Rice Dishes

The high status of rice in Chinese culture could hardly be overstated. A typical friendly greeting in China is ―Have you had your rice today?‖ Lose a job, and you’ve had your rice bowl broken. Get an ―iron rice bowl,‖ the Chinese nickname for a government job with guaranteed security and benefits, and no worries.

But leave a grain behind in that bowl and you are not exactly the best-mannered guest at the table. Cultural context aside, it’s absolutely impossible to exaggerate the vital role of rice in sustaining life throughout much of the planet. In fact, rice is the single-most important cereal grain with regard to human nutrition and caloric intake, providing more than one-fifth of the calories consumed worldwide. China is the largest producer of rice in the world; little wonder that rice, in steamed, fried, or noodle form, is a fixture at every meal. Long-grain white rice, which produces fluffier rice, is preferred.

Short- to medium-grain white glutinous, or ―sticky,‖ rice is used mainly for snacks and sweets. As the expanding Chinese middle class becomes more health-conscious, the healthier brown versions are becoming more readily available at major supermarkets. Black, or ―forbidden,‖ rice, once reserved exclusively for the imperial court, is a less well-known type that is used mainly in desserts; there is a growing interest, however, in its potential health benefits, particularly the purplish-black variety.

Indeed, with the widening appreciation for the potential health benefits of gluten-free grains in general, there is a renewed enthusiasm for rice in the West—catch the wave with the following recipes and enjoy the ride.

hancheng

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