Macro - Brown Rice

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

About Brown Rice

 

Recipe By :Wendy Esko

Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Grains Info

Tips

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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There are three varieties of rice now available in most natural food stores:

short grain, which is sweeter and more glutinous; medium grain, which is more

soft and moist; and long grain, which is light and fluffy when cooked.

 

Some of the many uses of rice include eating it as a cereal, using it it soups,

salads, desserts, breads, beverages, sushi, nori-maki, vegetable pies,

croquettes, casseroles, pilaf, paella, stuffings, and in many other ways. The

possibilities are almost endless.

 

Rice can be prepared in a variety of ways, including pressure-cooking, boiling,

baking, roasting, and frying. In Japan, rice was traditionally cooked in a heavy

cast-iron pot with a heavy wooden lid which rested on top. This utensil is

similar to a pressure cooker with a loose-fitting lid, and it allows steam to

slowly and gradually escape around the edges. Based on my experience,

pressure-cooking is by far the best way to prepare brown rice. Pressure-cooked

rice is easier to digest, sweeter, more nutritious, more thoroughly cooked, and

is usually not watery. Before cooking, rice may also be soaked for several hours

or overnight in the pressure-cooker with the appropriate amount of water and

salt. Never wash the rice and allow it to sit in a colander before placing it in

the pressure cooker, since if it is allowed to sit for too long after it is

washed, it will absorb the water remaining on it and will begin to expand. This

will usually cause the rice to turn out to be very wet.

 

Rice can be cooked at different temperatures to produce different vibrational

qualities, tastes, or yin and yang qualities. For example, one method is to

begin pressure-cooking with a low flame and allow the pressure to come up very

gradually. This more yin method produces a very peaceful, harmonious feeling in

the rice as well as a sweeter flavor, since the grains are allowed to adapt

slowly to the high temperature. A second method is to begin cooking with a low

flame and gradually increase the temperature to high over a span of several

minutes. A third way is to begin with a high flame, waiting until the pressure

is up to reduce the flame to low and allow the grain to finish cooking. This

method produces a more yang effect. Of course, the differences in quality,

taste, and feeling produced by these methods are very subtle. It may take some

time until you are able to notice the difference. With the first method, your

rice will take longer to cook, while the last method is the quickest.

 

A fourth method is to wash the rice, place it in a pressure-cooker with water

and salt, cover it, and let it soak for several hours or overnight before

cooking. With this method, the rice has a chance to soften and thus is very

well~cooked and easy to digest. This method can be used occasionally along with

others mentioned above.

 

When preparing a small amount of rice, for example one or two cups, you may need

to use slightly more water, lower temperature, and slightly less time in cooking

so that the rice does not burn or turn out too dry When making a larger quantity

of rice, you may need to reduce the amount of water that you add for each cup of

grain while increasing the cooking time up to 50 or 55 minutes, so that your

rice does not turn out too soft or wet

 

You should not fill your pressure-cooker to more than 70% of its capacity with

grain and water; more than this may clog the pressure valve and interfere with

the cooking process.

 

After your rice has finished cooking, try to allow the pressure to gradually

come down by itself. This creates a more peaceful quality in the rice, and your

rice will have a more delicious flavor. Also, the moisture from the rice will

loosen any scorched or burnt grains that may be left on the bottom of the pot,

thus making them easier to remove without wasting any rice. Occasionally, if you

are in a hurry, or if you want a lighter, fluffier rice, you may bring the

pressure down quickly by lifting the pressure valve. However, if your rice

happens to stick to the bottom of the pot, it can be removed quite easily by

adding a little water and allowing it to sit until it becomes soft. Then, drain

off the water and set the rice aside for use in making soft rice, bread, etc.

 

When removing rice from the pressure-cooker, first wet your rice paddle with

water to prevent the grains from sticking to it. Then, press the paddle down

around the sides of the pot to loosen the grains which are off to the sides.

Remove the grain one scoop at a time, digging deeply into the pot so that each

scoop includes both the more yang grains at the bottom and the more yin grains

at the top. Place each scoop in a wooden bowl and, with gentle cutting strokes,

smooth it Out into the bowl. This insures an even mixture of the more yin (top)

and more yang (bottom) grains throughout the bowl, creating a more balanced

condition in those who eat the rice. If you have a scorched, hard, bottom layer

of rice in your pot, gently push each piece of this down into the center or at

the edges of the bowl, and cover them with the softer grains. The heat and

moisture from these softer grains will cause the harder rice to soften. Or you

may place the burnt layers on a bamboo mat and allow them to dry for two or

three days, and then deep-fry them for a crispy, crunchy snack.

 

Never leave your pressure-cooker on the burner once you have finished cooking.

Always remove your rice from the pressure-cooker or pot as soon as the pressure

has come down. If rice is allowed to sit in the pot, the moisture that it

contains will cause the grains to expand, thus producing a very wet and often

tasteless bowl of rice. By placing your rice immediately into a wooden bowl and

covering it with a bamboo mat, you allow it to cool slowly, permitting air to

circulate and moisture to escape.

 

For additional information on the selection and preparation of brown rice,

please refer to my first cookbook, Introducing Macrobiotic Cooking.

 

Source:

" Macrobiotic Cooking for Everyone p. 86 "

S(Formatted by):

" Nancy Braswell, Oct-07-2001 "

Copyright:

" Japan Publications, 1980 "

 

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 0 Calories; 0g Fat (0.0% calories from

fat); 0g Protein; 0g Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 0mg

Sodium. Exchanges: .

 

 

Nutr. Assoc. : 0