The Flavors of Rice

I will never forget my first taste of Jasmine rice.

At one of Hong Kong’s finest restaurants, it was the last dish of a feast that had included whole steamed fish, flash-cooked garoupa, roasted goose and ginger-scallion lobster among other delicacies.

I was stuffed. I intended to take a single taste of the plain white rice to be polite, but the nutty fragrance that wafted from the steaming bowl was almost overpowering. I couldn’t resist putting my face almost inside the bowl to take a deep breath to savor the smell. The longish grains were firm but tender to the bite. Rice had never tasted this good!

I found myself eating half the bowl.

It was just as well the rice didn’t go to waste: I discovered later that despite the enormous expense of the meal, the restaurant had charged us a dollar extra for each rice bowl.

I was no stranger to different types of rice at this time. As a child, I had been weaned on Uncle Ben’s converted, but after 3 1/2 years of living in Asia, studying Chinese cooking and the Mandarin language, I had tasted the subtle nuances of different varieties.

In Taiwan, we subsisted on the shorter, slightly sticky variety of Chinese rice that the Taiwanese favor. I had also enjoyed the slippery, sticky texture of sweet or glutinous rice in desserts and snacks. In Japan, I feasted on the shortish grains in sushi that were seasoned with rice vinegar and sugar, and in Hong Kong and China, I tasted the longer, less starchy rices that are commonly eaten there. But the flavor of all of these types was pretty much the same to me: It was plain. I had not yet traveled to Thailand or Vietnam, where the intoxicating flavor of Jasmine makes it the rice of choice.

These days, greater numbers of Americans are finally coming to appreciate and enjoy different rice varieties too. “Arborio rice,” reports the National Restaurant Assn., “which was considered exotic a few years ago, is now a mainstay, and wild rice doesn’t seem so wild when compared with the new strains such as Jasmine, Wehani and Texmati rice.”

Have you looked at the rice section of your local supermarket? A few years ago, it consisted of white rice in the form of instant or Carolina (long-grain). Today, there’s likely to be an impressive array of different varieties, including white and brown Basmati, Jasmine, Texmati, Pecan and wild rice. And don’t be surprised to find the extensive line of organic rices being grown and harvested by California’s Lundberg Family Farms in Richdale.

The Lundberg family has been growing rice since the ‘30s. About 20 years ago, the family started growing Wehani, a red-colored unmilled long-grain rice. In the early ‘90s, in anticipation of the increasing demand for specialty rices, the family began cultivating Arborio (the Italian rice preferred for risotto) than added California Basmati, Jasmine, Japanese sushi and black Japonica, a mahogany-red rice.

Grant Lundberg, CEO of Lundberg Farms and a third-generation rice grower, recalls Lundberg Farms’ innovative decision to start growing Wehani rice. “Back in the ‘60s, my Uncle Harlan thought that rice was a very unique product. In the natural foods industry, people are always interested in new ideas and products. He felt that an aromatic, long-grain red rice was an interesting idea, so he started working on it.”

In those days, Lundberg says, rice with a different taste and texture and a color other than white or brown was pretty radical. Today, Lundberg Farms grows 27 varieties. They’re sold in natural food stores and well-stocked supermarkets, gourmet specialty shops and health food stores all over the country.

Kalustyan, a specialty shop on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, is like a fabulous Near Eastern bazaar. The shelves are crammed with spices, grains, coffees, dried fruits and all types of gourmet products. And the selection of rices is dazzling, even overwhelming.

Aziz Osmani, the store’s co-owner, has witnessed the explosion of popularity in specialty rices. In 1995, he estimates, the store sold five varieties of rice. Today, the rice section has expanded to include about 30 strains from Italy, Spain, Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Egypt, the Philippines, Nepal, Turkey, China and Japan.

In addition to obvious varieties such as Jasmine, Basmati, wild rice and brown Basmati (not to mention a number of the Lundberg rices), you can find Himalayan and Bhutanese reds, a black “forbidden” rice from China, Calasparra rice for paella from Spain and tiny needle-shaped grains of Gobindavog (nicknamed the “prince of rices”) from Bangladesh, which is used for pilafs and rice puddings.

Of course, chefs are taking notice and using many rice varieties imaginatively. In fact, there’s even a New York restaurant named Rice, where nearly every dish involves rice. Appetizers include grilled eggplant sushi rolled in Japanese or brown rice and vegetable-cheese rice balls topped with a tomato-cumin sauce. Portuguese spinach soup and butternut squash chowder are garnished with fragrant Basmati. The entrees, such as Thai beef salad, ratatouille and Indian curry, are served with an enticing selection of exotic rices--at least seven. For dessert, there is rice pudding and a dried berry and apricot crispy rice treat.

As the menu admirably illustrates, rice--once considered a boring side staple--is assuming sexy new identities and taking center stage on the plate.

On one visit to Rice, I found sticky white, brown, Basmati, Japanese, Bhutanese red and Thai black rices. The menu recommended a different rice for each dish: with the ratatouille, bold, sticky Thai black rice, for instance, or “meaty” Bhutanese red.

David Selig, the chef-owner who opened Rice last year, foresaw the rice revolution:

“I thought that rice was a natural progression after pasta, which has been overdone. People are craving Asian dishes, and rice is part of that package. The food is alive with pungent flavors, and it’s healthy; plus it’s cross-cultural, so you can introduce different rices with all kinds of dishes.”

These exotic rices are anything but plain and ordinary. “Thai black rice is a little sweet to begin with,” says Selig. “Its flavor is almost in the chocolate-nutty range, but it’s more subtle, and it’s got an incredible texture. The grains are almost like caviar; they pop in your mouth.

“The Bhutanese is slightly tougher to work with, and the flavor is very mineral-rich. It loves yogurt. But it’s also good with the ratatouille; it stands up to it.”

Generally speaking, rice can be divided into three types: long-, medium- and short-grain. The medium and short-grain rices are often grouped together. Long-grain rices include Carolina, Jasmine and Basmati. Medium- and short-grain rices include the Japanese and Mediterranean varieties.

Rices are also classified by the their texture and consistency. Japanese and some Thai and Chinese strains are classified as sticky (waxy or glutinous), because of the low proportion of the starch amylose in the grain. The remaining nonsticky varieties, which include Basmati, Carolina and Texmati, have a high amylose content. Sticky or glutinous rices are used for sweet dishes, and nonsticky varieties are best with savory curries and soup (they tend to soak up the liquid).

Rice is white if the bran has been removed from the grains by milling. Brown and colored strains are unmilled. The difference is significant in the texture, appearance and cooking time and especially in the nutritional content. The degree of difference is a matter of debate, but most nutritionists agree that brown rice offers more nutrients than white.

Given the diverse selection of rice available in markets, how do you choose the rice that’s best for you?

“If you don’t know rice and want to embark and explore, just start trying different brands,” suggests Naomi Duguid. She and her husband, Jeffrey Alford, co-wrote the splendid new book “Seductions of Rice” (Artisan, $35). Stunning photographs document the methods used to cultivate and harvest rices and the impressive role that it plays in countries all over the world. (Duguid and her husband spent years researching rice and its context in each culture.) As evinced by the recipes, they also discovered a treasure trove of dishes to serve with rice that each ethnic community prepares.

“Rice gives you access to all kinds of home-style traditions,” says Duguid, who cooks rice every night for her family’s meal. “It can be your entry point into a cuisine that the rice is best suited to. So, often the best place to find the rice is in a store selling foods of that cuisine. Usually the rice is fresher, and you might even see a nice chutney or pickle to serve with the dish.”

Duguid believes that rice is the perfect food for the ‘90s. “We baby boomers are lucky to be in the generation that has traveled so much and has been exposed to new ideas,” she says. “Rice is one of the benefits of our expanded sensibility.”

Many of the rices mentioned in these stories are available at supermarkets or ethnic markets in Southern California. Any you can’t find can be mail-ordred from Kalustyan’s. Call (212) 685-3451 for a catalog or visit their website at www.kalustyans.com

Simondsis the author of the recently published “A Spoonful of Ginger” (Alfred Knopf, $30).

Boiled Long-Grain Brown or Unmilled Rice

Active Work Time: 5 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 45 minutes

2 1/2 cups brown or any unmilled rice such as Wehani or Black Japonica

4 1/4 cups water

* Put rice in pot. Rinse rice under cold running water, using fingers as rake. Drain in colander.

* Bring water to boil in heavy saucepan with lid. Add rice, return to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is just tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff lightly with fork to separate grains. Drain rice in colander if necessary, stirring occasionally.

* Spread rice in thin layer on tray to cool. Refrigerate before using if making Wild Mushroom Fried Rice.

6 servings. Each serving: 278 calories; 7 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 60 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 0.69 gram fiber.

Mushroom Fried Rice

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes * Low-Fat * Vegetarian-Adaptable

8 cloves garlic

1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms

1/2 pound crimini mushrooms

2 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons rice wine or sake

2 cups minced green onion tops

5 cups Boiled Long-Grained Brown or Unmilled Rice, chilled

3 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

* Smash garlic with flat side of cleaver and slice very thin. Rinse and drain shiitake mushrooms. Trim stem ends and thinly slice caps. Rinse and drain crimini mushrooms. Trim stem ends and thinly slice caps.

* Heat wok or heavy skillet over high heat. Add oil and heat until hot. Add garlic and shiitake and crimini mushrooms, and stir-fry until slightly softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high and add rice wine. Partially cover and cook until mushrooms are tender, about 3 1/2 minutes. Uncover and add green onion tops and cook until liquid is reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes.

* Add rice, breaking up with spatula, and cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Add soy sauce, chicken broth, salt and pepper, and toss lightly to coat. Add cilantro and toss to mix. Spoon rice onto platter and serve.

6 servings. Each serving: 236 calories; 801 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 42 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 1.74 grams fiber.

Seafood Casserole With Mongolian Sauce

Active Work Time: 50 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour 10 minutes * Low-Fat

Chinese chicken broth is available at Asian markets, or plain chicken broth may be used.

1/2 pound firm-fleshed fish fillet, such as haddock, red snapper or lake trout

1/2 pound shelled shrimp

3 tablespoons rice wine or sake, plus 1/3 cup

1 1/2 tablespoons minced ginger root

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 Chinese or nappa cabbage, about 1 1/2 pounds

1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms

1 bunch (1/2 pound) enoki mushrooms

1 teaspoon canola or corn oil

4 cloves garlic, smashed lightly

4 cups Chinese chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups Jasmine or Basmati rice

1/2 pound firm tofu, cut into 1/4-inch dice, optional

2 green onions, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices

* Cut fish into 1-inch-square chunks and place in bowl. Cut shrimp along back to butterfly and add to bowl with fish. Whisk together 3 tablespoons rice wine, ginger and sesame oil, and add to seafood, stirring to coat. Marinate 20 minutes.

* Separate stem and leafy sections of cabbage, and cut into 2-inch squares. Remove stems from shiitake mushrooms and cut caps into thin slices. Trim stem ends from enoki mushrooms. Rinse lightly and drain.

* Heat Dutch oven or covered casserole over medium-high heat. Add oil and heat until hot, about 30 seconds. Add garlic and cabbage stems, and stir-fry over medium-high heat 1 minute. Add remaining 1/3 cup rice wine and lightly toss, cover and cook 1 1/2 minutes. Remove cover and add remaining cabbage, chicken broth and salt. Partially cover and bring to boil, then simmer 5 minutes.

* Rinse rice under cold, running water, using fingers as rake, until water runs clear. Drain rice in colander. Put rice in 4-quart casserole that can be used on stove top or in Dutch oven. Pour broth with cabbage into casserole, cover and cook on top of stove over medium-low heat 15 minutes.

* Place shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms and tofu in separate piles over rice, leaving space for seafood. Cover and bake at 450 degrees 10 minutes. Remove from oven and arrange seafood over rice. Cover and bake until fish flakes with fork, about 8 minutes.

* Sprinkle green onions over casserole and let sit, covered, 1 minute. Spoon into bowls, being sure each portion gets some of seafood, mushrooms and tofu. Sprinkle with Mongolian Sauce.

MONGOLIAN SAUCE

3/4 cup soy sauce

3 1/2 tablespoons rice wine or sake

3 1/2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons minced green onions

2 tablespoons minced ginger root

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon hot chile paste, optional

* Combine soy sauce, rice wine, vinegar, green onions, ginger, garlic, sugar and chile paste if using.

6 servings. Each serving: 450 calories; 3,142 mg sodium; 58 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 76 grams carbohydrates; 25 grams protein; 2.06 grams fiber.

Hand-Rolled Sushi With Salmon

Active Work Time and Total Preparation Time: 1 hour * Low-Fat

2 cups short-grain or Japanese rice

Water

1 1/2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 pound smoked salmon, very thinly sliced

6 tablespoons capers, drained

1/2 red onion, cut into thin slices

* Put rice in medium bowl and, using fingers as rake, rinse rice under cold running water to remove some of talc. Drain in colander.

* Bring rice and 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons water to boil in heavy 2-quart saucepan with lid. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit until water has evaporated and craters appear on surface of rice, about 5 minutes. Fluff lightly with fork to separate grains. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar and sugar and mix with wooden spatula.

* Spread hot rice on tray and fan to cool more quickly. (This will give it sheen, and prevent it from being sticky or gummy.)

* Spread out bamboo rolling mat (sudare) on counter. Place piece of plastic wrap about same size on mat. Arrange overlapping slices of salmon on plastic wrap to form 8-inch square.

* Combine 1 cup water and 1/4 cup rice vinegar in small bowl for rinsing hands to prevent rice from sticking to hands. Spread 3/4 cup vinegared rice evenly over salmon, leaving 1/2- to 3/4-inch strip uncovered at far edge of square. Using chopstick, make groove in middle, across rice, and sprinkle 1 tablespoon rinsed capers and line of red onion slices across in groove.

* Picking up corners of edge of rolling mat and plastic wrap closest to you, roll salmon and rice away from you, jelly-roll-style, to form roll. Press in ends and lightly squeeze with mat and wrap so that roll is firm. Cut off ends and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices with sharp knife. Continue making rolls until all salmon, rice, capers and onion are used.

* Arrange on serving plate. Serve plain or with Dipping Sauce.

* Alternative folding method: Cut salmon into 2-inch-long slices. Arrange 10-inch square of heavy-duty aluminum foil on counter. Place piece of salmon flat on top. Sprinkle some of capers and red onion slices on salmon. Shape about 1/1/2 tablespoons rice into oval with hands. Place at 1 end of salmon slice and roll salmon with aluminum foil so that salmon slice encloses rice. Arrange on serving plate. Repeat with remaining salmon slices and rice.

DIPPING SAUCE

1/2 cup soy sauce

Juice of 1 lemon (5 to 6 tablespoons)

1/2 cup water

* Combine soy sauce, lemon juice and water in bowl.

12 servings. Each serving: 362 calories; 3038 mg sodium; 17 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 59 grams carbohydrates; 21 grams protein; 0.28 gram fiber.

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In Mushroom Fired Rice photo, the casserole dish is a Cucina Rustica from Salutations Home, Brentwood and Pasadena.