Kathy Kordalis - Rice & Grains

Rice &
Grains KATHY KORDALIS Rice &
Grains MORE THAN 70 DELICIOUS & NOURISHING RECIPES PHOTOGRAPHY BY MOWIE KAY DEDICATION For Matthew Senior Designer Megan Smith Editor Gillian Haslam Head of Production Patricia Harrington Art Director Leslie Harrington Editorial Director Julia Charles Publisher Cindy Richards Food Stylist Kathy Kordalis Prop Stylist Lauren Miller Indexer Hilary Bird Published in 2022 by Ryland Peters & Small 2021 Jockeys Fields London WC1R 4BW and 341 E 116th St New York NY 10029 www.rylandpeters.com Text copyright Kathy Kordalis 2022 Design and photographs copyright Ryland Peters & Small 2022 ISBN: 978-1-78879-429-9 eISBN: 978-1-78879-454-1 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 The authors moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Printed and bound in China. CIP data from the Library of Congress has been applied for. A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

NOTES Both British (metric) and American (imperial plus US cups) measurements are included for your convenience; however, it is important to work with one set of measurements and not alternate between the two within a recipe. Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperatures. We recommend using an oven thermometer. When a recipe calls for the grated zest of citrus fruit, buy unwaxed fruit and wash well before using. If you can only find treated fruit, scrub well in warm soapy water before using. Contents Introduction Versatile, nutritious and the true grit of any meal, rice and grains can be the main event, a great side dish and beautiful in baking.

Everyone has a story about how they enjoy a gorgeous bowl of porridge or a steaming sticky rice, which toppings they prefer and what they like to serve it in its about comfort and nourishment. But this book will take you way beyond breakfast and rice bowls, to elegantly simple small plates that make the perfect appetizer, quick-fix larger plates for a midweek family meal, or sharing platters to help you celebrate any occasion in style with friends. You will find all this, plus some great recipes for baking with grains and making satisfying extras for your pantry such as home-made oat milk, everyday loaves and crispbreads. The world of grains is a huge topic when you consider all the different types of rice that are consumed the world over, as well as the wealth of cereal grains and seeds that have sustained us since crops were first cultivated and plants foraged. Ive focused on the most readily available grains so you can easily shop at your local convenience store, supermarket and food hall or raid your own store-cupboard at home. A little background on the origins and some basic nutritional facts is provided but, for me, the most important thing is how they taste.

This is not a nutritionists companion, my book is simply intended to inspire you to create more vibrant rice and grain dishes in your kitchen. Its a book for people who love life and good food and my recipes aim to elevate these ancient and humble ingredients in a modern and light way. Enjoy! Rice Rice is the second most widely cultivated grain in the world and a staple in China, India, South-east Asia, Africa and Latin America. There are thousands of varieties of rice. In the worlds major rice-growing areas each paddy field will yield its own particular strain. In the West however we classify rice by the length of its grain; a sensible classification since, as a rule, the grain length determines how it should be cooked and whether it is suitable for sweet or savoury dishes.

It is always cooked before eating and also made into flour, flaked, toasted and puffed. There are a number of ways of cooking rice. Some types, benefit from being rinsed in cold water, while others should be left to soak before cooking. Rinsing is suitable for most types of rice. It helps to remove excess starch and any dust that may have accumulated during storage. If you rinse rice which is to be in a dish where it is fried at the beginning of the recipe, be sure to drain it thoroughly first.

Soaking is suitable for basmati, brown basmati, glutinous rice and sometimes white long grain, brown long grain, short grain rice and Thai fragrant (jasmine) rice. It is seldom essential but it does increase the moisture content of the grains, which means the rice will cook more quickly and will be less sticky. Soaking is particularly beneficial for basmati rice; less so for Thai fragrant (jasmine) rice, in which a slight stickiness is desired. Risotto rice, of course, must never be soaked, as this would spoil the characteristic texture. Occasionally, rice that has been soaked will be fried; if this is the case, drain it well first, as you would rinsed rice. LONG GRAIN RICES White Long Grain Rice; Brown Long Grain Rice;White Basmati Rice; Brown Basmati Rice; Thai Fragrant (Jasmine) Rice This type of rice is three or four times as long as it is wide, and when cooked, the individual grains separate.

Long grain rice is used for savoury dishes. SHORT GRAIN RICES Italian (Risotto) Rice; Spanish (Paella) Rice; Pudding Rice Also known as round grain rice, short grain rice is used almost exclusively for making desserts. However, some short grain rices should, perhaps, be properly be described as medium grain, as their size is somewhere between pudding rice and long grain rice. These are usually used in savoury dishes requiring a creamy texture, notably Italian risotto rices such as Arborio and the short grain Valencian rice from Spain mostly known for its use in paella. GLUTINOUS RICES Chinese Black Rice; Japanese (Sushi) Rice There are several types of glutinous rice that are very popular in Asian cooking. The name is misleading as the grain actually contains no gluten, but they are noted for the way they stick together after cooking.

Often known as sticky rice, black and white glutinous rices are normally used to make desserts. WILD RICES Wild Rice; Camargue (Red) Rice These are not really rices at all, but aquatic grasses that grow in marshy areas around the North American Great Lakes. The rice was once a favourite food of the Native Americans. It is quite expensive to buy so is often served mixed with long grain rice, which also gives it a gentler and more even flavour. See Cereal Grains Cereal grains have been cultivated throughout the world for centuries. The most popular types of grain such as rice (see ), wheat, oats, corn and rye come in various forms, from wholegrains to flours.

They all form a hugely important part of our diet, whether eaten in bread, pasta or noodles, baked into cakes or cookies, or (ideally), enjoyed in a less processed form. In recent years, we have been enjoying a wider range of wholegrains as part of a move towards a healthier diet, whether that is rediscovering more nutritious ancient grains (such as spelt) or gluten-free alternatives to wheat (such as quinoa and amaranth). WHEAT