Ancient Grains for Modern Meals - Maria Speck [20]
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS PARBOILED LONG-GRAIN BROWN RICE OR ABOUT 2½ CUPS PARBOILED SHORT-GRAIN BROWN RICE
1 cup long-grain or short-grain brown rice
1 cup water
Place the brown rice and the water in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir once, and then decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes. There should be no liquid left.
If you are not using the rice within 1 to 2 hours, allow to cool and then chill, covered, up to 5 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, or—if the rice is in a microwave-safe container—you can defrost it in the microwave straight from the freezer.
In case you want to use the parboiled brown rice in your own recipes, here is what you need to do to finish cooking it: Place ¾ cup stock or water, salt to taste, and the parboiled rice in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until no liquid is left and the rice is tender with a slight chewiness, about 15 minutes. (As for all rice, do not stir during this time, or it will become mushy.) Remove from the heat, cover, and allow to steam for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
You will have about 3½ cups fully cooked long-grain brown rice and about 3 cups fully cooked short-grain brown rice, enough to serve 4.
SWEET BROWN RICE
Baking Basics for Whole Grain Flours
Here you will find a few suggestions to help you succeed if you are new to baking with whole grain flours. While their character is indeed quite different from all-purpose flour, they are not at all difficult to use. As with all cooking, you just have to master the basics, after which everything else is fun.
Cookies, cakes, muffins, scones, and breads baked with whole grain flours have a pleasing texture—sometimes just a slight toothiness, and sometimes a delicious chew. But they need not be dry or overly chewy. If you have to steel yourself to eat a whole grain treat, it is often because the baker has not adjusted for the unique properties of whole grain flours. These are easy to learn. Most important, whole grain flours generally need more liquid compared to refined white flour, and often they also benefit from a resting period. The extra liquid and the additional time allow the bran to soften which makes for more appealing results.
I have found that a short resting period of 15 to 20, sometimes 30 minutes does not add to my time spent in the kitchen. I usually clean up in the meantime and preheat the oven. Many whole grain baked goods made with yeast or baking powder can also go into the fridge overnight without problems. I do this often to take the stress out of the mornings when I long for freshly baked goods.
PURCHASING AND STORING WHOLE GRAIN FLOUR
Buy whole grain flours from reputed companies and suppliers. When shopping from bulk bins, go to stores that quickly turn over their stock. You will find out if they do by always smelling or tasting flour before you use it.
As with whole grains, I store whole grain flours in a cool, dark pantry, not in the refrigerator. I keep the different flours in tall Mason jars, which can be closed tightly. While it is correct that whole grain flours go rancid faster than all-purpose flour (this is one reason they vanished from our diet in the first place), they don’t go bad in an instant. Fresh whole grain flours typically last months if stored properly in sealed containers in a cool dark place. In any case, I always smell or taste flour if I haven’t used it in a while. It should not taste bitter or have a musty or otherwise “off” smell; if it does, discard it.
If you love baking bread and bake a lot, consider buying a grain mill, which will allow you to grind fresh flour on the spot when you need it (see also the essay