HELP with rice

[Lynn]

I need to come up with an eight week English course for Chinese kids. The only way most have ever seen rice is steamed in a bowl or fried, so I thought of teaching them different rice recipes from around the world. I've looked through my books and online, then had this brainstorm to tap the knowledge base here. Please share here any rice recipe you like and what part of the world it's from. For instance, Spanish rice, oddly enough, from Mexico. Or rice pudding, which seems to be ubiquitous in origin. What do you have? Thanks for playing.

[soyloquesoy]

Well, well, well! Sounds really cool!

Spanish Paella is a big one - a difficult recipe, I am not sure if you intend to actually cook or only use it for talking about. Lots of different ingredients are cooked over a fire in the special dish called "paella", and then finally the rice is added. A key point in it is not stirring at all once you add the rice. Zafron is used to make the rice yellow. Two main variants, one with chicken and rabbit, another with seafood.

Then there is Italian Risotto - also uses several ingredients but here the main point is you have to stir *all the time*, the result is really creamy. Typically with mushooms, or seafood too.

"arroz con pollo" I have read as attributed to Mexico - but I think it is a fairly international thing. A sort of stew with chicken, tomato sauce, green peas, red peppers, and rice to make it filling. Much less fiddly to make than the other two, in my opinion.

Then there are curries from India, right? I don't know much about them...

[mrsdrlow]

Creole jambalaya originates from the French Quarter of New Orleans, in the original European sector. It was an attempt by the Spanish to make paella in the New World, where saffron was not readily available due to import costs. Tomatoes became the substitute for saffron. As time went on, French influence became strong in New Orleans, and spices from the Caribbean changed this New World paella into a unique dish. In modern Louisiana, the dish has evolved along a variety of different lines. Creole jambalaya, or red jambalaya as it is called by Cajuns, is found primarily in and around New Orleans, where it is simply known as 'jambalaya'. Creole jambalaya includes tomatoes, whereas Cajun jambalaya does not.
Cajun Jambalaya originates from Louisiana's rural, low-lying swamp country where crawfish, shrimp, oysters, alligator, duck, turtle, boar, venison, nutria and other game were readily available. Any variety or combination of meats, including chicken or turkey may be used to make jambalaya. Cajun jambalaya is known as 'Brown jambalaya' in the New Orleans area; to Cajuns it is simply known as 'jambalaya. And it's all amazing!!!

[kcabrera74]

There is the CONGRI which is the most representative rice dish in Cuban cuisine. it's usually served alongside "lechon asado" (roasted pork) and "Yuca con mojo" (marinated cassava roots). there are two versions: if red kidney beans are used, it's called Congrí (accent in the last -i). If black beans are used, it's called "Moros y cristianos" (literally, "Moors and Christians" although the original name was "Moros contra cristianos" (Moors against Christians"). It looks like this - look up 'congri rice' :

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wnYdK2lGk6...h/congri_0.jpg

and it's very good!!

[PattyD]

Arroz con pollo (Spanish, in this case Puerto Rican, meaning rice with chicken)
Nothing like what is generally served in Mexican restaurants. It is a true sopa seca (dry soup) that starts as chicken soup and ends up as fragrant orange rice with pimento stuffed olives, chicken and FLAVOR! I just made it a few days ago for friends and they want the recipe. It is possible to add more liquid at the beginning so that the rice finishes cooking but is the excess water causes it to be soupier (a sopao in Spanish).
It starts as a refrito (olive oil, finely chopped onions, bell pepper, chick bouillon, and spices - rosemary, oregano, sage, garlic)
Then brown the chicken (any which way, boneless, bone in, however you want, whatever is on hand)
Add a quart of water, a bottle of pimento stuffed olives or capers which are more bitter and a can of tomato paste and cook the chicken. This is the soup.
When the chicken is cooked, add about 1 1/2 cups of rice. Cook about 25 minutes with the pot covered.

Yum!

[kcabrera74]

Another rice dish we Cubans have is a serving of plain white rice and then we add beans (all kinds, but preferably black or kidney beans). All Cubans know what a good "arroz con frijoles" (rice and beans) is. Cuban cuisine has been influenced by the Spanish (the beans), the Africans (everything fried), and Chinese (the rice - main part of the meal) and much later, the Mediterranean salads.

[kcabrera74]

There is also the Arabic-style rice cooked with thin noodles... and Jollof rice from Senegal, Africa... and the yummy South African Lemon rice dish made with lemon rinds... and so many rice recipes from India and Indonesia... the list is endless!!!

[Linda S Davies]

Rice pudding has been a traditional dessert in England (especially after a Sunday roast dinner) for generations. It is usually baked in the oven, but for a much creamier version I make mine either in a pressure cooker or in a pot on the hob.
With 3 ounces of rice and 2 ounces of sugar per pint of milk, put into a large saucepan and bring to the boil stirring often. Turn the heat down to simmer very gently for 45 minutes stirring occassionally. Remove from the heat and cover with a lid, leave to stand for about 30 minutes. Thick and creamy....yummie!!!!

[soyloquesoy]

oh, what a mouth watering thread! I have never had Cuban style rice, I must give that a try sometime soon.

And rice pudding, yummie indeed - I love it with cinnamon :-)

A couple of Greek dishes with rice:
dolamadakia: vine leaves stuffed with rice
avogolemono soup: rice soup with lemon and egg sauce
rice with spinach: boil spinach and chop it up, add to cooked rice

Something we do here in Argentina, but I do not consider regional, just "common" food: Stuffed tomatoes. Use cooked rice mixed with tuna, mayo, olives to stuff raw cored tomatoes.
Also rice dumplings: in an egg and flour batter add cooked rice and fry

[Nitrocat]

Don't forget Wild Rice! I use more wild rice and brown rice in my kitchen than any of the others. Northern Wild Rice originates in the Great Lakes region of the US and in Canada, although I understand that there is a variety that grows in China, but the stem is more commonly used there (??). Since it is difficult to find in our stores, I mail order mine from Minnesota.

I have a wonderful recipe for Wild Rice that has celery, bacon, and cashews in it.