Rice
Rice is a starchy grain which is high in carbohydrates, and an excellent source of ready energy. It feeds more of the world’s people than any other food. The main varieties available in Australia are:
Short grain/Calrose used in Japanese and Spanish cooking
Medium grain/Arborio ideal for risotto, Paella, and stuffed vegetables
Long grain great for stir frys or pilaf when the grains should stay separate
Brown highly nutritious because the bran layers remain intact
Sunbrown Quick quick cooking because it’s already been partly steamed
Sungold nutritionally between white and brown rice, cooks in the fridge
Fragrant or Basmati aromatic flavour, excellent with Indian food
Most of the products listed above are probably familiar to you, except perhaps for the Arborio rice, because up until now it had to be imported and was expensive. The good news is that Australian rice growers now produce a quality Arborio rice for a fraction of the price of the Italian varieties. It’s the perfect rice to use to make a delicious, creamy risotto, a quick and easy dish to whip up for those unexpected visitors. There are lots of risotto recipes, but here’s a simple one to get you started:
Ingredients
- 1 medium chopped onion
- 1-2 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 4-5 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Throw in whatever else you have on hand, eg. crisp bacon, cooked chicken or prawns, sauteed mushrooms etc.
Method
Cook onions & garlic in a little olive oil over low heat for two minutes, but don’t let them brown. Add rice, stirring until grains are coated with oil, then the hot stock, one cupful at a time, making sure each cup is absorbed before adding the next. (Tip: to keep the stock hot, have it simmering in a separate pan on the stove while you cook the rice). Pour in the wine, then when all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked, stir in other ingredients. Put the lid on, turn off the heat, leave for about five minutes, then serve, adding a garnish if desired.
Serves 3-4
For more information
If you’d like a free rice recipe booklet, or if you’d like to know more about rice in general, write to Sunrice Australia, PO Box 561, Leeton, NSW, 2705. You could also write to Risotto Recipes, Riviana Foods, 5 Corporate Avenue, Rowville, VIC, 3178.
Further reading
Rosemary Stanton’s Complete Book of Food & Nutrition (Simon & Schuster, revised edition 1995, rrp $29.95).