My uncle (the one who likes angel hair pasta) has been trying to convince me and Lulu to switch to red rice. Red rice is unpolished rice. It is short-grained, non-glutinous and has a maroon-red color. I’ve been giving Lulu brown rice with his meals for health reasons, but apparently red rice has a greater source of vitamin B, fiber and iron.
Cooked red rice has a nutty aroma and is a lot chewier than regular white rice. Just make sure you cook red rice slightly longer than any other rice, such as brown rice.
I stir-fried the rice with some mixed vegetables to enhance the flavors. I added edamame for extra proteins. It’s the perfect side dish for poultry or steamed fish.
1. Info for Asian-Style Red Rice with Mixed Vegetables Stir-Fry
- Cook Time: unavailable
- Total Time: unavailable
- Servings: 8
- Calories: unavailable
2. Ingredients for Asian-Style Red Rice with Mixed Vegetables Stir-Fry
- 3-1/2 cups red rice
- 4 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/2 serrano green chile pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 4 teaspoons garlic, finely minced
- 3/4 cup edamame beans, shelled
- 8 ounces baby carrots, chopped
- 1 (15-ounce) can baby corn, drained, cut in thirds
- 1 cup soy bean sprouts
- 4 baby bok choys, quartered
- 4 ounces baby bamboo shoots, sliced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 package enoki mushrooms
- 1/3 daikon turnip
- 1 tablespoon green onions, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 drizzle toasted sesame oil
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns, freshly ground
3. Directions:
- Soaking the rice: Wash the rice throughly, discard any dirt. Place in a bucket, cover with water. Soak for at least 2 hours. Drain as much water as possible.
- How to cook red rice: Fill about 4 quarts of water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Add the soaked red rice. Bring the liquid back to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to a gentle boil. That way the rice is cooked all the way through evenly. Cook for about 8-9 minutes at a bubbly simmer. Add 1 teaspoon of salt half-way through the cooking process (it will bring the natural flavor of the red rice and the rice will be more tender). Keep stirring the rice every now and then so that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pot. It may take longer than the cooking time written on the instructions of the package. Drain the liquid from the rice using a fine mesh colander. Do NOT rinse. Discard the liquid. Set aside.
- For the edamame beans: Blanch the edamame beans in about a quart of salted boiling water. Cook for about 2 minutes. Strain and immediately transfer the beans into a cold water bath. Pat dry on a towel. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Set aside.
- For the daikon turnip, baby carrots, bamboo shoots and baby corns: Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a wok. When the oil is hot ready, add 2 teaspoons of garlic. As the garlic becomes slightly golden, stir-fry the daikon. When the color is translucent, season with 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the carrots and 1/4 cup of water. When all the liquid is evaporated. Add the bamboo shoots, baby corns and 2 teaspoons of soy sauce. Stir fry for about 1 minute. Transfer to a side platter.
- For the edamame beans, baby bok choy, enoki mushrooms and soy bean sprout: In the same wok, drizzle a little more oil. Place the slices of serrano chile. This will help bring a nice fragrance to the dish. Add shallot and onion. Cook until slightly golden. Add baby bok choy. Quickly stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes. Add the edamame beans. Season with about 1/4 teaspoon of salt. This will help keep a nice green color. Add the enoki and mushroom and soy bean sprout. Stir-fry for about another minute. Transfer to another platter.
- Assembly time: In the same wok, add the remaining oil. Add the green onions. Stir fry them until it is fragrant. Add the rice and stir until each grain is evenly coated with oil. Spread the rice evenly over the wok and add the remaining soy sauce. Let it cook for about 2 minutes. Scrape any grains of rice that may be stuck on the wok with a silicone spatula. You know it’s time to add the soy sauce when some of the grains of rice start popping and jumping up in the wok.
- Add the daikon turnip, baby carrots, bamboo shoots and baby corns. Toss using 2 spatulas positioned on either side of the wok to prevent the food from sticking to the bottom. Cook for another minute. Tur off the heat. Add the edamame beans, baby bok choy, enoki mushrooms and soy bean sprout. Toss well. Add the coriander and finish with a dash of sesame oil and some pepper.
- Serve with a fish or any white meat. I served mine with some soy sauce quails.
- Enjoy!
