Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ya-ta Boy]

I live in the Rich Town Apt Complex (no doubt the name is intended to give a complex to the people who can't afford to live here) about a mile outside town. Three Saturdays ago, the day after I moved in, a travelling market pitched its tents outside my window, selling doo-dads like spatulas, food trap replacements for the kitchen drain, kids clothes (2 tents), fish, fried chicken, reconstituted fish paste stuff on a stick, assorted vegetables and grains.

I went on a tour and ended up buying some paprika peppers for a lot less than at the grocery store in town. Then I saw the grains lady. She looked lonely. I wandered over and looked at all these different and unidentified grains. I saw something that looked like it might be brown rice. I've never closely inspected brown rice before. As far as I know, I haven't ever eaten any. I have always considered brown rice-eaters to be a little suspicious as people. They usually wear sweatbands somewhere on their body and have a religious cult propaganda tract in their back pocket ready to hand out to anyone who makes eye contact.

Well, as I said, I felt sorry for the woman. So I bought a W7,000 bag of what I think is brown rice. I brought it home and dumped in a nice glass jar with a clove of garlic in it to keep out the bugs and such, and now the brown rice just sits there staring at me.

I know I could google up some recipes, but then I wouldn't have had the opportunity to gratuitously insult the people I'm asking for advice.

What can I do with this stuff? How do I cook it? I'd like some kitchen-tested ideas here.

[peony]

if you cook rice for yourself regularly, you can mix half brown and half white, soak for an hour or so then cook as you normally do, it makes the rice nuttier and if it isnt sweet brown rice then your rice will be drier as well

you can also cook the brown rice and make fried rice out of it

i mean, just use it like you would normally use regular white rice, it has more fiber and is better for you anyway

[ttompatz]

[djsmnc]

Yeah, my girlfriend has always cooked rice for me as a mix of brown, white, assorted beans, and other grains. She said that's how her family and many other Koreans eat rice at home. Regardless of that, it sure beats eating plain white rice with everything.

[Rteacher]

It usually takes about twice as long to cook (around 40 minutes...) The usual method for making plain rice is to steam it. Two cups of water per one cup rice. Add one teaspoon salt per cup of rice to water along with a little butter; bring the water to full boil first before adding rice - which should be thoroughly rinsed (or "decanted" three times - submerged in water and swished around and drained...) Stir the rice constantly for about a minute until it comes to a boil again, cover and adjust the heat to the lowest setting (tricky with gas stove...) It helps to have a heavy, good pot for cooking rice.

Brown rice also cooks very nice with brown lentils or mung beans (split or whole...) You can cook egual parts rice and beans or use more-or-less rice. Just add water in about the same proportion for the extra beans, and you can let it cook uncovered at a low boil, adding more water if needed. Sometimes I add a chopped potato and/or carrot or some other vegetables about half-way through the cooking...

I personally also add some Indian spices like tumeric and coriander powder and make a "chaunce" with cumin seeds, dried chilis and sliced ginger root fried in hot ghee and then toss it in with a BAM!! (Excellent with plain yogurt and puri's or chapati...)

[Ya-ta Boy]

Since it's been a cool day today and drizzly all afternoon, I decided to make Chicken Rice Soup with the brown rice. I am not sure that was a wise choice.

It's about half done and the broth is very dark brown and the chicken is a funny color of brown on the outside. Not particularly appetizing.

Is this normal?

[Hater Depot]

Garlic keeps bugs away? Awesome.

[ChopChaeJoe]

I like brown rice, but brown rice in chicken soup doesn't sound very good at all. What would possess you to do that?


How did it taste?

[Atassi]

I'll mention it since no one else did....Do you have a rice cooker? Probably the easiest way to do it. Just use two parts water to every one part rice. Rteacher's Indian style cooking sounds good also.

[Ya-ta Boy]

[mumblebee]

A really great way to cook up brown rice:

Put a few tablespoons of olive oil into a heavy pot. Get the heat up pretty high, and dump in the brown rice. Keep stirring it and turning it over. Add a few teasons of cumin, and maybe a pinch of other herbs like oregano, basil etc. Add some salt. A bit of fresh garlic is nice too. You have to keep stirring it, or it will burn. You will hear the rice crackling a bit. When the rice loses it's transparency, and begins to look more opaque, then pour in enough boiling (or very hot) water to cover the rice. Put on the lid and reduce heat. Cook 15-20 mins. When it's done you can eat it hot, or dress it with a bit of vinegar and chopped apples for a salad.

[pocketfluff]

The secret to cooking brown rice: let it sprout.

Really.

Leave it in just enough water to cover all of it (or dampen it and leave a wet cloth over it) and let it sit overnight. As long as you can see a tiniest sprout on the end of most grains, you're good to go. Cook it as you would normally do.

The result is a softer, stickier rice that doesn't taste as nutty.

[red dog]