*crispy waffle*

Clockwise, from top left: Canarian mojo, Chickpeas stew, Homemade naan, Chicken katsu

I started a Facebook group called Rice With Everything. (In hypnotic voice, "You must join....") Basically, I realized, when I was watching Kyle eat spaghetti sauce with rice the other day, that yes, I have managed to have an impact on him. Good or bad is up to you.

In conjunction with the group creation, I've rounded up my "must-eat-with-rice" recipes. Peruse, and make sure to eat it all with rice.

Recipes that are great with rice

Rice pudding (rice for dessert-- how can you go wrong?)
Chicken katsu
Stir-fried snow peas
Risotto with dried porcini mushrooms (okay, not with rice, but is rice itself)
Quiche with bacon and cheese (yes, I do eat this with rice. Crazy, I know.)
Homemade naan
Butter chicken curry
Chickpeas stew
Canarian mojo (put this sauce on anything you want spicy. Although not traditional, it is off the hook with rice dishes.)
Baked salmon with kecap manis
Beef with coconut milk (ginitang)

On a related note, in all seriousness, there is a dark side. I read this article about the rising cost of rice and a worldwide shortage. If you've ever been to the Philippines, you'll understand why this situation is so dire: it is basically the only food that much of the population was able to afford. I felt the rice increase halfway across the globe-- the 20 lb bag at the Chinese grocery was nearly one-third more expensive. If I'm feeling the impact of rice prices, how much more devastating is it in the developing world? (One way to have a small impact? Play FreeRice.com.)

Even in the U.S., many people are hoarding rice because of the shortages. This may be hysteria (for now, at least), but I'll tell you what this most has to do with: rice type. For westernized Asians, this most impacts the sort of rice you buy. I gotta admit, when I have to buy anything other than jasmine rice (or even particular brands of jasmine rice) I can seriously tell the difference. I'm not exaggerating when I say I may have a freak out if the specific rice bag I normally buy is unavailable, or if the price is jacked. I'm hoping this hysteria in SF is just that: hysteria.

Links
Facebook: Rice with Everything
FreeRice.com
NY Times: A Drought in Australia, a Global Shortage of Rice
NY Times: A Run on Rice in Asian Communities

Labels: recipes, the savory and salty, the sweet

posted by sheryl | 8:58 PM |