One could write a whole book about rice, how it’s grown and processed, the varieties and their uses. And when it comes to cooking and eating, there are so many ways to eat rice. As one of the top staple foods consumed by millions of people around the world, I decided to look into the subject of rice a little deeper. My exploration into the world of rice led me to something exciting. I wrote and self-published a new book!
(Feature image Citrusy Turmeric Rice – Page 37)
There are so many ways to eat rice. I explore a just few.
‘The Many Ways to Eat Rice’ cookbook features over 40 recipes that explore flavours and spices from Nigeria and beyond. All the recipes feature rice and things that can be enjoyed with rice, and range from simple and quick to intricate, but achievable. It also features a number of recipes that celebrate the Nigerian-Brazillian connection, a topic I discuss in the book. It is available as a Digital Download, on Amazon Kindle, and if you love hardcopies, it’s also available in Paperback. All bases are covered, so go grab yourself a copy. There are so many ways to eat cook and celebrate rice. I explore just a few. My work here is far from over.
There are over 40,000 varieties or rice that are being cultivated around the world
Back to the topic of rice! It is reported that there are over 40,000 varieties or rice that are being cultivated around the world. One shard of a rice plant contains about five grains of rice. Imagine how many plants are required to fill a measuring cup or a bag? Rice is a staple food for over half the world’s population and as of 2019 486.62 million metric tons of rice is consumed annually worldwide. Of course, due to their size, China and India alone account for ∼50% of the rice grown and consumed. Rice is expected to grow by 1.1% annually through 2025. So that means there is plenty more rice to be eaten.
Rice is an easy plant-based ingredient to work with
Having transitioned to eating plant-based, rice is one of my favourites. It was a favourite even before I transitioned. It’s such an easy ingredient to work with and can be prepared in numerous ways, both savoury and sweet, in varying forms from boiling to frying and baking, in its whole grain or refined state. A plate of rice and a quick veggie stir fry and you have a meal ready to go.
As with most foods, rice in its whole grain state is known to be healthiest. Refined white rice is stripped of over 90% of its nutrients. While researching I found that it is actually required by law that white rice is enriched or fortified by special manufacturing processors before it can be approved for sale and consumption. The reason rice is processed and refined is to increase shelf life, as whole grain rice tends to have a shorter shelf life. Refining rice also reduces cooking times. These are good facts to keep in mind when choosing what rice to buy and how to consume it. Best to always load rice with an array of plant-based accompaniments to ensure you are building up a nutrient packed dish.
Nigerian-inspired rice recipes are full of spice and everything nice, give them a try
In the cookbook I explore rice, Nigerian ingredients in used in my plant-based kitchen and share my favourite rice recipes. Some recipes I’ve eaten since childhood and others I learned to cook along the way. They are all plant-based, vegan and gluten free. Most importantly, they are full of flavour. In my world, plant-based dishes have no business being bland or boring. Spice give everything life. Ugba (fermented oil beans) and iru (fermented locust beans) are a few of the Nigerian ingredients featured. You can find some of these ingredients at a local Afro-Carribean store near you and most certainly online.
Smokey baked jollof – Page 29 with Green Beans & Ugba – page 78
Please don’t ask me to pick my favourite rice recipe from the book, or even my favourite variety of rice. I’ve tried and just cannot pick one. However, in case you were wondering, here are a few of the recipes you will find in the cookbook.
Left, But Not Over rice – Page 47
As mentioned before, there are over 40,000 varieties of rice being cultivated globally, so I’m far from done with this topic. I’ll continue to share my discoveries with you here on the PFF. If you do give any of the recipes a try, do tag @plantfoodfederation and use the hashtag #PFFPlate to share your creations. I’m looking forward to seeing all your interpretations of these recipes.