Ricerecipe suggestions please! Read more?

Question

We don't buy packaged rice because of the sodium content, so all we're left with is the plain white or yellow rice. Don't suggest cous cous or basmati type rice please - they're far too expensive. What I would like is a way to turn regular rice into things like rice pilaf! Some pizazz - something other than drudgery! Also, alternate suggestions for a whole grain starch (I know about potatoes) that are reasonably priced are welcome. Thanks!

Thanks for the quick responses! However, I need side dish recipes, not main dish recipes. Thanks!

Answer 1

Emperor's Chicken Biryani Recipe...


1/2 c vegetable oil
3 ea medium onions, chopped fine
2 ea cloves of garlic, chopped
1 oz fresh ginger, chopped
3/4 lb boneless chicken
2 ea brown cardamon pods
4 ea whole cloves
14 ea whole black peppercorns
2 ts dried coriander
1 ts cumin seeds
2 ts white poppy seeds
2 ts fresh lemon juice
1/2 ts garam marsala
1/4 ts cayenne pepper
1/2 ts salt
2 ts tomato paste
2 ea bay leaves
3/4 c plain yogurt
1 ea saffron rice recipe
1 ea biryani recipe
1 ea tomato slices
1 ea green pepper rings
1 ea fresh coriander

Heat oil in large, heavy frying pan and saute onions and garlic until lightly browned.
Add ginger, fry another minute or two, then transfer mixture to a large bowl.
Add chicken.
Grind together the cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, dried coriander, cumin and poppy seeds.
Blend with lemon juice, garam marsala, cayenne, salt, tomato paste, by leaves and yogurt.
Stir mixture into vegetable and chicken mixture, cover and refrigerate for several hours.
Using a large, heavy frying pan, cook mixture, covered, over low heat for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring often.

Answer 2

Homemade Rice Pilaf

2 cups white rice (preferably long grain)
2 teaspoons of chicken fat or olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion - green onion (scallions) or yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
Up to 4 cups of stock (amount depends on the type of rice you are using), either chicken stock or vegetable stock for vegetarian option, or a mix of water and stock
2 teaspoons of Vegesal (or other seasoned salt)
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 Look at the cooking instructions for your rice. If your rice calls for 2 cups of water for every cup of rice then you will need a total of 4 cups of liquid. If your rice calls for 1 2/3 cups of water for every cup of rice, you will need a total of 3 1/3 cups of liquid.

You want to cook the rice in a liquid that is primarily stock - chicken stock or vegetable stock. Up to half of the liquid can be plain water, but at least half of the needed liquid should be stock. Homemade stock is the best, of course, and will make a big difference in the quality of the resulting pilaf.

Heat the measured amount of stock needed in a saucepan, at least 2-qt sized.

2 While the stock is heating, heat a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the chicken fat (or oil), melting it so it coats the bottom of the pan. Add the uncooked rice and brown the rice, stirring occasionally, for a couple of minutes. Add the onions and celery and cook a few minutes longer, until the onions begin to soften.

3 If you are using canned or boxed broth, be careful of how much seasoning you add. We usually use homemade, unsalted chicken stock, so we add 2 teaspoons of Vegesal (can use plain salt or other seasoned salt) along with ground pepper and a dash of cayenne. If you are starting with seasoned broth, you may only need to add a teaspoon of Vegesal or salt. Taste test the broth/stock. It can be a little on the salty side because the rice will absorb a lot of the salt.

4 Carefully empty the slightly browned rice into the saucepan with the stock. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, cover, and cook for as long as the instructions say on your package of rice. Usually between 15 to 25 minutes. Use a timer. After the set amount of cooking time, remove the pan from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes, covered. At no point during the cooking of the rice should you uncover the pan.

Note that you could also pour the stock into the pan with the rice, cover and cook. This is the more usual way to make pilaf. We have found however more consistent results by pouring the rice into the saucepan of stock.

Fluff with a fork to serve. You can also mix in heated peas, chopped parsley, toasted almonds, or raisins to the pilaf to make it more interesting.

Serves 6 to 8.

Answer 3

I like to add frozen green peas and a can of sliced mushrooms. I add chicken bouillion powder to the water (you can omit) and about a tsp. of dried dill weed. Add the peas on top of the rice while it steams then stir in when rice is done.

Or sometimes I do the rice with the bouillion powder in the water and the dill weed, then add fresh cut up green pepper pieces , sweet onion and romano tomatoes. Just steam the veggies on top of the rice while it cooks then stir in. If salt is a concern you can always try some of the Mrs. Dash spices combos. Maybe you could try sprinkling a bit of Parmesan cheese or grated cheddar cheese after dishing up.

Hope this helps a bit.

Answer 4

Jasmine rice is cheap, buy it in the bag. It is white and has a nice nutty flavor, different than reg rice. Tastes good with most sauces/veggies/meats. My kids love it.

Bread dumplings or perogies are a hearty starch alternative.

Answer 5

i'm completely hooked on YA books. I have a tendency to love books that are available in a chain so as that i visit proceed with the nature and plot in the subsequent e book with out having to commence the full backstory yet again. I also rejoice with fable/technology fiction books yet some youngster drama is reliable each once and awhile too! maximum of my favorites have already been stated yet right here they are besides: Harry Potter sequence (JK Rowling)- in case you've not study those books yet, I notably propose them! the first and 2d books were somewhat slow in the beginning although the action quite options up in the third. also, Rowling does an excellent interest weaving tricks and clues in the approach the e book about issues which will later ensue. Uglies Trilogy (Scott Westerfeld)- Uglies, Pretties, Specials, and Extras- it really is completely technology fiction/fable. it really is set in the destiny at the same time as at 16 you get an operation to make you particularly. . . yet there's a freaky twist that contains it! talk (Laurie Halse Anderson)- that's an quite emotional e book about a woman who's raped the summer season in the previous starting up intense college. no human being knows and he or she will develop into an outcast in her college. it really is an quite emotional and complicated e book yet a competent study in case you sense you're mature sufficient for it. Mediator sequence (Meg Cabot)- female who can communicate with ghosts and facilitates them deal. looks weird and wonderful in the beginning yet i quite were given into it! optimum holiday sequence (James Patterson)- There are a collection of little ones that were experimented on. they have tremendous wings and they damage out from the technology lab. once i began those books i ought to no longer positioned them down until eventually eventually i finished! a million-800-the position-Are-You sequence (Meg Cabot)- a woman receives struck by ability of lightning and is given the present of looking those who're lost, abducted or have run away. there is also an angsty backplot that is going on. Sarah Dessen books- She writes some large youngster novels that are very real looking, dramatic and darkish in places. I loved merely listen, holding the Moon and Dreamland. Twilight sequence- i have not study those yet yet i have heard they are unbelievably reliable and they are the subsequent ones on my examining record!

Answer 6

go to allrecipes.com