Brown rice

Better Nutrition (1989-90), Oct, 1989

Power Foods Brown Rice

A staple food for more than half the earth's population, rice is one of the most ancient grains. Although no one is certain where and when it originated, historians speculate that it grew wild in southeast Asia thousands of years ago. Archaeologists have found evidence that rice was first cultivated and gathered for food around 5,000 B.C. in Thailand.

Today hundreds of varieties of rice are grown throughout the world. Short-grain or sweet rice often is used in desserts and to make mochi, a Japanese dish made from cooked sweet rice pounded into a heavy paste for baking. Medium-grain rice is soft and moist. Long-grain rice is light and fluffy. Basmati rice is a special variety of long grain rice, with a distinct aroma and flavor, imported from India or Pakistan. Trimati rice is a cross between domestic long grain and basmati rice.

Unlike wheat, which is largely eaten in its unrefined state, except in industrialized nations, the bulk of the rice consumed in the world is "polished." Whole-grain rice has the coarse husk removed by pounding with a wooden pestle. Further pounding creates "polished" rice, which is rice without the outer layer of bran.

In industrialized nations such as the United States, whole-grain brown rice is the favorite. And for good reason. Since polishing removes a large proportion of minerals and vitamins, B vitamins in particular, whole-grain rice is more nutritious. Only about 20 percent of the thiamine (B1), 60 percent of the riboflavin (B2), one-third of the niacin (B3) and less than one-half of the pyridoxine (B6) remains in polished rice.

When purchasing whole grains, avoid green grains. "A large percentage of green grains in the rice indicates that it is not yet mature, while rice that is broken or chipped has not been properly milled," wrote Wendy Esko, author of Macrobiotic Cooking. "Rice in this condition begins to oxidize from exposure to the air, resulting in the disruption of its natural balance of carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. Rice that has been grown and milled properly is vibrant with a life force that will remain intact for thousands of years and even if then planted will sprout and grow."

Cooking rice properly is an art, according to Irma Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker, authors of Joy of Cooking. "`May your rice never burn,' is the New Year's greeting of the Chinese. `May it never be gummy' is ours. So many people complain about the variability of their results in rice cookery. Not only is there moisture variability in rice, but the type must also be reckoned with."

Rice should be rinsed in tepid water quickly until the water runs clear. In Japan, rice was traditionally cooked in a heavy cast-iron pot similar to a pressure cooker with a loose fitting lid, which allowed steam to slowly escape around the edges. Wendy Esko, co-author of Macrobiotic Cooking for Everyone, recommends pressure cooking to prepare brown rice. "Pressure-cooked rice is easier to digest, sweeter, more nutritious, more thoroughly cooked and is usually not watery."

Before cooking, many health experts suggest soaking the grain for several hours or overnight in the pressure cooker with the appropriate amount of water. "Never wash the rice and allow it to sit in a colander before placing it in the pressure cooker," warned Esko, "since if it is allowed to sit for too long after it is washed, it will absorb the water and begin to expand. This will usually cause the rice to be very wet."

There are numerous methods of pressure-cooking rice. One calls for starting with a low flame and allowing the pressure to rise gradually. According to macrobiotic philosophy, this method produces a sweeter flavor, since the grains are allowed to adapt slowly to the high temperature. A second method is to begin cooking with a low flame and gradually increase the temperature to high over a span of several minutes. A third method is to begin with a high flame, wait until the pressure has risen, then reduce the flame to low and allow the grain to finish cooking. Each method produces subtle differences in quality and taste. You may want to experiment to see which one you prefer.

Pressure-cooked Brown Rice

1 cup brown rice

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups cold water per

cup rice

Pinch of sea salt

Quickly wash rice. Place in cooker. Smooth out the surface of the rice so it is evenly distributed in the pressure-cooker. Slowly pour water down the side of the pressure-cooker so that the surface remains undisturbed and even. Add sea salt. Place cover on cooker and turn flame to the desired temperature. The amount of time it takes for the pressure to build will depend on the temperature of the flame. As soon as the pressure gauge begins to hiss loudly or jiggle, remove pot from the flame and place a flame-deflector on the burner. Place pressure-cooker on flame deflector. Reduce flame to low and cook for 45-50 minutes. When the rice is finished, remove from flame and allow pressure to come down. Remove cover.

Rice Cream Pudding

1/2   cup uncooked brown rice
1     cup water
1     tsp vegetable oil