Thursday 5 July 2012

PEPPERY CABBAGE AND CORN BROWN RICE

Health experts keep telling you that all white foods such as white rice, white bread, white flour, pasta, cookies, table sugar, crackers etc. are not good for health. They spike up the sugar level in the blood. Having been stripped off their outer layer, the grains used for these processed foods are fiberless, thereby not giving the feeling of satiety and hence we end up over-eating these products. The body absorbs them quickly making us hungry soon after.

Ever since I first heard of it I had been wanting to change over to the browns, but never really had the courage to make that change. So for years I never even gave it a try.

Wanting to be a good example to the children and to bring along a healthy change, I had been giving this a great deal of thought. And since a thought is nothing if not converted to action I finally decided to make a dish using brown rice.

Skeptical about my family taking to this change easily, but not wanting to give up without a fight, I went off to the market, where I had been seeing these brown rice varieties increasing everyday.
I decided to take a pick.
If I had to make a change, I had to go all the way.
So I picked up brown rice that had been parboiled, the white version of which is known for its taste and flavour- Basmati Rice.
And came home with a bagful of Parboiled Brown Basmati Rice.


peppery cabbage and corn brown rice

Parboiled rice is very healthy as the process of removing the husk from the rice is by parboiling it. That saves the B complex vitamins from being lost.
Brown rice is nothing but unpolished rice which has more nutrients from the bran and more fiber. White rice does not contain any fiber. Some more information in my previous post Mixed Lentil Soup.

Rice is an incomplete protein source and needs to be combined with other protein sources(other than cereals) such as pulses, legumes, meat and milk products to give a complete protein source that has all the amino acids. Pulses and legumes along with cereals make a perfect protein combination for the vegetarians.

This rice pops in the mouth and was an instant hit with my family. And ever since that first hesitant try we have been eating this rice very often.
I also learnt that it was not my family but me who was resistant to the change.

It works very well with spicy curries..


CORNY PEPPERY CABBAGE BROWN RICE
Ingredients:
serves 3
.Parboiled brown Basmati rice.................1 cup(raw)
.Water........................................................2 cups
.Salt............................................................1/2 tsp.
.Bay leaf.....................................................1


.Butter........................................................1 Tbsp.
.Olive oil....................................................1 Tbsp.
.Yellow onion.............................................1 diced
.Red bird's eye chili....................................1, finely chopped
.Ginger.........................................................1 tsp., grated
.Garlic..........................................................1 clove, finely chopped
.Black cardamom.........................................1
.Black peppercorns......................................6
.Cumin seeds................................................1 tsp.
.Corn kernels................................................1/2 cup
.Cabbage.......................................................diced
.Fresh ground black pepper powder.............1 tsp.
.Salt...............................................................to taste
.White vinegar...............................................2 tsp.

Method:
.Wash and soak the brown rice in 2 cups of water, for 10 minutes.
.Add 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 bayleaf and cook till just done.
.Set aside.
.Heat olive oil and butter in a pan.
.Add cumin seeds, garlic, red chili and ginger and saute for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
.Add bay leaf, black pepper corns, and black cardamom and saute for 1 minute.
.Add onion and a pinch of salt and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
.Add the corn and  saute for 4 to 5 minutes.
.Add the cabbage and saute further for 2 to 3 minutes until glossy.
.Add the freshly ground black pepper powder and mix well.
.Add the cooked brown rice, vinegar and salt to taste and mix well.
.Stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
.Garnish with coriander leaves.
.Serve hot with Yogurt dip (2 recipes).

peppery cabbage and corn brown rice

Note:
.This rice is made the same way as fried rice, except that this one can be made with hot as well as cold
 rice.
.A Vegetable Pilaf or Pulav made with this rice tastes equally good.
.I always cook this rice with a little salt and a bay leaf as I find it tastier.
.Add a little finely chopped spring onions with greens to the Yogurt dip for that extra flavourful crunch.
.This preparation can be eaten with Tzatziki too.
.Combine this with a Spicy Yogurt and Chickpea soup (Kadhi) to get a complete protein.

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