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I've never been a big fan of rice. The way Americans do it is just so... blah. Brown rice suffers even more than the typical white rice. Some inspiration is needed, and fast!
We're not going to even talk about boxed products like Rice A Roni - all I can taste is chemicals, and if you're daring enough to face the three-inch list of ingredients, you'll find MSG or its precursors. Yuck! Many people have tried to liven up rice by adding chicken broth or stock, but this too is problematic. If you use commercial broth, you're left with something unpalatably salty. If you use homemade stock, the gelatin interacts with the grains somehow, leaving a gross, sticky mess that is incapable of absorbing all of its cooking liquid. I have tried many, many times to find a good water-to-stock ratio that will flavor the rice but won't leave it gummy and waterlogged but have failed every time. Clearly, another approach is in order.
First off, I gave up any hope in making plain brown rice interesting. I needed to infuse some other flavors, and fast. So one day at a local health food store, I parked myself in front of the bulk bins and started picking and choosing some different grains to make my rice more interesting and more textured. I was very happy with my chosen blend - brown rice, wild rice, wheat berries, and rye berries - because it definitely had more flavor and it had a marvelous toothiness to it, but I still wanted more.
To find something suitable, I took my cue from a land where rice is actually a staple grain, figuring that they, of all people, would know how to make it interesting. I settled upon some inspiration from spiced Indian rice dishes that I love so well and opted for a pilaf that begins with whole spices. This, too, was better, but it still needed something more. Little by little, I whittled my way down to the solution, adding and subtracting things, until last night, I finally hit upon a solution I loved. Even The Hubs liked it! At long last, rice - and most especially, healthy brown rice - has been delivered from tasteless purgatory.
Four (whole) grain pilaf
A Jitterbean original
Serves 4