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Makes about 6 cups cooked rice (medium batch); about 9 cups cooked rice (large batch)

8 to 10 cups water (this doesn’t need to be exact)

1 tablespoon salt

2 or 3 cups uncooked rice (white or brown, long-or short-grain)

1 tablespoon canola, soy, or peanut oil, or melted butter

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put the water and salt in a large saucepan, and bring to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, place the rice in a strainer and rinse it several times under cold running water.

2. Add the rice to the boiling water and let it boil rapidly until the rice is just tender to the bite—in other words, almost done: 10 minutes for white, 30 minutes for brown. Drain the rice in a colander over the sink, and rinse with warm running water.

3. Brush the oil or melted butter over the bottom of a 9-by 13-inch baking pan (the same size pan will work for both size batches, although if you have a slightly larger one for the bigger batch, use it), and spread the rice out in an even layer. Cover the pan tightly with foil, and bake until a taste test tells you the rice is done to your liking: 15 minutes for white rice, 25 minutes for brown.

4. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. (Reheat in a 350°F oven to the desired temperature, if necessary.)

GET CREATIVE

Stir any of these items into the rice just before serving:

Butter or a flavorful roasted nut oil

High-quality olive oil

Minced garlic

Dried fruit

Cooked onion

Minced fresh herbs or scallions

Toasted shredded unsweetened coconut

Toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds

Your favorite dry spice mix

Grated citrus zest

Crumbled feta or goat cheese

Fajita-Style Peppers and Onions (Chapter 7: Sides)

Cooked peas

Sprinkle (or drizzle or dollop) the top with:

Grated cheese (Cheddar or a good Swiss, jack, or Parmesan)

Chopped toasted nuts

Fresh lemon or lime juice

Pomegranate molasses (see Get Cooking)

Two Great Soaking Grains

Talk about easy. Did you know that you can “cook” couscous or bulgur by simply dousing them with boiling water and letting them stand for a little while? Honestly, that’s it. They’re then ready to serve. Great for when you’re short on stove space. Kitchen table grains, both of them, and they’re truly delightful-tasting.

The only trick is to use the minimal amount of water, so they’ll be firm and fluffy, not waterlogged. After they’re softened up, just drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt—or dress them up with a touch or two of color and flavor.

You can make these in advance and reheat them in the microwave, in a covered pot in the oven, or in a skillet (first heating a tablespoon of oil, and then sautéing the grains briefly until they’re hot).

The cool thing about both of these grains is that they come off as exotic, and all you did was boil water. We all love it when that happens. Buy couscous and bulgur in the bulk bins at any natural foods store or in enlightened grocery stores. They are inexpensive.

In case you are unfamiliar with the genre, couscous is actually a tiny wheat pasta, but it’s usually classified as a grain because it looks, feels, and behaves like one. Bulgur is cracked wheat that has been steamed and then dried. So it is a partially cooked product to begin with, which is why a mere soaking is enough to finish the job. Enjoy them both!

couscous

Makes 2 to 3 servings

1½ cups couscous

2¼ cups boiling water

2 teaspoons olive oil or melted butter

¼ teaspoon salt

Place the couscous in a medium-sized bowl, and pour in the water. Cover with a plate and leave alone for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, stir in the olive oil or butter and the salt, and it’s ready to serve.

bulgur

Makes 2 to 3 servings

1½ cups bulgur

2 cups boiling water

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

Place the bulgur in a medium-sized bowl, and pour in the water. Cover with a plate and leave alone for 30 minutes. Fluff with a fork, stir in the olive oil and the salt, and it’s ready to serve.

GET CREATIVE

You can stir any of these things into couscous or