Rice With Stuff in It

By: susie.freckle.face
Jul 9, 2008

Smoked Basmati rice and brown Basmati rice with toasted pine nuts and one of my favorite sautéed combinations... apples & onions...mmm..yummy. Each of which should be chopped to about the size of the pine nuts. I go smaller with the onion and larger with the apple. The [dehydrated or fresh] apples can be minced, diced, or chopped to the size of a lima bean. what-ever you want to call it – that’s the maximum size. I use the dehydrated apples for cost effectiveness. They come in the plastic square containers usually near the pine nuts at my local middle-eastern market. Shoo? My friend Martha says "Oh, I love the rice that you make with the stuff in it" (she's from Rhode Island with an accent so I just HAD to name the recipe in her honor) hence the name - Rice with stuff in it. She was referencing a pared down version that was only the Smoked Basmati with pine nuts and onions. Not as elaborate as this version. You can omit the Brown Basmati and only go with the Smoked Basmati not a problem - I just happen to have both on the shelf. I like the long grain fluffiness of the Basmati rice over the sticky shorter grain rice. However, I am beginning to get curious to why it only takes 12-15 minutes to cook Basmati compared to the medium or short grain rice that take twice as much time to cook. So, could someone please let me know why that is?? Seems almost like... instant oatmeal versus regular oatmeal? I won't eat instant b/c of the chem. process.... plus if you're going to cook, take the time and cook a better product. OK – now I’m crossing my fingers that my rice bubble doesn't get burst. Thank you and enjoy the rice. I find the smoked Basmati flavor is much better than regular Basmati. I buy Kitchen King Brand rice and store in glass mason jars. I do not recommend Jasmine rice or short grain for this recipe. Susan P.S. the minute you turn your back on the pine nuts they burn - so stand there... and just keep stirring while toasting them in the pan, or you will have a wasted mess P.S.(2) serve hot as a side dish or put in an lightly oiled semi-toasted pita with Lebne or a mild Armenian string as a folded sandwich with tomatoes