Rice

Florina peppers are named for a city in western Macedonia (Greece), a part of the Greek countryside in which peppers are an all-important agricultural crop. They have a thick, red, sweet, firm flesh and are perfect for stuffing. I was first served them at the table of Mrs. Fany Boutari, the gracious matriarch of Greece’s premier winemaking family. While Florina peppers are not easily found in the United States, you can buy them roasted and bottled, or you may be lucky enough to find some red Anaheim chiles that will work. In a pinch, you can use good old green Anaheims or the bigger poblanos, as I do. They won’t be quite as sweet, but they will be good.

Although this unusual risotto could be served with Parmesan cheese shaved over the top as a savory side dish, it’s at its best as a dessert. Serve it warm and topped off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some sweetened whipped cream. Gobble it all up before the ice cream has a chance to melt.

Over many centuries, every country in the world has developed ways to obtain much-needed protein by combining the simplest of ingredients. In Italy, the combination of lentils and rice has found just as happy a home as it has in India. The trimmings may be a little different, but this simple dish can make a meal in itself when served with a salad, or as an accompaniment to grilled vegetables or stuffed artichokes.

Another delicious Indian soup, similar to the Spicy Indian Lentil and Tomato Soup (page 26), but with rice and a very different blend of spices.

Practically every country in the world has a recipe for stuffing peppers: Spain, Greece, Italy, Hungary, and Mexico, to name a few. India is no exception. The following recipe offers a variety of colors, textures, and flavors, with the stuffing being relatively mild and the raita-like sauce offering much of the dish’s flavor and texture. For a really stunning presentation, garnish with a sprinkling of fresh pomegranate seeds, Mogul style.

Most Americans would consider eating oatmeal for breakfast, but for the vast majority of Asians, rice is the breakfast food of choice. Here is a distinctively Indian variation on the Asian breakfast theme that can be cooked while you sleep and be ready for breakfast when you wake up.

I definitely have obsessive-compulsive baking disorder. I’d hoped to recreate the classic gâteau de riz, a French cake made by baking rice pudding in a mold. I tried fourteen times. The first time I made it, it was perfect: custardy and topped with a deep-golden crust, the top and sides bathed with a slick of glossy, thick caramel. When I attempted to reproduce it, it came out completely different with each try. Flummoxed, I sent my recipe to a friend in California. She made it two or three times and each time she also had completely different results. After a transcontinental tossing up of our hands, in her last anxiety-ridden response she told me, “but right out of the pot, it was the best rice pudding I’ve ever had.” And when I made it again, for the fifteenth time, I realized she was right.

Despite the seemingly Indian name and ingredients, Chicken Tikka Masala is a decidedly British dish. While cooking spiced chicken in a traditional Indian tandoor oven is certainly nothing new, the British made it more to their liking by serving it in a rich, creamy tomato gravy, perfect to mop up with pieces of naan or pita bread. Its popularity soared, eventually leading Britain’s former foreign secretary Robin Cook to declare, “Chicken Tikka Masala is now Britain’s true national dish, not only because it is the most popular, but because it is a perfect illustration of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external influences.” Well then, they shouldn’t mind if I throw in a bit of Sriracha. . . .

Loosely translated as “Devilish Shrimp,” this dish packs a good punch. My friend Rene’s mom cooked this for me several years ago. I soon became hooked and started re-creating my own version at home, incorporating Sriracha. The dried chiles don’t have a substitute perse, and should be sought out, as they contribute the unique smoky/fruity/spicy combo that makes this plate divine. They are available online or at any Latino market.

Miso is a fermented soybean paste, and is, well, the namesake ingredient behind miso soup. It is available in most natural foods stores and certainly in Asian supermarkets. Look for it in the refrigerated section near the tofu. Serve alongside steamed rice and vegetables for a spicy, sensible meal.

Fried rice was a breakfast staple at my friend Phi Nguyen’s house, one that I gladly devoured every chance I had. His mom is an amazing cook, and it was in her kitchen that I first discovered the joy of Sriracha. Though cleverly disguised as nothing more than a simple serving of fried rice with a few red dots flecking the surface, this dish is a feat of culinary mastery that opened my eyes to a bold new world of flavor.

Horchatas, also called aguas de horchata, are a popular type of drink in Mexico most commonly made with rice, but they can also be based on many other ingredients, from almonds to barley or oats to coconut—which are also delicious. My favorite has always been the kind made with rice. Not only are horchatas based on different ingredients, some are made with water, while others use whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, or evaporated milk, or even a combination of milks, in addition to the water or in place of it. I’ve had many versions, and I like those with some milk because they have a thicker and creamier mouthfeel, so that’s what this recipe calls for. But feel free to make it with water only, adjusting the consistency to suit your taste.

This recipe was first published in the New York Times as part of an article on different kinds of shaved ice. The paper’s Diner’s Journal blog asked readers to suggest different flavors, and I had to pick one and come up with a recipe. I chose horchata, a milky beverage often made with rice, because I thought it would go perfectly with the luscious, juicy strawberries that filled the market stands at that time. It’s worth seeking out Mexican cinnamon, as its flavor makes all the difference in this raspado. If you want a stickier, sweeter syrup, add another can of sweetened condensed milk.

This is a simple, yet totally memorable, way to serve rice pudding as a special dessert. The coconut cream and tropical fruits make a perfect ending to a Latin- or Island-themed menu. You can find sweet brown rice at natural food stores.

This tea bread gets its nutty flavor and texture from wild rice. The nuts and cranberries inside make an appealing visual presentation. Spread a little nonfat Greek-style yogurt on top, instead of cream cheese, for a delicious low-fat breakfast.

Rice pudding is a soothing must-have for many people. The challenge here was figuring out how to create a delicious, healthier version that still had all of that creamy goodness without too much dairy. After a lot of tinkering together with my dessert maven, Wendy, we found that combining coconut milk—which has great nutritional qualities—and regular milk gave us the taste and consistency we were looking for, with a kick of flavor coming from the cardamom and orange. If you want to go completely dairy free, see the variation below.

This recipe is like one of those beautiful American heritage quilts where every colorful swatch—or in this case ingredient—has a wonderful backstory. Forbidden rice, also called emperor’s rice, got its name not because of any aristocratic connections, but rather because its deep purple hue is reminiscent of a royal cloak. As with many grains and vegetables, the rich color of forbidden rice signifies a high level of antioxidants and phytochemicals. Star anise also has anticancer properties, along with a delightful name and a light licorice flavor that’s immensely appealing. This recipe calls for soaking the rice overnight, so plan ahead.

Green tea and rice, baked? At first glance, that may seem more like a ceramic project you’d put into a kiln and pray it comes out right. But look a little closer, and you’ll see the insight of my brilliant colleague Catherine McConkie. We fiddled with this dish forever, and then Catherine suggested we bake it. That might seem strange, but baking rice is common in restaurants where large batches are made, and it guarantees perfect texture. It’s a slightly longer process, but the baking completely neutralizes the green tea’s sometimes astringent flavor, while allowing all of its wonderful nutrients to permeate the rice.

These chickpea burgers are similar to a Middle Eastern falafel. But the Americanized version of falafel usually resembles carnival food: they’re often deep-fried in some unhealthy oil. It makes me want to cry, because falafel done right is so delicious and nutritious. It’s all in the blend. Here the secret ingredient is basmati rice, which holds the chickpea mixture together and creates a complete protein. I love the mini-burger concept; the whole wheat bun is like putting falafel in a top hat and tails, and it’s perfect for folks who like the taste of beans when they’re broken down and combined with heady herbs and spices. Gently pan-seared or baked, these burgers are bountiful bites of health, especially topped with a dollop of Tomato Mint Chutney (page 176).

This has always been my personal comfort dish, a meal I made from leftovers after roasting a chicken on the weekend. One day a friend was in the kitchen when I was making it, and she started asking innocuous questions: “Say, how much of the shallot are you using?” “Was that a half cup of olives?” I was so busy cooking that I didn’t really pay attention to what she was doing with the answers. She figured out the recipe and started making it for friends, who loved it and wanted the recipe too. I guess I wasn’t meant to hold onto this one. That’s okay. It’s really, really good, and I hope you get as much pleasure out of it as I do.