[koukouvagia]

We have plain rice as a side dish at least once a week.  Looking for inspiration to tweak it a bit, make it more exciting.  We're having salmon tonight (soy sauce marinade) and would like a different rice side dish to accompany it.

 

[french fries]

Here's one of my simplest/favorite way to enjoy rice as a side dish. I call it French fried rice, but it's not really fried per se. 

1) Cook white rice, using your favorite method. 

2) In a large pan, heat some oil and cut an onion into the hot oil, into a rather large julienne.

3) Sauté the onion until slightly brown and season with S & P.

4) Add rice and a little more olive oil, mix.

The resulting rice should be glistening with the olive oil. You may need to add more oil than seems necessary. 

Serve with grated cheese like Gruyère or Comté (maybe not for fish though, for fish I would try some capers, a little lemon and fresh herbs instead). 

Or, for fish, steam-fry some brocoli or bok choy with onions and garlic 'til crisp-tender, add cooked white rice, mix and season with soy sauce to taste. 

 

[chefbuba]

Steamed white rice finished with cilantro & fresh lime juice.
Brown rice with black eye peas, celery, onion, carrot, chicken stick, chili flakes.
Coconut rice, replace a portion of the water with a can of coconut milk.
Steamed basmati with dried fruits & nuts.

 

[cheflayne]

Make a succotash with edamame, corn, red bell pepper, butternut squash, onion, garlic, parsley, basil, splash of white wine and rice wine vinegar. Stir it into your finished rice. Serve with a vegie side dish of pan seared sesame baby bok choy.

 

[canele]

omg... rice! You can do SO much with rice. 

Change the rice depending on what you are cooking. Jasmine rice for asian flavors. Basmati rice for more middle eastern flavors.

Saute minced onion and garlic in oil and butter. Add in the rice and stir to coat. Add in your water or broth and cook as you would normally do.

variations:

Add minced celery or carrots...or both and saute with the onions

Add minced ginger and lemongrass or both and saute with the onions.

Add a pinch of saffron or turmic

Add a dash of soy sauce and sesame oil

If you can find them... curry leaves or ****** lime leaves are wonderful.

 

[chefbuba]

Good old pilaf. Break up some angel hair into 1" pieces brown in butter, add rice, celery, onion, mushroom, thyme, chicken stock.

 

[cheflayne]

Coconut rice, replace a portion of the water with a can of coconut milk.

Good call. Top it with some serunding kelapa. Oh yeah!!!

 

[teamfat]

A favorite of mine is a sauce of butter and soy sauce stirred in, then topped with furikake, Japanese rice seasoning. It is available in different flavors. Also diced tomato and fresh basil, sprinkled with parm.

mjb.

 

[koukouvagia]

Here's one of my simplest/favorite way to enjoy rice as a side dish. I call it French fried rice, but it's not really fried per se.

1) Cook white rice, using your favorite method.
2) In a large pan, heat some oil and cut an onion into the hot oil, into a rather large julienne.
3) Sauté the onion until slightly brown and season with S & P.
4) Add rice and a little more olive oil, mix.

The resulting rice should be glistening with the olive oil. You may need to add more oil than seems necessary.

Serve with grated cheese like Gruyère or Comté (maybe not for fish though, for fish I would try some capers, a little lemon and fresh herbs instead).

Or, for fish, steam-fry some brocoli or bok choy with onions and garlic 'til crisp-tender, add cooked white rice, mix and season with soy sauce to taste.

Cut an onion into the oil? This is something my mom would tell me to do,are you in France by chance?

Well I was running so late for dinner I didn't even have time to marinate the fish or anything. So I just seasoned it with dried oregano and olive oil and roasted it. Tossed broccoli florets with olive oil, garlic, lemon and pepper flakes and roasted that too. Boiled up some basmati rice. 10 minutes of prep was all I had time for but next time im trying French Fries idea thanks!

Nice suggestions everyone!

 

[french fries]

Haha I'm not in France now, but I learned that recipe in France, watching my in-laws cook. They cut everything right into the pot, never use a cutting board. 

 

[koukouvagia]

My mother and grandmother do the same. The only knives they own are steak knives which they use to cut everything into pots and bowls. Every year I have to bring things with me and so I've amassed a little kitchen set there that includes a cutting board, chefs knives and micro planes. They promptly put these things away when I leave. What should I take with me this year?

 

[phatch]

Pilafs, cold salads, a stuffing. maybe do a five spice biryani kind of thing to go with the soy in the salmon seasoning. 

 

[phatch]

Haha I'm not in France now, but I learned that recipe in France, watching my in-laws cook. They cut everything right into the pot, never use a cutting board.

Pepin does this a lot. I watched some Sudanese women cooking at a cultural food fair and that's how they cut stuff up too. Also directly into the palm holding the food item. Makes sense as they probably didn't have much cooking gear or prep area for quite a while as refugees.

 

[chefwriter]

Has no one mentioned wild rice yet?  You can always cook a bit of white and wild and mix them. Of course adding other veggies and seasonings. I love wild rice with fresh salmon. 

 

[maryb]

Baked wild rice is always good, add mushrooms, onion, garlic, use good stock to make it...