YumSugar

Discovering the Subtle Flavor of Forbidden Rice

YumSugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:26:41 -0800

The folks at Lotus Foods recently sent a few samples of their exotic rice. The company specializes in handcrafted rice from small family farms in remote areas of the world, and it has marketed several heirloom rice varieties that may otherwise have become extinct. It also works closely with the small family farms in order to provide them with an "honorable living." It's an interesting concept, and I must admit, the bags of green, red, and black rice have often caught my eye at the grocery store. Yet looks and mission are one thing; what I wanted to know is how it tasted. To find out if it's worth more than $4 for a pound of rice, read more.

The first rice I tasted was the Jade Pearl Rice. The Jade Pearl was like a regular medium-grain rice, but with a slight green tint and subtle bamboo flavor. The website claims a "light vanilla taste," but I didn't experience that at all.

The second rice I tasted was the intriguingly black Organic Forbidden Rice. It cooked up quickly and surprised me with its nutty taste. The texture was a little bit nuttier than regular rice; it reminded me of short-grain brown rice. The color was fantastic and looked great with my dinner. However, the cooking process was a bit messy. When I took the lid off of the pot, the condensation dripped down and I noticed my white stove was splattered with purple dots.

So, given that the price is quite steep - 11.25 pounds of the Organic Forbidden Rice sells for $49.08, while 10 pounds of standard Calrose rice can be found for $10.18 - would I buy it again? The answer is yes, but I probably wouldn't make it my everyday rice. As much as I liked the flavor and the company mission, I just didn't find it economically sensible. However, I would definitely pick up some for a dinner party or as a treat to myself. Either way, it's worth trying, and if it becomes an expensive habit of yours, don't say I didn't warn you first!

View 7 Photos ›

Kitchen Experiments: Forbidden Fried Rice

YumSugar — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:30:58 -0800

Earlier this week, I gave you a recipe for a Balsamic Soy Chicken. I purposely made an extra serving for lunch the next day. However, when it came time for lunch, the chicken and Forbidden Rice wasn't cutting it. I really wanted a vegetable. To see what I did for my latest kitchen experiment, read more.

The first thing I did was look through my cupboards. There wasn't much left, but I decided to take out two carrots, and some eggs. I peeled and finely shredded the carrots, and then in a separate bowl I lightly beat the eggs. I then threw the rice and chicken into a large skillet, heated it up until it was warm, then I tossed in the carrots, mixed that together, and finally I poured the egg mixture around it. I then scrambled it up, seasoning with salt and pepper as I went along.

The end result was a tasty - if not a bit odd-looking - black fried rice. It made for a delicious meal, and came together really quickly. I topped it off with a bit of sriracha sauce.

What do you think? What would you have whipped together?

Cooking Chicken With Harumi Kurihara

YumSugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:15:31 -0800

I recently received a copy of Harumi's Japanese Home Cooking and have been meaning to try some of the recipes. Author Harumi Kurihara, who is often called the Japanese Martha Stewart, specializes in easy, home-cooked dishes with simple but elegant flavors. While looking for dinner ideas, I was inspired by the ease of her recipe for Chicken With Soy and Balsamic Vinegar. It looked absolutely delicious and wonderfully simple. She suggested pairing it with cabbage, but I opted for bok choy. I also decided to serve it with a side of Forbidden Rice. To get the recipe for a deliciously easy dinner, read more.

I've provided one of Harumi's recipes here, but be sure to check out the rest of her book; this is just the tip of the tasty iceberg!

Chicken with Soy and Balsamic Dressing
From Harumi's Japanese Home Cooking by Harumi Kurihara

2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, sliced
coarsely ground black pepper
1 lb boneless chicken thighs [she suggests skin on, I used skinless]
a little sunflower or vegetable oil
a few basil leaves - for garnish

For cabbage:
1/2-3/4 cups of roughly chopped cabbage [I used bok choy]
1 Tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
1 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper

Put the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic and pepper in a bowl and stir to combine [I also used a few dried chili peppers]. Cut the chicken diagonally into bite-sized pieces [I used smaller square chunks] and marinate for about 30 minutes.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken, turning halfway to brown both sides.
To make the sautéed cabbage: Roughly chop the cabbage into large pieces In a wok or frying pan, heat the oil and butter, add the cabbage, sauté until cooked, then lightly season with salt and pepper.
Place the cabbage on a serving dish and arrange the chicken on top. Pour over any remaining sauce from the chicken pan and garnish with basil leaves.Top picture is my idea of food styling, this is YumJimmy's idea of it.

Print recipe with images | without images

View 7 Photos ›