Rice, Brown
HERE COMES THE BRIDE!
Did you know … the ancient ritual of throwing rice symbolized prosperity, abundance, and fertility—wishing the intended the blessing of many children?
What’s the Story?
Rice is actually a grass and refers to two different species, Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima, with the first being most predominant. There are thousands of varieties of rice in existence with white being the most commonly consumed. However, white rice doesn’t start off white—it becomes white from processing whole-grain rice. Whole-grain brown rice comes in Basmati, Texmati, short sweet, short, medium and long-grain versions. Whole-grain rice also comes in black, red and purple varieties.
A Serving of Food Lore …
Rice is the most consumed grain in the world and is grown on every continent except for Antarctica. It has been part of the staple diet in Eastern countries for thousands of years. Recordings of rice consumption date back some 5,000 years ago in China. Rice arrived in Egypt in the fourth century B.C. and around that time India was exporting it to Greece and throughout Europe and eventually to the United States. Rice production has been part of U.S. agriculture since the late seventeenth century.
Where Is Brown Rice Grown?
China, India, Indonesia and Bangladesh make up two-thirds of the world’s rice production. The United States ranks eleventh in production but is a major exporter. In the U.S., the top rice producers include Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
Why Should I Eat Brown Rice?
Rice is often the first solid food offered to an infant. It is the least allergenic grain and that is why it is often recommended as a first introductory food. Whole-grain brown rice contains all three layers of the kernel—the bran, germ and endosperm—which provides superior nutrition value over white rice. Brown rice is rich in lignans, phytoestrogens and phenolic compounds that are high in antioxidant activity. Whole-grain brown rice contains important nutrients such as thiamine, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, iron, riboflavin, and five times the fibre of white rice. The germ provides natural vitamin E. The bran of rice contains the phytochemicals that may reduce cholesterol.
Home Remedies
Japanese farmers ate mochi, a chewy cake made from brown rice, on cold winter days to increase their stamina.
Throw Me a Lifesaver!
HEART HEALTH: A small, randomized study examined the effects of adding rice bran oil to the diet. While the control diet did not lower cholesterol, the one containing rice bran oil lowered LDL cholesterol by 7 per cent. In studies of Finnish men, intake of brown rice is inversely related to not just cardiovascular-related death, but to all causes of death.
CANCER: Brown rice contains plant lignins, especially enterolactone, that help establish healthy flora in the human intestines credited with protecting against breast and other hormone-dependent cancers as well as heart disease. According to a Danish study of 857 postmenopausal women, those eating the most whole grains, including brown rice, were found to have significantly higher blood levels of enterolactone.
ALZHEIMER’S: Researchers discovered in animal experiments that eating brown rice reduced learning and memory deficits brought about by beta-amyloid protein, considered to be one of the leading contributors to Alzheimer’s dementia.
Tips on Using Brown Rice
SELECTION AND STORAGE:
• Long-grain rice produces light, dry grains that separate easily.
• Short-grain rice produces almost-round grains that have higher starch content than either the long- or medium-grain varieties, and that stick together when cooked.
• Medium-grain rice has size and texture characteristics between short and long.
• Brown rice has a shelf life of three to six months but can be extended by storing uncooked portions in the refrigerator.
• Refrigerate cooked brown rice for up to one week in a tightly covered container or in the freezer for approximately six months.
PREPARATION AND SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
• It takes approximately forty-five to fifty minutes to cook brown rice. There are instant and parcooked versions that take considerably less time but are equally nutritious.
• Rice cookers with timers are great to use to make perfect rice anytime.
• Use brown rice as a healthful filler in meat loaf, burgers, or other minced meat dishes.
• Use a half-and-half combination of brown rice and white rice. Mixing the two is also a good way to encourage kids to eat brown rice.
• Top a serving of brown rice with steamed vegetables and tofu, lean meat, poultry or fish.
by Dave Grotto
Servings: 6 • Prep and cooking time: 30 minutes
Believe me: this dish is a meal in itself. The red bean paste added at the end really makes this recipe come to life. This recipe has eight powerhouse foods.
INGREDIENTS:
1lb/450g beef, chicken or seitan, cut in strips
1 small yellow squash, julienned
1 large carrot, julienned
½ packet bean sprouts
2 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated in hot water
4oz/110g spring onions, chopped
1 bag spinach
4 fried eggs (optional)
2lb/900g precooked brown rice
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2floz/60ml reduced-sodium soy sauce
2floz/60ml water
4floz/125ml agave syrup
5 cloves minced garlic
Red bean paste to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Combine seitan (or meat), garlic, water, soy sauce, agave syrup and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Julienne squash, carrots and mushrooms. Start water boiling in a pan for spinach and bean sprouts. Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to a large frying pan and heat. Cook carrots, squash, spring onions and mushrooms separately. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of agave syrup to each vegetable. Sauté until tender. Place in separate bowls. Cook meat/seitan with marinade in a large frying pan until well browned and meat starts to caramelize. Place in a separate bowl. Cook spinach for a minute, just enough to wilt. Cook sprouts for two minutes and set aside in bowl. Fry eggs, leaving yolk a little runny.
Divide the cooked brown rice between six serving bowls. Place a layer of spinach on top of the rice. Arrange portions each of mushrooms, carrots, sprouts, squash, onions and meat on top of spinach. Top off with a fried egg. Add desired amount of red bean paste and serve. This dish tastes best when the egg is cut up and all ingredients are well mixed with the bean paste before eating.
BREAK IT DOWN …
Calories: 420; Total fat: 10g; Saturated fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 165mg; Sodium: 409mg; Total carbs: 57g; Fibre: 6g; Sugar: 25g; Protein: 29g.