By Ruhi Snyder
We humans started controlling our environment sometime around 10,000 years ago. We started to protect ourselves from the environment by creating shelters, using fire, and wearing clothes. We also made profound changes to our diet; we went from hunting and gathering to agriculture and our diet went from being rich in protein to one that was rich in carbohydrates (On Human Nature, pg. 265).
It is estimated that rice cultivation began around 2800 B.C. in China and around 2500 B.C. in India. Rice is the member of the grass family. It provides 60 percent of the food intake in Southeast Asia. Rice protein is superior in lysine (an amino acid) content to wheat, corn and sorghum (Cambridge History of Food, pg.132). It is worth noting that brown rice ranks higher in nutrition than white rice.
I come from North India where wheat is the main staple. Rice in my parents’ household was a special treat. My mother preferred Basmati rice over parboiled, for Basmati rice is long grained and delicate in flavour. It was also more on the expensive side, therefore, the saying in our house was “Do not waste a single grain” and we didn’t. It was often accompanied with a dish called Rajma; red kidney beans cooked in masala. Masala is a base to any dish and is often composed of garlic, ginger, onions, tomatoes and a whole bunch of different spices and herbs. Adding Raita, which is homemade yogurt with grated cucumber, onions and roasted cumin and coriander, and it totally enhanced the combination of rice and Rajma. The memory of it makes my mouth water and puts a smile on my face. Rice, therefore, holds a very special place in my heart.
There was a two year window during my “Self- Regulation and Shift Work” case study, where I eliminated all white carbs as well as alcohol from my diet to control the ‘Diet and Nutrition Variables” of the study. I have to say that letting go of rice was very hard. I missed it so very much. When I did go back to having rice, it was brown rice: which has higher nutritional content, however, it takes much longer to cook and it does not compare to the flavour of white rice of my childhood. I make Basmati rice as a treat in my house and it usually accompanies a feast, especially for dinner parties; large or small and for personal celebrations. Every once in a while I make rice the centerpiece of my meal by adding a variety of vegetables, spices and fresh herbs and sometimes meat or tofu. This dish is one of those centerpieces.
Ingredients:
- Basmati Rice
- Cumin Seeds
- Garlic
- Ginger Onion
- Green chili
- Broccoli stalks
- Yellow carrots
- Fresh Mint
- Salt
- Black Pepper
Recipe:
Wash, rinse and drain the rice a couple of times prior to cooking or until the water runs clear; washing the rice will clear it of all the debris and remove starch so the rice does not get clumped together. In a deep sauté pan or a pot, add olive oil or canola oil and throw in a small teaspoon of cumin seeds. Let the seeds brown and then add minced garlic, ginger, green chilli and diced onions. Sauté until soft and then add chopped broccoli stalks and carrots. Add salt and pepper for flavour. Add rice and gently stir. Add double the amount of water to the rice and chopped fresh mint. Turn the heat to medium, cover the pan and keep an eye on it. Sometimes, water can boil over and in that case you might need to let out a bit of steam by shifting the lid slightly, but do not uncover. Peek in after 15 minutes to see where the rice is at and taste it to see if it is cooked. If you need to add a bit of water to it, do so incrementally. You do not want the rice to be mushy. I used this rice with my chickpea dish and accompanied it with Raita; it is a lovely combination- heart-warming, delicious and so healthy.
