LCBO Food & Drink Winter 2018

BY LUCY WAVERMAN • PHOTOGRAPHY BY VINCE NOGUCHI KITCHEN ESSENTIALS

Rice is the staple grain of many countries. It comes in countless different forms, ranging in colour from white to black and from long slender grains to short stubby ones. Let us guide you through the options.

MEDIUM GRAIN Medium-grain rice has a slight sticki- ness and absorbs other flavours well. Often medium- and short-grain categories overlap. Sushi rice and paella rice belong in this category as does the U.S. Calrose rice which is often used for sushi and marketed under Japanese sounding names. It is semi-glutinous and the grains are glossy-looking and slightly sticky.

COOKING TIPS

➤ Always use a heavy pot that has a tight-fitting lid. ➤ To reheat rice (it will stay warm for 30 minutes on the lowest heat) cook rice completely, spread on a cookie sheet, cover with a cloth and leave until needed. This pre- vents overcooking. Place rice in a shallow dish and reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes. Alterna- tively place in a steamer basket and steam for 5 minutes. ➤ Rice cookers are e ective ways to cook rice. Add 1 cup (250 mL) rinsed rice to 1 cup (250 mL) water (1½ cups/375 mL water for brown rice) and cook according to manufacturer’s direction. This method works for short, medium and long grain rice so long as rice is rinsed first. The rice will remain warm for up to 3 hours. ➤ All cooked rice can be frozen, but brown rice maintains its texture better than others. Place in a plastic freezer bag. Remove excess air and flatten in an even layer. Freeze flat for easy stor- age. Reheat by stir-frying from frozen or run under water in the sealed bag to quickly defrost.

LONG GRAIN The slim slender grains of white long-grain rice are milled to re- move the husk. Of the many varieties, 40,000 at last count, the two most popular kinds of pack- aged long-grain rice are fragrant flavoured Thai jasmine, which is slightly sticky and nutty, and Bas- mati, with its separate, fluffy grains. Boil regular long grain in lots of water for 12 minutes, drain well, cover and steam for 5 minutes with seasonings and butter, if de- sired. With this method, the rice does not have to be rinsed. Rinsed basmati needs equal amounts of water and rice. Bring to a boil, cover and steam on low heat for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork. With Thai jasmine, use the same method but increase water to 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups (375 mL) per cup of rice. USES: pilafs, jambalaya, fried rice, Asian dishes, curries, side dishes.

Bomba or Valencia Spanish rice is perfect for paella because it expands across its width not length. It absorbs about 3 times the liquid to rice ratio and tastes of whatever it’s cooked in. Medium-grain rice is rinsed before using to remove some of the sur- face starch, then cooked with a ratio of 1 cup (250 mL) rice to 1 1 ⁄ 4 cups (310 mL) water. USES: sushi, paella, fried rice, side dishes.

SHORT GRAIN Short-grain rice kernels are large and plump and contain lots of starch. They tend to stick together and are the perfect texture for risotto and rice pudding. There are dif- ferent kinds, with Italian carnaroli being the best for risotto, provid- ing creaminess and texture.

This rice is cooked by adding a ratio of about 2 1 ⁄ 2 slowly to 1 cup (250 mL) rice while stirring. USES: risotto, rice pudding.

cups (750 mL) liquid

Brown rice has the hull intact and is considered healthier than white rice, which is polished to remove the hull. Cooking by absorption (the traditional method) takes 45 minutes and can make for gluey rice; boiling in lots of water and then briefly steaming is much faster and yields perfect results. Bring 12 cups (3 L) water to a boil, add 1 to 2 cups (250 to 500 mL) rice and boil until tender (about 18 to 20 minutes for long grain brown, about 25 minutes for short grain brown). Drain, cover pot and steam for 5 to 6 minutes. COOKING BROWN RICE

FOOD & DRI NK WINTER