subtlehouse | Entries tagged with ing:rice

Note: This recipe calls for plain cooked white rice. Short-grain rice is best. Brown rice is fine. Leftover rice from Chinese takeout works very well. Don't use rice that has already been adulterated with butter, oil, or lots of salt. I guess you could use rice that had been cooked in broth if you wanted to make a broth-flavored pudding? What a peculiar thought. Now I'm wondering whether broth could be substituted for the milk in the recipe... a sort of chawanmushi type thing... anyway, plain rice, probably best.

Note: The egg can be omitted for veganization; the result will be more like "rice in milk" than "rice pudding" but it's still very tasty. If you feel like experimenting with vegan thickeners, try this recipe, which uses cornstarch. If you don't use any thickener at all, mix and microwave in a 4-cup pitcher to prevent overflowing.

Note: This recipe makes about 1.5 cups of pudding, which is one substantial breakfast serving or two small dessert servings. For 2x and larger batches, increase the microwave time as needed until the egg is fully cooked and the pudding has more or less set. For a half-batch, halve everything but the egg.

Note: If feeding someone with an upset stomach, use 0.125 tsp cinnamon and 0.125 tsp ginger. For a traditional flavor, use 0.25 tsp cinnamon and no other spices. To make it more dessert-like, add 1 Tbsp sugar and increase the vanilla to 0.5 tsp.

Ingredients

1 egg
1.5 Tbsp (4.5 tsp) sugar
0.5 c unsweetened non-dairy milk
0.25 tsp vanilla extract
Up to 2 Tbsp add-ins: raisins, currants, chopped or whole almonds, pumpkin puree, etc.
0.125 tsp cinnamon
Total of 0.125 tsp additional spices: more cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, etc.
1 c COOKED white rice

Equipment

Microwave-safe 2-cup measuring pitcher
Small bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Microwave

Instructions

0) Mise en place. Gather your ingredients and tools. Measure out the rice with the pitcher and mix in the spices. Pour the rice into the bowl.

1) Mix. Measure the milk into the pitcher. Whisk in the egg, sugar, vanilla, and add-ins. Add the rice and mix well.

2) Cook, serve, and store. Microwave on 70% power for 2 minutes to temper the egg and prevent curdling. Then microwave on high power for 3 minutes or until the egg is cooked and the pudding has thickened. (If you care more about a smooth custard than speedy cooking, you can do the whole thing at 70% power, but it will probably take quite a while.) Stir and make sure there's no remaining un-set liquid; if there is, microwave in 30-second intervals until it's set or absorbed. Eat hot; or spoon into jars, let cool to room temp, store in the fridge, and enjoy cold later. It probably keeps for about a week.

Sources:
http://www.oprah.com/food/Mug-Rice-Pudding-Recipe

Current Mood: sleepy

rosefox

Note 1: This meal requires a lot of clean-up, including serious scrubbing.

Note 2: Deep-frying is dangerous. Wear long sleeves (cotton, not anything flammable or meltable), long pants, and socks. Make liberal use of long-handled spoons and oven mitts. Only one person should be doing anything with the fry pot at any given time. Do not fuck around with hot oil. The recipe is listed as "hard" only because deep-frying is best attempted by experienced cooks.

Note 3: This version of the dish is very mild, and it omits the traditional dried chili peppers. If you prefer it spicy, add dried chili peppers instead of black pepper in step 4. This version also omits dried orange peel, which is traditional but hard to find. With GF soy sauce, it is gluten-free.

Note 4: This is based on Bee Yinn Low's recipe in the cookbook Easy Chinese Recipes. Low has an updated recipe on her website that calls for marinating the chicken in marmalade, coating it in a flour-based batter, and putting orange zest in the sauce. That sounds cool! But it is not this recipe, and no attempt has been made to combine the two.

Ingredients

Meat
2.5 lb skinless boneless chicken meat (white or dark)
1 cup cornstarch, divided into four quarter-cups

Veg
4 heads broccoli, chopped

Sauce
0.75 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup orange juice, fresh-squeezed or Tropicana not-from-concentrate, any pulp strained out
0.5 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice wine
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil

Cooking
1 gallon canola oil
1 tsp chopped garlic, or 1 garlic clove
Freshly ground black pepper

Rice
2 cups rice
4 cups water

Equipment

Mixing bowls
Measuring cups and spoons
Whisk
Cutting boards
Chef's knife
Vegetable knife
Strainers
Nitrile gloves
Medium pot with lid
Large pot with metal steamer basket
Small nonstick pot
Large pan or wok
Stove (3 burners)
Deep-fry thermometer
Rice cooker
Wooden spoons
Slotted spoon
Large plates or platters, or a baking sheet
Paper towels
Two half-gallon jars
Small strainer

Steps

0) Mise en place. Have all your ingredients handy and measured. Pour the gallon of oil into the large pot, attach the thermometer, and start it heating over high heat. Put enough water in the medium pot to cook the broccoli, put the lid on the pot, and start it heating over high heat. Put the rice and water in the rice cooker and start it cooking. Cut up the chicken into bite-size chunks and divide it evenly into four batches, each in a separate bowl. Wash and cut up the broccoli. Cover two large plates or platters, or one large baking sheet, with two layers of paper towel.

1) Make the sauce. Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together, then add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Pour the sauce into a nonstick pot and simmer it over medium heat until it starts to thicken; then remove it from the heat but leave it in the pot.

2) Cook the broccoli. When the water boils, put the broccoli in it and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until just barely cooked. Immediately drain the broccoli and set it aside.

3) Deep-fry the chicken. When the oil reaches 350F, do the following for each batch of chicken:

a) Add .25 cup cornstarch to the chicken and mix thoroughly with gloved hands, separating all the pieces and making sure they're thoroughly coated. Add more cornstarch if necessary. You want each piece to be separate and pretty dry to the touch.

b) Place the chicken in the metal steamer basket, arranging the pieces in a single layer on the bottom of the basket. Carefully remove the thermometer from the oil and set it aside. Put on oven mitts, stand as far back as possible, and slowly lower the basket into the oil. The oil will foam up a lot; this is normal and fine. Immediately stir the chicken with a wooden spoon to separate the pieces.

c) Fry the chicken until it's golden-brown and fully cooked. Carefully lift the basket out of the oil and gently tap it to shake excess oil off of the chicken. Put the chicken on the paper towels. Return the thermometer to the side of the pot and bring the oil back up to 350F. While it's coming to temp, pat the chicken dry with more paper towels--both the chicken and the oil on it will still be very very hot.

When all four batches have been fried, turn off the heat and carefully move the pot to a back burner to cool.

4) Stir-fry everything together with garlic and pepper(s). Put the heat back on under the sauce and bring it up to a simmer, stirring it frequently to make sure it doesn't scorch. Meanwhile, in a large pan or wok, heat 2 Tbsp of the deep-fry oil over high heat. Add the garlic and fry until fragrant. Grind in some black pepper to taste (or add chilis if you're using them) and fry until fragrant. Put the chicken and broccoli in the pan and stir-fry them briefly until the garlic and pepper(s) are mixed in. When the sauce is quite thick, turn off the heat. By now the rice should be ready.

5) Serve. Put rice in a bowl, add chicken and broccoli, and spoon sauce on top to taste. Eat immediately before the sauce can make the chicken soggy.

6) Store. Store the rice, the chicken and broccoli, and the sauce separately. Combine just before reheating and serving. Everything should keep pretty well in the fridge. Strain the oil into the half-gallon jars and reuse it for future frying.

Sources:
Easy Chinese Recipes by Bee Yin Low. This recipe is mostly adapted from the orange chicken recipe on p. 90.

Current Mood: accomplished

rosefox

Note: This recipe will be easiest with the participation of at least two people. Read through the whole recipe before starting to cook.

Note: This version of the recipe uses 3x the amount of sauce that the original recipe called for. If you prefer less sauce, reduce the sauce ingredients proportionately.

Note: This recipe is low-sodium and (if you get GF oyster sauce) gluten-free. If those things don't matter to you, you can use regular soy sauce in place of the tamari and add salt or soy sauce to taste.

Note: If you use a frying pan or skillet, use one that's at least 14" in diameter. If you don't have one that big, allow extra time for frying the ingredients in batches. (Note for just us: Don't use the Le Creuset.)

Ingredients

Meat
20 oz (1.25 pounds) chicken breast

Veg
1 head broccoli
2 carrots
1 tin water chestnuts
1 tin bamboo shoots
1 tin baby corn

Tenderizer
1 Tbsp baking soda (approx. 1 tsp per 7 oz of meat)

Marinade
1 Tbsp rice wine or sherry
2 Tbsp cornstarch

Sauce
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup cold water
1 Tbsp rice wine or sherry
3 Tbsp oyster sauce
1.5 tsp sesame oil
3 Tbsp low-sodium tamari
1.5 tsp sugar

Cooking
3 Tbsp oil

Rice
2 cups white rice
water

Equipment

Mixing bowls
Measuring cups and spoons
Whisk
Cutting boards
Chef's knife
Vegetable knife
Vegetable peeler
Can opener
Strainers
Large pot with lid
Metal steamer basket
Wok (preferred) or large pan or skillet with lid
Stove (1 burner)
Rice cooker, or microwave-safe bowl (minimum size 6 cups, bigger is better) with lid
Wooden spoons
Flipper-type spatula

Steps

0) Mise en place. Have all your ingredients handy, but don't cut or measure them just yet; there's time to do all that while the chicken tenderizes and marinates.

1) Tenderize the chicken. Cut up the chicken. Put the pieces in a bowl and add the baking soda. Mix thoroughly with a spoon or gloved hands. Let it rest for 15 minutes.

While the chicken tenderizes, perform steps 2, 3, and 4.

2) Make the rice. Rinse the rice a few times and drain it well. Put the rice and water (measured according to package directions) in the rice cooker and press "white rice"; or put the rice and 3 cups water in the microwave-safe bowl and cover it with the lid (leaving it slightly ajar for stream to escape), microwave for 6 minutes on high and 18 minutes on 50%, and let rest 5 minutes with the lid on.

3) Prep the vegetables. Fill the large pot about 3/4 of the way with water, cover it, and put it on to boil. Rinse the broccoli, chop it, and put it in the steamer basket. Drain and rinse the tinned vegetables, chop the corn up if necessary, and put them in a bowl. Peel and dice the carrots and add them to the same bowl.

4) Blanch the broccoli. When the water boils, lower the steamer basket full of broccoli into it. Wait about 15 seconds for the broccoli to turn bright green, then remove the basket and place it in a bowl so the rest of the water can drain out.

The chicken is now tender.

5) Marinate the chicken. Mix the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Put the chicken in a strainer. Very thoroughly rinse the baking soda off the chicken under cold running water. Shake the strainer to get most of the water off the chicken. Put the chicken in the bowl with the marinade and mix thoroughly with a spoon or gloved hands. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

While the chicken marinates, perform step 6.

6) Make the sauce. Measure the cornstarch into a mixing bowl. Add the water in a slow stream while whisking, to minimize cornstarch lumps. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

The chicken is now marinated.

7) Pre-cook the chicken. Have a clean bowl handy next to the stove. Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in the wok over high heat until very very hot. Add the chicken and fry it, stirring rapidly and separating all the pieces, until the surface is opaque, about 5 to 7 minutes. Set it aside.

8) Pre-cook the vegetables. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in the wok over high heat until very very hot. Add the non-broccoli vegetables and fry them, stirring rapidly and separating all the pieces, until mostly cooked, about 5 minutes.

9) Add the chicken and sauce. Put the chicken back in the wok with the vegetables. Whisk the sauce and pour it over the chicken and vegetables. Fry, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. If the sauce threatens to scorch, turn the heat down.

By now the rice should be done. If it's not, turn off the heat under the wok and leave it uncovered until the rice is done. Then return the wok to high heat.

10) Add the broccoli and finish cooking. Add the broccoli to the wok and mix well. Fry, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Cover the wok or pan with a lid for 1 minute. Verify that the chicken is fully cooked. If it's not, continue stir-frying uncovered until it is.

11) Serve. Dish rice into bowls and top with stir-fry.

12) Store. Dish rice into single-serving containers and top with stir-fry. Keeps for about 5 days in the refrigerator. Does not freeze well.

Sources:
http://rasamalaysia.com/chinese-food-recipe-cashew-chicken/2/
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/tools-and-techniques/cooking-with-cornstarch.htm

Current Mood: accomplished

rosefox

Note: Frozen chopped onions may be substituted for the shallot. Measure a shallot-sized quantity by eye, microwave on high for 30 seconds, and drain well.

Note: The pressure cooker directions are only for an electric pressure cooker with a nonstick inner pot/liner. Don't attempt to pressure cook on the stove; it will scorch long before pressure is achieved.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp + .25 cup olive oil
1 large or 2 small shallots, diced
600g uncooked risotto rice
7 cups liquid: white wine (maximum 1 cup), chicken broth, vegetable broth, water if all else fails
1 extra cup liquid if using a pot rather than a pressure cooker
1 to 1.5 pound vegetables, diced or otherwise edible-size; can be fresh, frozen, or a mix of the two (2 x 10 oz. frozen peas & carrots works great)
1 cup chopped dense protein (e.g. sauteed mushrooms, scraps of roast chicken, raw ground turkey) or 2 cups chopped dilute protein (e.g. 10 oz. raw mushrooms, which contain a lot of water)
Chopped fresh herbs to garnish (optional)

Equipment

Prep
Cutting board
Knife
Large strainer
Measuring cups
2 large bowls (if following the optional rice-rinsing step)

Cooking
Silicone spoonula or other wide heatproof spoon
Pressure cooker or large pot with a tight-fitting lid
Stove (1 burner)

Steps

0) Mise en place. Measure out the rice, liquid, and oil. Take any frozen veg out of the freezer. Dice the shallot(s). Chop anything that needs chopped. Divide the protein and vegetables into three categories:

A) the shallots, plus anything that needs to be cooked very thoroughly (all raw protein, all very crunchy fresh raw veg)
B) anything that needs to be heated through and can be very soft (cold cooked chicken)
C) anything that cooks very quickly and should still have texture (all frozen veg, greens like spinach that wilt quickly, veg like fresh peas that are good nearly raw)

0.5) If you have time, rinse the rice. Combine the rice and liquid in a large bowl, stir vigorously with your hands or a whisk, and strain into another large bowl. Let the rice sit and drain for at least five minutes, stirring it occasionally to help it drain. This transfers the rice starch into the liquid and lets you toast the rice without losing the creaminess of the starch. It's optional, but makes the risotto extra creamy.

1) Toast the rice. Put in .25 cup oil and heat it over high heat until very hot. Add the rice and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the rice gets a nutty aroma and just barely begins to change color. If a grain of rice pops like popcorn, it's definitely ready. Scoop it out and set it aside.

2) Pre-cook group A. Put in the additional 1 Tbsp oil; it will heat quickly. Cook everything in group A until all raw protein is cooked through and all cooking liquid has evaporated.

3) Combine the rice, the liquid, and everything in groups A and B. If you rinsed the rice, give the broth and wine a good stir so the starch isn't all sitting at the bottom. Pour in seven cups of liquid (if you're cooking in a regular pot rather than a pressure cooker, you should have one cup left over) and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the rice and everything in group B. Give it a good stir.

4a) If using the pressure cooker: Add everything in group C and stir. Lock on the lid and set to cook at low pressure for 5 minutes. Release the pressure immediately (and carefully) as soon as the cooking time is up, or if the pressure cooker alerts you that it's starting to scorch.

4b) If using a pot: Bring to a rapid boil, stirring frequently. Cover the pot and turn the heat down as low as possible. Let simmer 5 minutes. Stir briefly, cover again, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining cup of liquid. Increase the heat to medium just until the liquid begins to bubble, then cover the pan and turn the heat all the way down again. Let simmer 5 minutes or until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the rice is almost entirely cooked. Add everything in group C.

5) Give a final blast of heat. If there's still uncooked rice or un-absorbed liquid, cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring frequently, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through.

6) Serve and store. Stir in any garnishes. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Risotto keeps in the fridge for a week and reheats well in the microwave.

6a) To make risotto cakes, form 3 cups risotto into 8 small patties; whisk 2 eggs in one bowl and put 2 cups of breadcrumbs in another bowl; dip each patty into eggs and then into breadcrumbs. Pan-fry them in hot oil (3 minutes on a side) or bake them on an oiled baking sheet at 350F until golden brown. Risotto cakes can also be frozen, and either baked or fried (carefully! hot oil splatters a lot when you put something frozen in it) without defrosting.

Sources:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/10/how-to-make-perfect-risotto-recipe.html
http://rosefox.dreamwidth.org/1783811.html?format=light
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mushroom-Risotto-Cakes-231808

Current Mood: full

rosefox

Ingredients:

3 cups risotto rice
7 cups (1.75 boxes) low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup white wine (you can substitute 1 cup broth if you don't have wine)
.5 cup olive oil
1 lb frozen carrots & peas with no added salt
10 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, chopped
2 small shallots or 1 large shallot, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, pressed, or 2 tsp chopped garlic
Optional garnishes (fresh herbs, real or fake cheese, etc.)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Equipment:

Prep
Cutting board
Knife
Large strainer
Garlic press (if using fresh garlic)
Measuring cups
2 large bowls (if following the optional rice-rinsing step)

Cooking
Silicone spoonula or other wide heatproof spoon
Large skillet with tightly fitting lid
Stove (1 burner)

Steps:

0) Mise en place. Measure out the rice, broth and wine (in one bowl), and oil. Take the peas and carrots out of the freezer. Rinse and chop the mushrooms. Dice the shallot(s). Press the garlic cloves.

0.5) If you have time, rinse the rice. Combine the rice, broth, and wine in a large bowl, stir vigorously with your hands or a whisk, and strain into another large bowl. Let the rice sit and drain for at least five minutes, stirring it occasionally to help it drain. This transfers the rice starch into the broth and lets you toast the rice without losing the creaminess of the starch. It's optional, but makes the risotto extra creamy.

1) Toast the rice. Put the oil in the saucepan and flick in a few drops of water. Heat over medium high heat until the water sizzles. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until the rice has a golden blond color and a nutty aroma.

2) Cook the aromatics and mushrooms. Clear a small section of the pan, tilt the pan to fill that section with oil, and put the garlic and shallot in it. Let them cook in the hot oil for about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the mushroom liquid has evaporated, about 3–5 minutes.

3) Add the liquid and simmer. If you rinsed the rice, give the broth and wine a good stir so the starch isn't all sitting at the bottom. Pour 7 cups of the broth-and-wine mixture into the pan. Bring to a simmer, cover with the lid, and turn the heat down as low as possible. Let simmer 10 minutes. Stir briefly, cover again, and let simmer another 5 minutes.

4) Cook the vegetables. Stir in the remaining cup of liquid and the frozen peas and carrots. Increase the heat to medium just until the liquid begins to bubble, then cover the pan and turn the heat all the way down again. Let simmer 5 minutes or until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the rice is almost entirely cooked.

5) Give a final blast of heat. Uncover the pan, turn the heat up to medium-high, and cook, stirring frequently, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through.

6) Garnish. Stir in any garnishes. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

7) Enjoy the leftovers. Risotto keeps in the fridge for a week and reheats well in the microwave. To make risotto cakes, form 3 cups risotto into 8 small patties; whisk 2 eggs in one bowl and put 2 cups of breadcrumbs in another bowl; dip each patty into eggs and then into breadcrumbs. Pan-fry them in hot oil (3 minutes on a side) or bake them on an oiled baking sheet at 350F until golden brown. Risotto cakes can also be frozen, and either baked or fried (carefully! hot oil splatters a lot when you put something frozen in it) without defrosting.

Sources:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/10/how-to-make-perfect-risotto-recipe.html
http://rosefox.dreamwidth.org/1783811.html?format=light
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mushroom-Risotto-Cakes-231808