As I was decanting rice from a giant sack to the canister I keep in my kitchen last night (for the second time this week), my husband pointed out to me that I had been on a ‘rice kick’ recently.

Me: No, I haven’t.

Husband: Huh… *watching me scoop more rice into a strainer to wash for dinner*

Me: I don’t do kicks. I always try to vary what we eat and keep it fun.

Husband: Mmm…

Me: *adding water to pot and staring at the rice* *sigh*

Husband: *stares in ‘told-you-so’*

So, y’all, I’ve been on a rice kick. I have made rice in some form or fashion 5 out of 7 days this week. Even if it is all cooked in different ways, it is odd for me to cook a lot of rice. I actively avoid rice, sometimes for long stretches.

It comes from rice-induced trauma. When I was teenager, my mom decided to go on one of those popular low/no carb diets of the time. I don’t remember which one she was following but that’s irrelevant. Now, the problem that arises when the cook of the family is on a diet, is that the rest of the family is now de-facto on the diet as well. What did this mean for our 2-sides-to-every-meal, carb-loving family? It meant brown rice. More brown rice than any human should be able to legally consume. It was in every dry and lifeless casserole. It was the sad, flavorless side to every meal. This was before Pinterest and healthy recipes and keto knowledge, and it submerged me into a rice-induced depression that still makes me hesitant to cook rice to this day.

And don’t @ me, I am allowed to be melodramatic.

Anyways, as I began to grow in my cooking knowledge and started to delve into family recipes, I realized that rice was in integral part of both my family’s food tradition and southern cooking tradition in general. Internationally, rice is a dietary staple of more than half the world’s population. Rice is used everywhere. It comes in different varieties to be used in more dishes than one could possibly hope to count. So, I guess, if I have to be on a kick, rice is a good one.

Over the years, I have found a few recipes that have truly broken me of my rice phobia and I wanted to share some of my favorites with you. Some of these recipes will probably be familiar, others not so much. Let’s start with a steakhouse staple: Rice Pilaf.

Here in America, we have come to associate rice pilaf as the soft, often yellow, rice side dish found at every corner restaurant that tries to be some semblance of upscale dining. However, pilaf, which can boast homes in nearly every country from the Caribbean to India, is understood by most cultures to be rice cooked with something- meat and vegetables, even nuts and fruit. Pilaf supposedly originated around the 13^th century in India, but some say that it’s long history actually dates to 10^th century Iran.

Pilaf is also supposed to be a vastly different rice dish in that it is distinctly un-mushy. No rice puddings, sticky rice, or soft risotto here! Rice pilaf is meant to showcase the individual grains and minced ingredients, all imbued with the flavors of what they were cooked with. This is why long grain rice or wild rice is often preferred for this dish, adding a dynamic visual element and natural texture. Pilaf around the world can be incredibly involved, and range into very layered and intricate recipes with high-end ingredients. I, however, am going to share my very simple, but very delicious pilaf that seems to embrace the warmth and beauty of its many origins.

Ingredients:

2 cups rice (preferably long grain, wild rice, or basmati)

2 teaspoons of unsalted butter (or lard)

½ cup chopped onion (green onion (scallions) or yellow onion)

½ cup chopped celery (or fennel bulb)

1 clove garlic, minced

Up to 4 cups of stock (amount depends on the type of rice you are using), either chicken stock or vegetable stock

2 teaspoons of salt

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

¼ teaspoon turmeric

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/8 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon ground yellow mustard

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

1. This may possibly be the most important step. WASH YOUR RICE. You can do this by swirling water with your rice and then draining and repeating until the water finally stays clear, or (my preferred method) putting your uncooked rice in a mesh strainer and running it under water for a good 2-5 minutes. This clears the starch off the outside helping to prevent gumminess. You can even soak your (clean) rice in room temp water for up to 3 hours to give it a leg up on fluffy, non- sticky cooking.
2. Heat a sauce pot (at least 2 qt and with a lid) on medium high heat and melt down your butter until bubbly but not browning. Add your onion celery and garlic, cooking until fragrant and beginning to become translucent. Add the rice and fry the uncooked rice with the veggies until it is just starting to brown. Not only will this help add texture to the rice, but it will also aid in keeping those rice grains separated.
3. Add your stock and spices, stirring well before bringing to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for 20 to 30 minutes depending on the type of rice you are using. The amount of stock you use will also be determined by your type of rice so check the package! If your rice calls for 2 cups of liquid per cup of rice, you will need all four cups.
4. Once the liquid is no longer bubbling through the rice and it seems absorbed, remove the pan from the heat but leave the lid on and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. When you remove the lid, use a fork to fluff the grains and make sure that all the liquid is absorbed. Garnish with chopped cilantro and enjoy!

* Never, and I mean never ever, drain your finished rice with a colander. If you must do this to your rice, then it is cooked incorrectly. Start over. *

Rice Pilaf is fun and flavorful dish that can be done in so many ways, from traditional recipes all the way to using it as a produce dump-all to clean out the fridge. It is so much easier than many people think it would be being that they generally only find it in restaurants.

I will be back with more fun rice facts and recipes soon!