a quiz. For every correct answer you get, they donate 10 grains of rice to the needy. If you make a mistake they let you know the answer and you can try again. In other words, it's a win-win situation! (Picture by RunningMan51)DONATE RICE HERE
Storing rice
Tell us what you think of rice!
Get the beautiful picture of Hawaiian rice fields from Allposters
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Phillyfreeze69
Feb 16, 2012 @ 5:25 pm | delete
- I think you have did a marvelous job of telling the orgins, varieties, and recipes for eating Rice. I have been a Rice lover since childhood. As breakfast ceral or as a side dish for dinner( Liver and Rice w/ Biscuits and Gravy is one of my favorite dishes).
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SayGuddaycom
Jan 29, 2012 @ 10:47 am | delete
- Good lens. Australia is also a big grower of rice.
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sukkran Jan 3, 2012 @ 1:59 pm | delete
- rice is the staple food of tami nadu. it is our every day meal! nicely done
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smithlights
Jun 21, 2011 @ 7:24 pm | delete
- Another well-done lens. I love browsing all of your lenses! Keep at it!
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ChrisDay
May 2, 2011 @ 2:50 pm | delete
- There's nothing quite as nice as rice, when rice is what you need. Don't be concerned about my poetry, just you take no heed.
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poutine
Mar 13, 2011 @ 5:14 pm | delete
- Excellent lens on rice.
I eat it about every 2 weeks, I much prefer my beloved potato.
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A_RovingReporter
Mar 10, 2011 @ 12:51 am | delete
- I eat rice daily but eat less now to keep my weight in check. This lens is a great one on rice.
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GrowWear
Mar 2, 2011 @ 1:25 pm | delete
- Rice has always been a staple in our family. Love it!
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Mrmakingusmile
Dec 1, 2010 @ 9:22 am | delete
- I spent a year in Korea. Rice was apart of every meal.
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WeirdStuff
Nov 20, 2010 @ 2:05 pm | delete
- Thanks for the info! rice is my favourite. it keeps the mankind running
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WindyWinters
Nov 16, 2010 @ 4:37 pm | delete
- I prefer rice over potatoes and noodles. Thanks for sharing your risotto recipe and you're love for rice!
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mulberry
Sep 20, 2010 @ 5:59 pm | delete
- I'm torn between rice and potatoes, I love the both. My Irish heritage probably gives potatoes and unfair advantage ;)
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GramaBarb
Sep 20, 2010 @ 3:46 pm | delete
- I used to make a rice pudding with lots of raisins. It was one of my husband's favorite.
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RebeccaE
Sep 18, 2010 @ 9:38 pm | delete
- bravo wonderful lens, keep these coming you have a bright future here on squidoo.
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WeddingZazzle
Sep 18, 2010 @ 7:44 pm | delete
- I learn something new every day on Squidoo :)
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