ORANGE RICE
1 c. rice, uncooked
1 c. water
1 c. orange juice
1 tsp. reduced calorie margarine
Dash of salt
1 tbsp. orange rind, freshly grated
1/2 c. fresh orange sections, seeded
In a 2-quart microwave safe casserole, combine the rice, water, orange juice, margarine and salt. Cover, microwave on High for 5 minutes. Stir in the orange rind. Turn the bowl 1/4 turn. Microwave on High for an additional 10 minutes, turning the bowl after 5 minutes. Do not uncover the bowl. Allow to set, covered for an additional 10 minutes or until all of the liquids have been absorbed. Immediately before serving, fluff with a fork, add orange sections and mix gently. Serve with pride. Makes about 6 (100 calories) servings.
SOPA SECA (Mexican Rice)
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cup uncooked, converted rice
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 - 13 oz. can chicken broth
dash of red pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
Heat oil in a dutch oven over moderate heat. Add garlic, onion
and tomato. Cover and cook 3 minutes, or until onion is soft.
Add rice and cook for 2 minutes, stiffing, until rice is shiny
and hot. Stir in green pepper, chicken broth, red pepper,
oregano and salt. Bring to a boil. cover and bake for 20 minutes
at 400 degrees.
SPANISH RICE
1 cup uncooked rice
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
2 tbsp. cooking oil
2 cups chopped canned tomatoes
1 cup water
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard
1 beef bouillon cube
Saute rice, onion and green pepper in oil until vegetables are
tender. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat
and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is
tender. Serves 6 - 8.
Turkish pilaf(s) and pastas
Mantı with yoghurt and garlic, spiced with red pepper powder and melted butter.
It is a common belief that the taste of pilav comes from the butter and stock used for cooking it. However, nowadays most people prefer olive oil to butter.
* Sade pilav/pilaf: ordinary rice, which can accompany almost all dishes.
* Etli pilav: rice containing meat pieces.
* Nohutlu pilav: rice cooked with chickpeas
* İç pilav: rice with liver slices, currants, peanuts, chestnut, cinnamon and a variety of herbs
* Patlıcanlı pilav: rice with eggplant.
* Özbek pilavı: rice with lamb, onion, tomato, carrot.
* Acem pilavı: rice with lamb, cooked in meat broth with pistachios, cinnamon etc.[5]
* Bulgur : a cereal food generally made of durum wheat. Most of the time, tomato, green pepper and minced meat are mixed with bulgur. The Turkish name (bulgur pilavı) indicates that this is a kind of rice but it is, in fact, wheat.
* Perde pilavı: rice with chicken, onion and peanuts enveloped in a thin layer of dough, topped with almonds.
* Mantı: Turkish pasta that consists of folded triangles of dough filled with minced meat. It is always served with yoghurt and a range of spices such as oregano, dried mint, sumac and red pepper powder with warmed up olive oil or butter. The combination of meat-filled dough with yoghurt differentiates it from tortellini, ravioli or Chinese wonton. Mantı is usually eaten as a main dish.
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Rice
It is believed that rice (berenj in Persian) was brought to Iran from southeast Asia or the Indian subcontinent in ancient times. Varieties of rice in Iran include champa, rasmi, anbarbu, mowlai, sadri, khanjari, shekari, doodi, and others. Basmati rice from India is very similar to these Persian varieties and is also readily available in Iran. Traditionally, rice was most prevalent as a major staple item in northern Iran, while in the rest of the country bread was the dominant staple.
Methods of cooking rice
There are four primary methods of cooking rice in Iran:
* Chelloh: rice that is carefully prepared through soaking and parboiling, at which point the water is drained and the rice is steamed. This method results in an exceptionally fluffy rice with the grains separated, and not sticky, and also results in a golden rice crust at the bottom of the pot called tah-deeg (literally “bottom of the pot”) or gahz-makh in Azeri. Bread or potatoes can be fried at the bottom of the pot for a more substantial tah-deeg.
* Pollo: rice that is cooked in the same way as chelloh, with the exception that after draining the rice, other ingredients are added in layers or sections of the rice, and then steamed together.
* Chata: rice that is cooked until the water is absorbed. This is also the traditional dish of Gilan (described in detail below).
* Damy: cooked almost the same as kateh, except that the heat is reduced just before boiling and a towel is placed between the lid and the pot to prevent steam from escaping. Damy literally means “simmered.”
