Rice

Plain old rice again? Fugeddaboutit. Take your basic rice recipe (starting with one cup of rice and then cooking). These are ideas for simple everyday rice - risotto and fried rice ideas will be coming later. Now, ideas for your cooked rice ...

√ Curry it: A quick from scratch curry is 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, pinch of cayenne, 1/8 teaspoon each ground cumin and cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon each ground cardamom, coriander and paprika. Stir spices in a small skillet with a little oil until warm, then add the mix and oil to the rice along with raisins. Shameless self promotion ... other good spices to use in rice: www.myspicekitchen.com

√ Sprinkle in a teaspoon or more of minced fresh dill, or about one-third that amount dried.

√ Puree butternut squash with some chicken broth and stir into rice along with some gruyere.

√ Puree a packed cup of cilantro with a little broth, garlic and ginger and stir into rice.

√ Try some chopped sage, 3/4 teaspoon fresh that's been sauteed in a little butter or oil, or 1/4 teaspoon dried.

√ Substitute coconut milk for the water and add with 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander and turmeric. Stir in chopped mango.

√ Substitute pineapple juice for half the water and add some pineapple or avocado to the cooked rice.

√ Add some raisins and almonds, pine nuts or pistachio nuts.

√ Saute diced onion (which you may be doing anyway depending on how you make your everyday rice) and add a teaspoon turmeric and a teaspoon fresh ground ginger. Add rice and cook as usual.

√ Puree 1/2 cup walnuts and 1/3 cup Parmesan and stir into rice.

√ Chop up some parsley and/or chives, a tablespoon or two of each, stir in with butter.

√ Cook a little chopped spinach and add to rice with Parmesan.

√ Saute 2 teaspoons sesame seeds in a teaspoon toasted sesame oil and add to rice with some chives or scallions.

√ Stir in cook fresh corn with butter.

√ Saute a teaspoon and a half of orange zest with a little minced garlic and ginger and add to rice.

√ Lemon mint rice: Stir in a teaspoon of lemon zest and a tablespoon or so of chopped mint. Add cooked peas or chopped prosciutto if you want to.

√ Slice and stir in artichoke hearts with a little chopped tomato and dill if you'd like.

√ Toasted almonds and raisins; and cook the rice with a cinnamon stick.

√ Risi & Bisi is classic Italian. Cook peas and add to cooked rice. Also toss in cooked prosciutto or ham if you'd like. Top with a little Parmesan.

√ Red or other sweet peppers with fresh basil brighted the plate. Or roasted peppers, jarred or homemade, chopped.

√ Make it hot and spicy: a teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne and a little minced onion. Add some canned, chopped, drained tomatoes if you wanna. Add some jalapeno too if you'd like.

√ Slice some green onions and diced bell pepper in butter or oil, toss with rice. Chop some pimientos too if you'd like more color.

I'll be talking about risottos soon. For great spice blends: www.myspicekitchen.com