Upgrade white rice flavor with these delicious ideas

White rice has always been an excellent choice of side dish. It goes perfectly with any main dish: beef steak, fish, sausages, grilled chicken, turkey curry, meatballs, chicken wings, and so much more.

It is considered the preferred staple since it is pretty easy to cook. But, it gets boring to cook and serve the same pale accompaniment.

Why not have fun with rice and surprise your family with colored rice?

More than simple white rice

Rice versatility and blank flavor are its most prized features. It is incredible how rice adapts easily to several ingredients to create an exquisite dish in a matter of minutes.

Try the following variations and give white rice a different taste:

• Cook rice in vegetable or chicken stock and enhance its flavor and color.
• Get a creamier texture by adding coconut milk.
• Try sautéing rice with butter before pouring the cooking liquid.
• Add some shredded cheese just after the finish cooking process.
• Incorporate herbs or spices while sautéing the rice. Parsley, scallions, cilantro, and basil are great options.
• Drizzle with soy sauce or lemon juice before serving.
• Mix rice with cooked beans.
• Add crumbled and cooked bacon, ham, sausage, or chorizo.
• Make spicy rice by adding hot sauce or sriracha at the end of the process.

Colored rice

The above ideas are various alternatives for serving white rice with a hint of flavor. If you want to cook not only tasty but also colorful rice, review the following recipes:

Mexican rice is a delicious way of giving white rice a bright red color. This dish consists of white rice, tomato, garlic, onion, and cumin, cooked in a mix of chicken stock and tomato sauce. To see the detailed recipe, check at minuterice.com/recipes/mexican-rice/

Cilantro and lime rice are another way of giving a twist to white rice. It does not change the color of the rice, but it gives an attractive and tasteful touch of color and flavor. Cilantro is added at the beginning with rice along with the grated lime zest. For serving, you can add chopped cilantro and lime juice.

If you want greenish rice, try to blend cilantro, wine vinegar, garlic, and cumin for making a puree.  Then, add this mixture to the water or stock used for cooking.

Try color white rice with this curry rice recipe. It includes rice, onion, salt, and curry powder, cooked with your preferred stock.

You can also try to include colorful vegetables instead of changing the rice color. Make festive rice including carrots, peas, corn, and beans, and make a feast with white rice. The vegetables are added at the beginning of the process.

Indian rice is a fresh idea to liven up the color and flavor of rice. The recipe has basmati rice cooked with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and garlic cloves.

For a Mediterranean flavor, add toasted pine nuts, dried currants, and dried cranberries to the rice before serving.

White rice can turn into an exquisite bowl of Japanese rice by incorporating the cooked rice shelled and steamed edamame, rice vinegar, sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and sesame oil or miso.

Begin with this recipe

Forget about serving plain white rice to your family, you can still serve it once a week, but begin cooking these recipes, and discover the potential of white rice.

If you do not know where to start, use simple variations and then try the colored recipes. You can cook the following recipe and see how easy it is to upgrade any white rice dish.

Saffron rice

Ingredients (4 servings):

• 3 cups of chicken stock.
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric.
• 1/2 teaspoon of saffron threads.
• ¼ teaspoon of dried crushed chili.
• Lemon juice.
• 2 cups of white jasmine rice.
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of fish sauce
• Salt to taste.
• Fish sauce for serving.

Preparation:

1. In a big spot, pour the chicken stock and heat at a high temperature.
2. Add turmeric, saffron threads, dried chili, and lime juice. Mix very well.
3. Incorporate the rice, fish sauce, and salt. Stir.
4. When the mixture starts to boil, decrease the heat to a low temperature.
5. Place a lid on the pot, and cook for 15 minutes.
6. Let it stand for 10 minutes.
7. Before serving, fluff saffron rice with a fork and add more fish sauce to taste.