RICE, ALWAYS NICE

Not so long ago, in Western cooking, rice was used only for milky puddings or as a bland side dish; bland even when served with well liked food like curries or Chinese cuisine. There were a few regional rarities, like some Creole gumbos, risottos, or paella, but those dishes remained just that: regional. Rice was not rightly valued as the enjoyable, resourceful, easy food it really is.

Today we are used to travel, and with ethnic restaurants are springing all over, we have had the opportunity to taste wonderful rice dishes. Chefs are introducing amazing new recipes in all sorts of media. Sushi, pilaf, risotto, paella, rice noodles are fast turning into everyday words. We are beginning to understand how rice has become a daily ritual in so many diverse cultures.

Globalization has brought new and better rice products to the every supermarket aisle and what once were exotic meals are now well within reach of every home cook. Rice can surprise you, enjoy it and discover its full potential.

SPRING

Rice constitutes the bulk of the Chinese diet; in fact, cooked dishes are seen more as an accompaniment to the rice than a main course. Chinese food combines a vast range of contrasting flavors, textures, aromas, and color in a variety of delicious dishes that complement rice perfectly. Chinese food is light and warm, perfect for the cold to warm weather transition.

Keeping to Asian cuisine, you could prepare a mild Thai curry -rice is also the center of every Thai meal- or a stir-fry to accompany your rice. You cannot go wrong with this one.

Why not sushi? Nowadays, the ingredients -sushi rice, nori, rice vinegar, tamari or other soy sauce, sugar- are at hand at the grocery store. Vinegar rice is easy to prepare and, while I would not recommend to use raw fish at home, there are many options using cooked fish or seafood, and vegetables.

SUMMER

Sushi is still a cooling option. If looking for more variety, serve the rice cold, in a salad. Add the dressing to the warm rice and let it cool down, covered, in the salad bowl. The rice will soak up the flavor. Don't do this if you are planning to serve the rice shaped in a mould; the grains will not stick and the shape will crumble.

Paella on the stove comes out great and it is always welcome, but paella cooked on the barbecue is just sublime. Sometimes the stove's heating surface is not large enough for the paella pan; this is not a problem on the barbecue and the rice cooks to perfection. And there is something to paella cooked outdoors.

FALL

Rice cooked the Cuban way can help you to extend the summer warmth and also to take advantage of the tomatoes that ripen late in the summer and early in the fall season. Other Creole, Caribbean and tropical rice dishes will bring back the summer sun.

Some of the fall vegetables are just perfect for creamy risottos; try butternut squash or pumpkin. Fried rice balls are easy to prepare and they are a good option to use up boiled rice leftovers.

WINTER

Winter is the time for the very welcomed soups, and the many options to prepare them -rice and lentils together, for instance, make a complete protein. Winter is my favorite time for spicy Indian curries and those rice milky puddings.