Rice is a kitchen staple that anyone can prepare. It is one of the world’s most popular foods and this means that not only do you get a wide variety of rice but a number of different recipes that can be made with this one ingredient as the main meal or a side dish.

If you are a new or beginning cook, rice is a versatile food that will help you provide quick, easy and tasty meals whether they are for yourself or for your family.

Often people who live alone are reluctant to cook, there are a number of excuses used, can’t be bothered when it’s just for one, is a common theme. Well, with rice you can find a recipe that is little bother and takes only a few minutes to prepare.

For example, you can boil rice in just less than 15 minutes, 14 to be exact. While the rice is boiling you can toss some frozen or pre-cut vegetables into a wok or frying pan about 5-7 minutes, depending upon how crisp you like your vegetables and when the rice is boiled, put some on a plate, add vegetables on top, then flavour with yoru favourite soy sauce, hot sauce or both. Of course you can add seas salt and black pepper to taste.

This rice recipe can be varied by adding sliced water chestnuts, which I buy in a can, some almonds; apple slices or let your imagination run free.

I find myself using my rice cooker more often these days when I want to make rice. It is a simpler way to get the end result. Cooked rice than can be added to a stir fry, salad or eaten as is. I usually make enough for four as there are two of us and this leaves me extra for another sitting, either lunch or supper.

I put it in an air tight container and place it in the fridge and I have the main dish for a quick meal, add a few vegetables and a meal is ready.

Rice goes very well with chicken and one of my favourite meals is red beans and rice.

Boiled Rice:

Ingredients;

2 cups rice, I mostly use par-boiled

3 cups water

1 tsp

Dash sea salt

Preparation:

Put water, butter and sea salt into pot.

Add rice

Put burner on high

Bring to Boil

Stir

Reduce heat to medium

Check after 8 minutes, stir

Cook maximum 14 minutes

Empty rice into a serving dish and it is ready to eat. If you are making some for later set it aside. The rice can be prepared up to 24 hours before using it for stir fries or salads. Be sure to place in an air tight container when it cools and then refrigerate.

Red Beans and Rice - Vegetarian

Prepare rice as above.

You can use either canned beans or dried beans for this dish. If you are using dried bean, you must soak them at least12 hours before using and the cooking time is longer. The following recipe uses canned beans, it is faster.

Ingredients:

1 14 oz can red kidney beans

1 small onion diced

½ green pepper diced

1 celery stalk sliced

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp butter

Sea salt

Black pepper to taste

Hot sauce of your choice

Preparation:

Drain canned beans and rinse thoroughly

In fry plan put butter, onion, green peppers and celery

Cook for 2 minutes

Add beans, stir

Cook 4 minutes

Add tomato paste

Season with pepper, seas salt and hot sauce to meet your personal taste

Stir

Cook 2 minutes

Pour over rice and serve.

Rice and Vegetable Stir Fry (Quick Meal)

Prepare rice as above.

Ingredients

2 cups rice

1 cup frozen vegetables, your choice

1 tsp butter or cooking oil

Sea salt pinch

Soy sauce

Preparation;

Put butter in frying pan or wok

Let melt

Add frozen vegetables

Stir

Cook 5 minutes

Put rice on plate cover with vegetables season with soy sauce and sea salt if desired.

There are many variations on this dish and as I have said this versatility is one of the reasons rice is a cook’s good friend. Rice expands your meal options. Enjoy.