Want to modify your brown rice recipe to make it taste richer without compromising on its nutrients? Try adding a variety of spices while the rice is cooking
While there is no “right way” to season brown rice, there are a number of methods that have been tried and proven to work. For example, you can sauté the rice first to bring out the nutty flavor, cook it in a salty and savory broth, or add a variety of herbs and spices to make the taste even more unique. After understanding the basic recipes listed in this article, feel free to modify the method of seasoning the rice to produce the brown rice flavor that best suits your taste and pairs well with various types of dishes. Don't be surprised if later on, you can turn a simple food item as simple as brown rice into a luxurious and classy dish!
Ingredients
Saute Rice
- 150-200 grams of rice
- 1 tbsp. cooking oil or melted butter
- 1/4-1 tsp. herbs and spices such as oregano, pepper, parsley, or turmeric
- 1 tbsp. aromatic spices such as onion, garlic, or ginger
Cooking Rice in Broth
- 150-200 grams of rice
- 600 ml broth
Seasoning Rice with Various Herbs and Spices
- 100-125 grams of rice
- 300 ml water
- 1 tbsp. salty soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
- 1/4-1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper powder
- 1 bay leaf or bay leaf
Step
Method 1 of 3: Saute Rice
Step 1. Sauté the rice in cooking oil or melted butter in a frying pan
Put 150-200 grams of rice in a frying pan, then pour enough cooking oil or melted butter, at least until each grain of rice is covered with oil or butter. In general, you can use about 1 tbsp. oil or butter. Then, stir-fry the rice over medium heat until you can smell the strong nutty aroma.
Do not use canola oil and grapeseed oil. Instead, use a more fatty oil like sesame oil, coconut oil, or olive oil to give the rice a richer aftertaste
Step 2. Mix the stir-fried rice with various favorite spices
Basically, the spices used really depend on the taste or the type of dish you want to make. Whatever your choice of seasoning, don't forget to lightly sprinkle it all over the surface of the rice until the flavor is as strong as you want it to be.
- Spices like oregano, pepper, parsley, and turmeric go well with brown rice. Generally, you should only use about 1/4-1 tsp. Spice. Adjust the dose to the taste of your tongue, yes!
- Add a little aromatic seasoning such as 1 clove of onion, 1 clove of garlic, or 1 tbsp. chopped ginger to further enrich the taste of rice.
Step 3. Pour 600 ml of boiling water into the pan
While the rice is sautéing, bring the water to a boil in a separate saucepan or kettle. After the water boils, immediately pour it into the pan containing the stir-fried rice.
Step 4. Cook rice over low heat for 20 minutes
After pouring the water, stir the rice briefly, then cover the pan with a lid. Cook the rice over low heat for 20 minutes.
After the rice becomes rice, turn off the heat, then let the rice sit covered for 5 minutes until the texture is fluffier. Stir the rice with a fork before serving
Method 2 of 3: Cooking Rice in Broth
Step 1. Combine the rice and stock in a large saucepan
Put 150-200 grams of rice and 600 ml of broth into a saucepan. Make sure the bottom of the pan is wide enough so that the heat from the stove can spread more evenly over each grain of rice.
If you want, you can also use a mixture of 1 part broth and 1 part water so that the taste of the rice is not too strong, but still delicious
Step 2. Bring the broth to a boil
Boil the rice in the broth over high heat until it boils. While it's boiling, stir the rice periodically so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot!
Step 3. Cover the pot and cook the rice over low heat for 40-50 minutes
After the broth boils, cover the pot and reduce the heat, then cook the rice covered until the broth is absorbed into each grain of rice and the texture is softened.
- Occasionally, stir the rice so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Turn off the heat, then let the rice that has become rice stand covered for 5 minutes until the texture is fluffier. Stir the rice with a fork before serving.
Method 3 of 3: Seasoning Rice with Assorted Herbs and Spices
Step 1. Bring water and rice to a boil
Put about 300 ml of water and 100-125 grams of rice in a saucepan. Then, cook both over high heat until it boils.
Step 2. Reduce the heat, and re-cook the rice for another 35-45 minutes
Once the water boils, cover the pot and reduce the heat. Cook the rice over very low heat for the recommended amount of time until each grain absorbs the moisture in the pan. The rice is cooked when it is soft, but not too mushy.
Step 3. Pour various kinds of herbs and spices into the cooked rice and become rice
For example, you can add 1 tbsp. soy sauce, 1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves, 1/4-1/2 tsp. ground ginger, and 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper powder into the rice. Then, cover the pot again and let the rice sit for 5 minutes until it has a fluffier texture, then stir the rice with a fork before serving.
- If you wish, the rice can also be seasoned with other spices and herbs that are more suitable for your taste buds. Also adjust the types of herbs and spices with the dishes that you will make later.
- Whole spices will give the rice a lighter taste, while ground spices can make the rice taste stronger and sharper.
- Add bay leaf for a more “down-to-earth” dish. After all, bay leaves are a great addition to most rice-based dishes.
