Jasmine Rice

Jasmine rice is a perfumed grain rice that is grown in Thailand. It is somewhat similar to Basmati rice served in India. It has a similar fragrance to popcorn and tastes like nuts. This rice is used for stir-fry, salads, pilaf, as stuffing, and desserts as well. To know how to cook the rice, all you have to do is rinse it a few times in cold water before using it for cooking. This technique will rid the extra starch present in the rice. And when you cook the rice, it becomes a bit clingy. In Asian cooking, this rice is very popular and important. There are two different varieties available in this rice: brown and white.

Many people get confused between the variations and think that jasmine and white rice are different. The latter is another variety; although, it does have a distinct flavor than the brown jasmine rice. When added with different ingredients, white rice doesn't overpower the flavors. Whereas brown version of this rice becomes the dominant flavor in certain dishes.

Delicious Recipes to Make

The secret behind cooking the rice and bringing out all the wonderful flavors is, that it needs good amount of water while cooking. However, water should be absorbed by the rice and there shouldn't be any leftover water floating in the pan/pot. This will only make the rice soggy. So, to avoid such a blunder, take a look at some delicious rice recipes.

Rice with Grilled Scallions

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
• 2 bunched scallions
• 2 red jalapeños, seeded and diced
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• Salt and black pepper, for taste

Procedure

Take a large pan and pour peanut oil in it. Add the rinsed rice and toast it till you get a nutty fragrance. This will take about a minute. Now pour the chicken stock and boil the rice. Turn the heat to low, place a cover on top, and simmer the rice. This will take about 18 minutes or so, till the rice has absorbed all the stock. Turn the heat off and let the rice sit for about 10 minutes before you take the cover off. In a large bowl, add the scallions, olive oil, salt and black pepper in. Toss lightly and place the whole scallions over a grill. Char the scallions for about a minute on each side and then chop them roughly. Open the rice to fold in the scallions, bean sprouts, cilantro, and jalapeños. Serve hot.

Rice Salad with Snap Peas

Ingredients

• 5 cups water
• 2 cups jasmine rice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
• 1 large carrot, julienned
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ lb snow peas, blanched and shocked
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ cup parsley, chopped
• Salt and black pepper, for taste

Procedure

Take a large pan and heat olive oil in it. Once you see little smoke coming from the pan, add onions in it and cook till they become soft. Now mix in the garlic, cumin, nutmeg, coriander, and minced ginger in it. Cook for about a minute and add the rice to the pan. Fold the rice properly, so that the oil and spices get evenly coated. Pour water, salt, and black pepper in the pan and boil for couple of minutes. Reduce the heat to low, place a cover on top, and cook the rice for about 15-18 minutes. Once the rice is cooked, take the pan off the heat and fluff the rice with a fork. Add the peas, carrots, and parsley in and fold properly. Serve the rice hot.

Stuffed Peppers with Rice

Ingredients

• 4 green peppers, seeded, cut in half
• 2½ cups brown jasmine rice
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• ¾ cup ketchup or pizza sauce
• Salt and black pepper, for taste

Procedure

Preheat the oven at 350ºF. In a baking pan, arrange the seeded green peppers on it. Cook the rice in water (as mentioned above) for about 18 minutes or till the water is absorbed completely. Take a large bowl to mix in ground beef, onion, and cooked rice. In another bowl, mix in the ketchup or pizza sauce, mustard, vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Take half the sauce and mix in the first bowl with the beef. With a spoon, fill the green peppers evenly. Spread the rest of the ketchup sauce over the green peppers. Place the baking pan into the oven and bake for about 1½ hours. You can also drizzle some cheese on top of the green peppers, if you like. Serve the rice hot.

The rice calories are not even an issue, as 1 cup of cooked rice comes to 205 calories. With healthy amounts of proteins, fibers, iron, and carbohydrates present in the rice, you can not go wrong when you add the rice to your daily diet.