Brown Rice- Cooked The Right Way…

One of the changes I have made recently is to make more brown rice. I started making this healthy rice a few years ago- but didn’t make it very often. The taste wasn’t so good and the texture was even worse. Although I knew how healthy it is, I just couldn’t get myself to eat it.

Then, I noticed Indian basmati brown rice at Trader Joes – which piqued my interest. I brought it home and decided to treat it like white basmati rice. I sauteed it in some olive oil and added a bit of salt. I find brown rice to be quite bland and discovered just a little salt makes a big difference. I also cooked the rice in chicken broth. If you are a vegetarian, try a vegetable broth or even better- mushroom broth. The idea is to add as much flavor to the rice as possible.

So, the first thing to tackle was the flavor- we took care of that. The second is the texture- you have to add extra liquid in order to cook the rice correctly. In this case I started with 1 cup of uncooked rice. You want to add any where from 2 3/4 to 3 cups of chicken broth or water. The third thing to remember is to cook the rice on low heat. This ensures well cooked rice grains.

If you follow these directions, I guarantee a delicious plate of rice that is healthier than white rice. My daughter prefers white rice but eats this with no problem. It’s really up to me- the more I make it, the more she likes it. Try it and let me know how your family reacts…

• 1 cup brown basmati rice
• 2 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil

Add the rice to a deep saucepan with the olive oil. Saute on medium heat for a minute. Add the salt and chicken broth. Bring to a boil on high heat. Lower the heat to medium making sure the broth is still simmering. Cover the saucepan half way. Let it simmer for 20 minutes or till the liquid evaporates on the surface. Cover the saucepan all the way and drop the heat to very low and cook for another 20 minutes. Can be paired with a variety of dishes.