If you live in Japan and don't like rice, you are out of luck. Rice is literally eaten every day, at every meal. Japanese people take their rice very seriously, and take great pride in growing their own rice. When I was in Japan, I was able to try some homegrown rice and IT WAS AMAZING. It tasted so fresh and delicious. If all rice tasted like that, I would literally become a grain of rice from eating it so often.
Now, for a little history and some facts. (Trust me, it's just a wee bit)
4. Rice plays a big role in the culture and cuisine of Japan. Some dishes made with rice are...
- Rice first originated in China thousands of years ago
- It is grown by....
- Laying down a hard clay base
- Getting the water level perfect and planting the rice
- A wet rice farmer spending 3000 hours of tending to the rice per year. That's three times the amount of school I have per year...Yikes!
4. Rice plays a big role in the culture and cuisine of Japan. Some dishes made with rice are...
- Ochazuke, rice with green tea or broth
- Donburi, meat or tempura with sauce served over rice
- Onigiri, rice balls and Yaki Onigiri, grilled rice balls
- Mochi, pounded sticky rice cakes
- Sushi, Do I really need to tell you what this is?!
- Sake, alcohol made from fermented rice (no, I haven't tried sake!)
Recipe for rice, it's REALLY simple:
First things first, rinse your rice. Put as much rice as you are making in a colander and place in the sink. Rinse your rice until the water is clear and then dump into your pot or rice cooker. I highly recommend getting a rice cooker because literally all you have to do is put in your in your rice and water, plug in the cooker, and it lights up when it's finished. If you don't have a rice cooker, get out a large pot and dump in your rice along with your water. (Ratios below.) Bring the water to a boil and then turn down the heat to a simmer, cover and wait approximately 13 minutes. Check every once in a while, since the times change depending on your rice.
RATIOS:
Add 1/3 more water than rice. for example if you are cooking 3 cups of rice, add 4 cups of water. However if you want stickier rice, add a little less water then said above.
First things first, rinse your rice. Put as much rice as you are making in a colander and place in the sink. Rinse your rice until the water is clear and then dump into your pot or rice cooker. I highly recommend getting a rice cooker because literally all you have to do is put in your in your rice and water, plug in the cooker, and it lights up when it's finished. If you don't have a rice cooker, get out a large pot and dump in your rice along with your water. (Ratios below.) Bring the water to a boil and then turn down the heat to a simmer, cover and wait approximately 13 minutes. Check every once in a while, since the times change depending on your rice.
RATIOS:
Add 1/3 more water than rice. for example if you are cooking 3 cups of rice, add 4 cups of water. However if you want stickier rice, add a little less water then said above.
Itadakimasu