How to Cook Wild Rice
Ranked #3,963 in Food & Cooking, #75,809 overall
Wild Rice with Almonds, Dried Cranberries, and White Wine
This is less of a recipe than a basic how-to guide, plus an Overarching Wild Rice Vision. Or you could call it an advisory plan with some helpful tips, or a basic instruction that you can then modify to your heart's content.
Between my dyscaculia and my ADD, I don't really get along with recipes. I have a lot of trouble decipering what fraction of what measuring unit goes where, with how much of that other ingredient, to be cooked for what length of time, at what temperature. I much prefer to get a basic grip on what I'm cooking, and then I start experimenting with flavors and ingredients until I'm happy.
The result, in this case, is a wild rice dish that gets rave reviews everywhere I've served it!
Image Credit: Tim Kiser
What you need to know: The Basics of Cooking Wild Rice
You will need WILD RICE and WATER. I said it was basic!
1) Rinse the wild rice in a strainer.
2) Add water. Wild rice requires 1 part rice to 4 parts water.
3) Cook it sufficiently. Depending on the quality of the rice and how you're cooking it, this might be as little as 45 minutes (high quality rice at a steady boil) or as much as an hour and a half to two hours (cultivated rice baked at 325 degrees).
There now, wasn't that easy?
The fun comes when you start adding other flavors. Try substituting broth or wine for some or all of the water. Or try adding dried fruit (you'll need more liquid), nuts, herbs and spices. Don't let tradition rule you; if you think curried wild rice sounds delicious, try it -- just tell me how it turns out!
Wild Rice Cooking
History, Natural History, Harvesting, and Lore
Wild Rice Cooking: History, Natural History, Harvesting, and Lore
Amazon Price: $36.48 (as of 06/02/2012)
Wild rice has such a fascinating natural and cultural history, any book about it would be incomplete if it merely included recipes. Fortunately, this book has it all. Not only will you learn about the history of ricing, but you will also learn how to shop for wild rice, the different types of wild rice, and how to cook each of them.
Wild Rice Almandine, A Family Recipe
well, it's sort of a family recipe, in that my mom gave me a recipe that has wild rice in it
I grew up eating and loving my mother's wild rice every year at Thanksgiving. Her recipe is very precise. There are measurements given in cups and tablespoons, and specific times for boiling and baking. The ingredient list is pretty simple too; wild rice, almonds, brandy, scallions, garlic, and broth.
I tried following her recipe on my first Thanksgiving away from home. For some reason my dish wasn't as flavorful or as comforting as hers, and the rice hadn't cooked all the way through. So I began experimenting.
Wild Rice Experiments
What I learned about making wild rice.
White wine
Buy at AllPosters.com
After trying the wine, I decided I liked the fruit flavors it imparted. I decided to deepen those by tossing in some dried cranberries. I tried a handful, then two, then more. I think I usually put in about 4 handfuls now, but I'm not sure. I just keep putting in cranberries until it looks right.
Cranberries (the chocolate is for another dish :)
Buy at AllPosters.com
Over time, I found that wanted more herbal flavors than the original recipe calls for -- mere fractional teaspoons of dried herbs. I use a few tablespoons of fresh sage, thyme, and marjoram. One of the nice things about living in California is that fresh herbs are inexpensive at my local farmers' market.
It's not Thanksgiving without fresh sage!
Buy at AllPosters.com
The Most Important Thing I Ever Learned About Cooking Wild Rice
Through trial and error, I discovered that I prefer wild rice when it's cooked until bursting (kind of like popcorn, but less noisy). At this point it's quite soft, with a nice al dente texture, and easily digestible.
Wild Rice Cooking Time
It can vary, a lot.
For whatever reason, I've learned that the recipe works best if I cook it from 90 minutes to few hours -- until the rice begins to burst, at which point it's nice and chewy, and has absorbed the flavors of the cranberries, wine, and herbs.
Rice Cooker
Take the guesswork out of cooking wild rice.
My friend has one of these, and she calls it her "rice robot". She uses it to cook all kinds of grains. She loves the fact that she can set it up the night before to have hot porridge ready for her when she wakes up!
Aroma Rice Cooker
Amazon Price: $69.95 (as of 06/02/2012)
List Price: $69.99
This programmable rice cooker has cooking settings for many types of rice, as well as reheat and keep-warm functions. It also steams meat and vegetables
My Wild Rice Casserole: Tools and Ingredients
A two-quart oven-proof casserole dish with lid
A baking sheet
A cup or so of raw slivered almonds
Two (2) cups or so of wild rice
A few handfuls of dried cranberries
A few tablespoons of butter
Garlic to taste
Six or so scallions
Herbs to taste (I usually use some combination of sage, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram)
A bottle of dry white wine
Chicken or turkey broth
Salt
Pepper
You might need one of these:
You can't make a casserole without a casserole.
CorningWare French White 2-1/2-Quart Round Casserole Dish with Glass Cover
Amazon Price: $10.25 (as of 06/02/2012)
This is the same casserole dish I use for this recipe, except mine is an older, oval model instead of this newer round one. Actually, I have two of them -- one of them was a duplicate gift from my wedding registry twelve years ago, and I decided to hang onto both of them. I'm glad I did!
You may also need a baking sheet
or three.
AirBake by WearEver Natural 3-Piece Baking Sheet Combo Small, Medium, Large
Amazon Price: $20.76 (as of 06/01/2012)
This recipe is even more delicious if you toast the almonds yourself, but you need a baking sheet to do that.
I find it's really handy to have a set of baking sheets in varying sizes. I use mine all year round ... but on Thanksgiving, I use all of them at once.
How I make Wild Rice Casserole
with the ingredients listed above
The only thing you can do in advance with this recipe is to toast the almonds. Set your oven to the lowest setting and spread the slivered almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put them in the oven. I check mine every 5 minutes or so, because when they start to toast they toast quickly, but ovens vary so watch them carefully.
For the wild rice:
- Melt a few tablespoons of butter in the casserole dish on the stove top. Put in the scallions and the garlic, saute over low heat until limp. Add the wild rice, and stir-fry for another few minutes.
- Add the broth, some of the water, and the wine (you can use both wine and broth, or one, or the other). I start with a cup of wine, plus two cups of broth, plus enough water that the liquid comes 3/4 of the way up the side of the casserole.
- Boil on the stovetop for 20 minutes.
- Add the dried cranberries, salt, herbs, and more liquid if needed. Cover the dish and put it in the oven at 325 degrees farenheit (this is the same temperature oven temperature as the turkey and all my other Thanksgiving recipes, so it works out nicely).
Wild rice and dried cranberries are both very thirsty, so you'll need to check periodically for liquid levels. If too much has evaporated and the rice seems to be sticking to the bottom of the dish, you will need to add more. Taste the wild rice and see if you like the balance of wine and broth. Add more of whichever you think is lacking.
- Cook until the wild rice is starting to burst. At this point it will be soft enough to chew easily. This should take 90 minutes to an hour.
- Finally, give the wild rice a final stir and sprinkle the almonds on top. Put in the oven, uncovered, for five or ten minutes.
- Enjoy!
Anishinabe elders say that "real" wild rice will take 45 minutes to cook at a boil. I often find it takes longer than that in the oven. When I make Thanksgiving dinner I tend to be checking several things that are all in the oven at once, so it's not too hard to keep track of the wild rice.
Another REALLY Important Thing About Cooking Wild Rice
THIS DOES NOT WORK WITH WILD RICE.
One year, I went to a friend's house for Thanksgiving dinner. Since this dish is always a hit, I sauteed the scallions and garlic and rice, boiled it all for 20 minutes, and put it in the fridge. The next day I added the rest of the ingredients and put it in the oven. It took HOURS to bake.
If you make this dish, do it all at once!
Got measuring cups?
I do use them. Sometimes.
OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Angled Measuring Cup Set
Amazon Price: $17.00 (as of 06/02/2012)
List Price: $19.99
OXO has won numerous awards from arthritis foundations for their ergonomically designed kitchen tools. These cups are angled so you don't have to lean over to read them.
Um, What's a Scallion?
they're also known as "green onions".
So here are some of the ingredients you will need:
Scallions (what they heck are they? Oh, there they are!)
Buy at AllPosters.com
Almonds (you'll want the slivered variety)
Buy at AllPosters.com
Garlic (garlic goes with everything!)
Buy at AllPosters.com
And finally, the focal point of the dish, Wild Rice itself:
Buy at AllPosters.com
Are you hungry yet?
Got spoons?
No? You'll need 'em to cook Thanksgiving dinner!
World Kitchen/Ekco 1045621 3-piece Wooden Spoon Set
Amazon Price: $1.76 (as of 06/02/2012)
You can't have too many wooden spoons when preparing Thanksgiving dinner. It's physically impossible. I've tested this, I'm right.
Wild Rice: Nutritious and Delicious
Wild rice is high in protein and other essential nutreints.
Wild rice has a special place in my heart. I grew up in Minnesota, where grows in the wild and is a great source of local pride -- it's the official state grain. It was always served at Thanksgiving dinner, as much part of the ritual as the turkey, helping me to mark my place in the turning year.
When I got older, I learned that wild rice is a truly remarkable food. For one thing, it's not actually rice at all; it's a kind of aquatic grass. It's botanical name is Zizania palustris. It's high in protein, and as a vegetarian I'm always on the look-out for good veggie protein sources. In researching this article I learned that it's also a good source of dietary fiber, the amino acid lysine, the minerals potassium and phosphorus, and the vitamins thiamine, niacin, and riboflavin. On a restricted diet? Wild rice is low in fat and gluten free.
Magnetic Measuring Spoons.
Seriously!
Progressive International Set of 5 Stainless-Steel Magnetic Measuring Spoons
Amazon Price: $9.91 (as of 06/02/2012)
List Price: $14.95
Store them nested. Separate them for measuring ingredients and for cleaning.
The Cultural Importance of Wild Rice
If you imagine living a subsistence lifestyle in northern Minnesota, you can understand why wild rice is considered to be sacred.
Northern Minnesota is one of the most beautiful places on earth, but the winters there are notoriously harsh. The Anishnaabeg/Ojibwe people who live there have relied on wild rice as a staple food for centuries. When it's harvested and processed correctly, it can last indefinitely, and when cooked, it can triple or quadruple its volume. These are critical factors when your food needs to get you through a long, brutal winter.
In the Anishinaabeg language, wild rice is called manoomin. It is seen as a special gift from the Creator, and it has immense ceremonial importance. Many Anishinaabeg still harvest wild-growing manoomin in the traditional way, by canoe, with one person paddling and the other knocking the rice into the boat with traditional tools. The tools used are regulated by state and tribal law to ensure a sustainable harvest. Ricing is an annual social event, allowing families to reunite each year on the same lakes their families have paddled for centuries.
Truly wild rice has a different, far superior flavor to commercially-grown and harvested "wild" rice that's widely available. Anishinaabeg experts say that rice from each lake has a different flavor; rice from a sandy bottom has a different taste than rice from a muddy bottom. I suspect that some of the problems I've had cooking and flavoring wild rice have to do with its transplantion from the boreal forest climate zone to the irrigated paddies of California.
It can be challenging to purchase hard-harvested wild rice, but there are distributors listed on this site.
To learn more about modern Anishinaabeg and the wild rice havest, read this article by Winona LaDuke, a young Anishinaabeg leader.
Got Wild Rice?
Wild Rice, Fancy - 1.75 Lb Jar Each
Amazon Price: $17.15 (as of 06/01/2012)
List Price:
Fancy Wild Rice from Angelina's Gourmet.
Wild Rice for Breakfast?
Why not? It's filling and nutritious.
I discovered this recipe when I was telling a friend about one of my kitchen misadventures. I like to be creative, which sometimes ends well, and sometimes not so much. This time, I'd made steel-cut oatmeal with cinnamon, and decided to throw some Rogan Josh spices into it. Indian cuisine sometimes features cinnamon, right? Rogan Josh is an Indian spice mixture. And oatmeal can be so boring.
Silly white girl.
My oatmeal wasn't boring, but it wasn't that great. My friend said, "Forget oatmeal! Mahnomin porridge is one of the best meals I've ever had."
It's kind of like a breakfast version of my wild rice casserole. It looks fantastic!
- Mahnomin Porridge
- Wild rice, heavy cream, maple syrup, dried blueberries, dried cranberries, and hazelnuts. Life doesn't get any better than that.
Oh No, The In-Laws Are Coming In A Week!
... and the place is a mess!
Did you learn something new about Wild Rice?
Share what you learned, or share a tasty wild rice preparation.
-
-
WindyWinters
Dec 30, 2011 @ 3:06 am | delete
- We love wild rice mixed with white rice, then cooked in chicken stock. It's really tasty and super easy. Just replace half the wild rice with white rice and then add a few spoons of powdered chicken stock. Super easy!
-
-
-
jp1978
Feb 8, 2011 @ 9:14 pm | delete
- Very interesting, even though it isn't technically rice.. Rice is a staple food here. I wonder if I could tell the difference blindfolded.
-
-
-
AddaptAbilities Mar 7, 2011 @ 5:26 pm | delete
- You definitely could. The flavor is much nuttier and the texture much chewier than regular rice.
-
-
-
KDimmick Nov 30, 2010 @ 11:48 pm | delete
- I like wild rice - thanks for the info
-
-
-
Not-Pop
Nov 27, 2010 @ 8:15 am | delete
- I had no idea wild rice had protein in it! Thanks for the tip. I've been hesitant about cooking it because I'd read that the cooking times varied so wildly. You've inspired me to be brave!
-
- Load More
Addy Bell
me! yay!
by AddaptAbilities
I joined Squidoo to raise awareness about adult learning disabilities. I am now a Giant Squid and Angel for the Mental Health>Depression category on S... more »
- 67 featured lenses
- Winner of 24 trophies!
- Top lens » The Best Jobs for Introverts
Explore related pages
- Planting Wild Rice (Indian Rice) Planting Wild Rice (Indian Rice)
- Church Cookbook Recipes Church Cookbook Recipes
- Easy To Cook Filipino Recipes (Pinoy Beef, Pork, and Chicken) Easy To Cook Filipino Recipes (Pinoy Beef, Pork, and Chicken)
- Stone Soup Stone Soup
- My Top 10 "Top Chef" Guest Judges My Top 10 "Top Chef" Guest Judges
- How To Roast Wild Turkey How To Roast Wild Turkey
Wild Rice Recipes from Native American Cooks
Native Indian Wild Game, Fish and Wild Foods Cookbook: Recipes from North American Native Cooks
Amazon Price: $9.45 (as of 06/01/2012)
Sanyo Rice Cooker
Sanyo ECJ-M100S Micro-Computerized 10-Cup Rice Cooker
Amazon Price: (as of 06/01/2012)
Wild Rice
Roland Fancy Grade A Wild Rice, 5-Pound Bag
Amazon Price: $33.88 (as of 06/02/2012)
