Wild rice: good and bad. How to cook wild rice?

Wild rice, or water oats, or Indian rice, is almost as old as the story itself. This high-nutrient plant is not really rice, but water grass, known as the citron. Both she and the white rice habitual for us belong to the cereals, but on this their kinship ends.

Who is this and where from?

Wild wild rice is a natural inhabitant of the rivers and lakes of North America. People use four subspecies of this plant: Zizania aquatica, Zizania palustris, Zizania texana (native to North America) and Zizania latifolia, or Zizania caduciflora (originally from China). The habitats of water oats are in California, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Idaho, Oregon (USA), as well as in modern Canada, in the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan (where the canoe is used for its collection).

Seriously to cultivate this plant began to be tried in the 1950s, in Minnesota - since 1962. Since 1974, water oats are grown in Hungary. It is also cultivated in Australia, New Zealand and China (here it is grown for stems).

In Canada, there are still strict rules regarding its harvesting. Those who wish to collect water oats should obtain a license from the appropriate department. Collection can only be carried out from a boat driven by oars. A special adaptation of spikelets of wild rice is tipped over the boat and brushed off "rice", and so time after time, there is strength and desire. Technique on the territory of the collection is not allowed even in the form of a motor boat. Only handmade.

Rice and its health benefits

To date, scientists number several hundred thousand human proteins, or rather, their varieties. All this variety is created on the basis of 20 "standard" amino acids. Amino acids, in turn, are divided into interchangeable and irreplaceable. The first organism can synthesize itself. The second should come with food, because in the body they are not formed.

The protein of water oats contains all the essential amino acids, and all in it there are 18 amino acids out of 20. Thanks to this wild rice (the benefit and harm of which interests all admirers of a healthy lifestyle) becomes a very useful and necessary product for vegetarians and vegans. Such a product as a garnish perfectly complement the meat and mushrooms, it is suitable for diet food, those who watch the figure, and those who only seek to find it.

Industrial harvesting of wild rice

When harvest time approaches - September, farmers try to maximize their profits. They divert water from the "plantations", so that the crop can collect special, capable of moving through the swamp, harvesters.

Assembled in this way, the rice is still green, so it is laid to dry. After it, brown, glossy, good quality rice peeled from husks and debris and sent for storage and sale.

Ingredients and caloric content of water oats

According to the USDA Nutrient Database rice is wild (the calorie content of 100 grams of which is about 357 Kcal) contains a large amount of easily digestible protein, fiber, carbohydrates and fats.

Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B9, C, E, K are also included in plant seeds. Wild rice is a good source of potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium and phosphorus, and trace elements in the form of iron , Manganese, copper, zinc and selenium. Especially this product is rich in lysine.

Wild rice (the benefits and harm of which have been known to Indians for many centuries) is now recommended by dietitians for obesity, elevated cholesterol, problems with the cardiovascular system. It has a good effect on the work of the nervous and digestive systems. The amount of fat in it is very small, in addition, it is able to remove excess cholesterol from the body.

Water oats are also useful for those who suffer from hypertension or want to consume a minimum of salt.

The harm of wild rice is not proved by scientists. There are no contraindications. However, only water oats can not be eaten - with many of its virtues, all the substances necessary to the body are not there.

How to cook wild rice?

About the preparation of this dish, there are different opinions: someone advises him to soak, someone claims that he will cook and so. Some advise the ratio of 1 part of rice and 1.5 parts of water, others - 1 part of rice for 4-4.5 parts of water.

By the time of boiling opinions also diverge - from 25-30 minutes to 45 and an hour. It should be taken into account that this variety needs to be cooked longer than white grades, although the water oats are not the same either - there are seeds softer, there are more rigid ones. Approximate cooking time - 40 minutes.

• Option one: how to cook wild rice with soaking. Rinse the necessary portion of rice, soak for 12 hours. Drain off the water, rinse again, put on the fire in a ratio of 1 part of rice to 4 parts of water. Cook until ready (the dish should be constantly tried). Salt add at the very end. Drain excess water, serve rice as a side dish or separately.
• The second option is how to cook wild rice without soaking. Rinse rice, pour water in the ratio of 1 part of rice to 4 parts of water and put on fire. Cook until ready (determine the taste). Salt before the end of cooking. Superfluous water to merge, serve separately or with the chosen dish.

The invention for lazy: rice in bags

Here it is necessary to clarify - the water oats are sold in packs "by itself" and in the form of a mixture with brown unpolished or white rice. In addition, it is on sale in bags. Such wild rice (benefit and harm from it - a controversial subject, given that the bags of polyethylene) is specially processed to shorten the cooking time and prevent the risinks from sticking together.

It does not need to be washed, it "comes" to readiness faster than the same, but in packs, it does not burn, as it is prepared in packets. Instructions, how to cook, usually is on the package.

With what to file?

Wild rice, reviews of which different people are just as different as day and night, is a controversial and controversial dish. Someone likes it, someone does not know how to cook it, but someone just prefers other sorts.

However, properly prepared water oats are very good in salads, soups, as a side dish to chicken or as a supplement to vegetable stew.

The combination of "black rice plus white" is also very good taste, besides it looks on the table beautifully and festively. Since there are as many as 18 of 20 amino acids in the seeds of cyanide, the missing two can and should be supplemented with beans, lentils and other legumes.

With water oats, you can cook wonderful sweets - with natural white, black and milk chocolate. Interfere with sweets not only rice - dried berries, raisins, candied fruits and nuts perfectly combined with chocolate, rice and each other.

Beautiful and delicious dishes will be obtained by combining rice with fresh white grapes, with almond, forest and walnuts, with raisins and dried fruits. A delicious "gruel" for breakfast will be prepared from water oats with cinnamon and vanilla.

Than to season

Wild rice (the use and harm of it for digestion is enhanced or neutralized by additives) as a separate dish is very tasty with sauces, spices and butter. A harmonious combination will give tamari sauce, shrimp, white on the basis of sour cream and herbs. It is almost universal product - sauces and spicy, and sweet, and sharp are suitable.

Unusual and interesting taste will give a combination of coconut sauce and lime juice. This recipe will appeal to lovers of Thai cuisine - the taste of the dish will eventually get a little sour, with a clear aroma of coconut milk.

It is worth trying a combination of rice and sauce sauce or tartar, a combination of these sauces with tomato, mushroom sauce and sauce. Nut flavor of Indian rice will complement and shade slightly fried sesame seeds - 1-2 tablespoons per serving. Pea pepper, ginger, chili, oriental spices - all this will give the dish a new flavor, will allow endlessly to experiment with the same ingredient.