Rice, a staple and favorite in most Oriental countries is a food that has been around for centuries on end and it is from these countries that it found its way by means of the extensive travel by missionaries and traders to other parts of the world to become the staple for a large majority of the world’s population. Rice cultivation favors regions with lots of rainfall and humid temperatures and it is mainly grown as a plantation crop in paddies. Different regions have their particular preferences as to how they like their rice prepared.
For the Chinese for example a simple bowl of boiled rice would suffice in as long as it is accompanied by sushi with tartar sauce. For our cousins from the Indian subcontinent a rice dish is not complete if it’s not pilau- a rice dish prepared with several spices together with meat and whose final appearance is golden-brown. It can be eaten as is or with a vegetable salad. For others, plain white rice just boiled in plain old water and served with beef or vegetable stew is a delicacy. On the East African coast, a meal of rice isn’t whole unless boiled in coconut oil and served along with legumes such as beans, green grams, and cow peas also boiled / fried in coconut oil.
Rice boiling in a pan
Below is the procedure for preparing white rice boiled in coconut oil the main ingredients for which are two tumblers of sorted plain white rice, a pinch of salt, one coconut and two tumblers of water as well as two more of previously warmed water.
Procedure
1.Place the water in a cooking pot and put on stove to boil.
2.Break and grate the coconut.
3.Run the grated coconut through the warm water and save the water that you run the coconut through. This water will be white.
4.As the water in the pot nears boiling temperature add two tumblers of the coconut water in order to have four parts of water in the pot. Add the salt to taste.
5.Rinse the rice until the water is clear and add the cleaned rice to the boiling water and stir for half a minute.
6.Let the mixture cook for 7 to 12 minutes or until water is completely dried; as the water reduces you may reduce the heat on the stove as well ensuring that the rice does not burn.
7.Once the water dries up the rice is cooked and ready to serve.