I love rice. I can eat it in three meals a day, every day, for a long, long time. But a lot of people, especially outside of Asia, don’t like rice like I do. They see it as dull and boring. They want to spruce it up a bit.
If you are one of those people who finds rice a bit boring, you can use these ideas to give your rice more excitement. Here are five ways to add some pop to your “bop” (that’s the Korean word for “rice”).
1. Try different varieties
If you’ve only tried white or brown rice, you’ll be surprised. There are all colors of rice, from black rice that turns purple when cooked, to red. There are varieties that smell like popcorn or nuts, and different sizes and textures of kernels. Try something new and see if you don’t get excited.
2. Mix it up
Sure, you can have a pot of brown, short-grain, or long-grain rice. That’s what most people do: make a pot of one type of rice. But try to mix different types together. In the same way that you would make a mushroom soup with porcini, button and shiitake mushrooms, you can make a pot of rice with long-grain, short-grain and sticky rice all together, for example.
3. Add some spice
If you’ve ever had Indian food, you’ve had rice with added spices, like turmeric, cinnamon, and cloves. Try adding some spices to your next pot of rice. Use the same spices, in smaller amounts, that you have in the main dish you plan to eat. For example, if you are making chili, add some cumin and garlic to the rice.
4. Change the fluid
Most rice is cooked in running water. Sometimes a broth is added for more flavor, such as chicken broth or vegetable broth. If you haven’t tried it yet, replace the cooking water with an equal amount of broth. This will give your rice more depth.
5. Go with a new pimple
Why cook only old rice? He likes the company. Add a small amount of another grain for a new texture and flavor, and extra nutrition. My favorite way is to replace 1/6 to 1/3 of the rice with barley. Cook it as you normally would. The barley adds a chewy component that really grabs your attention.
Now you know how to make rice more interesting. There is no excuse for having boring rice again. With a little creative exploration, you should be able to find rice dishes that you’ll want to eat again and again.