At taste testing the other day, we had this rice dish, which precipitated a discussion on rice and how there really is an art to making good rice. The very next day I had a rice epiphany. In the course of judging cookbooks for an international awards competition, I made a Turkish rice dish called Orzo Pilav. It was the best rice I’ve ever had, and it made me realize that there are a few tricks (and rules) that will make your rice better. Here they are:
1. Use the right kind of rice for the dish (or the kind of rice specified in the recipe). Short grain Arborio, high in starch makes a creamy risotto, short grain sticky white rice for sushi etc, and for fluffy rice, a basmati or long- grain rice.
2. It really does pay to rinse the rice, a step I’ve skipped more often than not. Rinsing the rice eliminates the starch, making the rice fluffier.
3. “Browning the dry rice in butter “toasts” it, producing a nutty flavor and fluffier texture.
3. Simmering it in chicken broth (instead of water) will produce better flavor.
4. Cook it covered until little steam holes appear in the rice. Then recover, and do not disturb until ready to fluff with a fork and serve.
Everyday Orzo Pilav
Here is an interesting recipe that I adapted from the book Turquoise, A Chef’s Travels in Turkey, by Greg and Lucy Malouf. According to them, cooking rice with little broken bits of vermicelli noodles is commonplace in the Middle East. In Turkey they were fascinated to see them use orzo pasta in place of the noodles. Browning the orzo and rice in the butter produces a brown nutty flavor that’s exceptional. I have even added garlic a time or two. You won’t look at rice the same way again.
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups chicken stock, hot
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
¼ cup orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
pinch of sea salt
Soak the rice in cold water until the starch is removed and the water runs clear. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Add the orzo and sauté, stirring continuously until the butter foams and the orzo turns brown, being careful not to burn the butter. Add the drained rice and stir until all grains are coated with the butter. Add the hot chicken stock and salt. Bring to a boil, cover reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. You will see little holes in surface of rice. Remove pan from heat and let stand 10-15 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Serve.
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