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Red Rice made with Brown Rice

My family is making a concerted effort to develop healthier eating habits. We’re making small changes in the foods we eat as well as how we prepare them.

One change we definitely like is that we’ve made the switch from white to brown rice. I admit, it took some getting used to, but we actually like it. Of course, I have to season the brown rice whenever I cook it.

I wanted to see if the classic Chamorro Red Rice would taste good using brown rice instead of the usual white medium or long grain rice we know and love.

The result? Delicious! Granted, you can definitely tell you’re eating brown rice (it’s firmer and a bit nuttier than white), but delicious nonetheless.

Give my recipe a try. I think you’ll like it. 🙂

Red Rice made with Brown Rice

aka Red Brown Rice 🙂

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups brown rice (use your rice cooker cup)
  • 6 1/3 cups water (use your rice cooker cup) (*See note below)
  • 1 packet achote powder (*See note below)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 bunch green onions, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon Dashida seasoning (or salt, to taste)

Note: You can use achote water made with achote seeds instead of achote powder. Scrub the seeds in the water; strain out the seeds before using.

Directions:

1. Rinse the rice then place into your rice cooker pot.

2. Add the water.

3. Add the achote powder.

4. Add the olive oil.

5. Add the green onions.

6. Add the Dashida seasoning.

7. Cover the pot then turn it on or place it on “cook.” After about 5 minutes, open up the lid and stir the rice, ensuring the achote powder and Dashida seasoning are dissolved and evenly distributed. Place the cover back on the pot and let it finish cooking. After your rice cooker turns from “cook” to “warm” (or the equivalent for your rice cooker model), be sure to keep the lid closed, letting the rice continue steaming for 10-15 minutes before serving.

8. We love red rice with fried chicken and cucumber salad. Serve with your favorite main dish(es) and enjoy!

 

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Cucumber Salad with Homemade Italian Dressing

This is a very quick and simple dish. I like to make this salad ahead of time to allow the cucumbers to absorb the delicious tangy dressing.

Give my recipe a try. I think you’ll like it. 🙂

Cucumber Salad with Homemade Italian Dressing

Ingredients:

  • 4 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and sliced
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon soy sauce (for a Chamorro Twist)

Directions:

  1.  Place the cucumbers into a small bowl.
  2.  Place the remaining ingredients together in a small mixing bowl. Use a whisk to mix the ingredients together.  Pour the dressing over the cucumbers.
  3.  Let the cucumbers marinate in the dressing for about 30 minutes before serving.
  4.  Serve and ENJOY!

 

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Sesame Garlic Green Beans

Are you looking for a quick, easy and TASTY vegetable side dish?  Try my daughter’s recipe for Sesame Garlic Soy Green Beans.

They are perfect with just about any main dish.  Give it a try with my daughter’s other delicious recipe: Hoisin Honey Glazed Salmon.

Give Hannah’s recipe a try.  I think you’ll like it. 🙂

Sesame Garlic Green Beans

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh green beans
  • A pot of water (about 5 cups)
  • A large bowl of ice
  • Salt
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • Sesame seeds

Directions:

1.  You will need to blanch the green beans first.  Blanching means to put vegetables into a pot of boiling water, let it cook for a few minutes, then remove the vegetables and immediately place them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

Here’s how it’s done.

In a large pot, bring about 5 cups of water to a rapid boil over high heat. Add enough salt so the water tastes faintly salty. While the water heats, fill a medium sized bowl about three quarters full with ice, then add enough cold water to cover the top of the ice.

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When the water is boiling and the ice bath is ready, trim the green beans to the size you need. It’s best to trim them just prior to cooking so they won’t oxidize or dehydrate. Add the beans to the boiling water in batches small enough to ensure that the water doesn’t lose its boil. Boil the beans only until they’re barely cooked through but still tender. To test, remove one piece with a slotted spoon, dip it into the ice bath to cool, and eat it.

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As soon as the beans are done, remove them as fast as you can and submerge them in the ice bath. Remove them from the ice bath as soon as they are no longer warm.  Set aside.

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2.  Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat.

3.  Add the sesame oil and garlic to the pan.  Cook until the garlic begins to brown slightly.

4.  Add the beans and soy sauce to the pan.  Stir to coat the beans in the sauce; cook for a couple of minutes then remove from the heat.

5.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds, serve, and ENJOY!

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Red Rice

Red Rice is a must-have for any Chamorro Fiesta menu.  Without red rice, it just won’t seem much like a fiesta.

You don’t need to go to a party or fiesta to enjoy this Chamorro staple.  My family loves red rice served with fried chicken, or pan-fried Spam. 🙂

Some people add peas to their red rice, but I like mine without it.

Serve some Chamorro Red Rice at your next gathering for that extra special touch.

Give my recipe a try.  I think you’ll like it. 🙂

Red Rice

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Ingredients:

  • 3 cups rice (medium or long grain)
  • 1 tablespoon Dashida seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon bacon fat (or substitute with olive or vegetable oil)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
  • 4 stalks green onions, sliced
  • 1 packet achote powder (see note below)
  • 3 1/2 cups hot water (see note below)

To make 10 cups of red rice (enough for a small BBQ), use the following measurements:

  • 10 cups rice
  • 3 tablespoons Dashida
  • 3 tablespoons bacon fat
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 8 stalks green onions, sliced
  • 3 packets achote powder
  • 11 1/2 cups hot water

Note:

You can use achote water made with achote seeds instead of using powdered achote.  Scrub about 1/4 cup of achote seeds in 3 1/2 cups warm water.  Add the achote water (make sure to strain out the seeds and add just the achote water) to the pot where the directions call for adding water and achote powder.

Directions:

1.  Place the rice into your rice cooker pot.  Rinse the rice as required, draining out any excess water.

IMG_31472.  Into the pot, add the Dashida, bacon fat, black pepper, garlic, and achote powder.  If you don’t have any saved bacon fat, substitute with olive or vegetable oil. IMG_31493.  Add the green onions to the pot.   IMG_31504.  Carefully pour the hot water into the pot.  Stir to combine all the ingredients and to dissolve the achote powder and Dashida.  The bacon fat will start to melt; don’t worry if it doesn’t completely melt at this time.

Turn the rice cooker to the “cook” setting.  The only thing left to do is to stir the rice a couple more times.  Wait a couple of minutes then stir to ensure even mixing after the bacon fat melted.  Wait another 5 minutes or so and stir once more to ensure the rice at the bottom of the pot is evenly coated with achote coloring.

After stirring the rice for a second time, leave the rice to cook/steam until done.

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5.  Serve with your favorite meat dish (Chamorro BBQ, fried chicken, or pan-fried Spam goes fantastic with red rice!) and ENJOY! 😀

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Cucumber Cabbage Salad

Are you tired of the same old salad and salad dressing?  Try my Cucumber Cabbage Salad with my delicious, tangy salad dressing.  It’s quick and easy to make, and since it’s homemade, you know you’ll be getting the “real” stuff, not something made with preservatives.

Give my recipe a try.  I think you’ll like it. 🙂

Cucumber Cabbage Salad

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Ingredients:

4 cucumbers (medium, peeled, seeded, cut into sticks)

1 teaspoon salt

1 carrot, very thinly sliced

1 small cabbage, thinly sliced

1 bunch green onions, sliced

 

Dressing Ingredients:

1 cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons tahini (ground sesame seeds)

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

4 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon golden brown sugar

1-inch piece of fresh ginger (peeled, grated)

 

Directions:

Wash and peel the cucumbers.

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Cut the cucumbers into quarters.

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Remove the seeds.

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Cut into sticks.

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Place the cucumber sticks into a colander.

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Sprinkle the salt over the cucumbers.  Stir, ensuring the cucumbers are coated with salt.  Let the salted cucumbers sit for about 20 minutes to allow excess water to drain.

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This is how much water drained out of the cucumbers after about 10 minutes.

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After 30 minutes, pour out the drained water then rinse the salt off the cucumbers.  Drain well.  Place into a large mixing bowl then set aside.

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Thinly slice the cabbage.  To save time, you can use packaged cole slaw mix.  Place the sliced cabbage into the mixing bowl with the cucumbers.

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Peel and slice the carrot into thin matchstick pieces.  Add to the mixing bowl.

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Add the sliced green onions to the bowl.

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Mix all the vegetables together.  Set aside while you make the dressing.

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Make the Dressing:

Place the vinegar into a small mixing bowl.  I poured the vinegar into a handy kitchen gadget that’s used to mix salad dressings (it comes with whisk built into the lid).

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Add the tahini.

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You can find tahini at most grocery stores.  This is what one brand looks like.  Some stores sell them in the International aisles; sometimes you’ll find it with the salad dressings.  Just ask a store clerk if you can’t find it.

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Add the garlic.

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Add the soy sauce.

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Add the brown sugar.

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Peel and grate the ginger.

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Mix all the ingredients together.

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Pour the dressing over the vegetables.

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Serve alongside your favorite meal and ENJOY!

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