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January 10, 2013Try Beige Rice: The Middle Path between White and BrownRaise your hand if you dislike brown rice and love whiterice but know that white rice isn’t the healthiest thing to eat all the time. Ifyou did, we are members of the same club. I’ve tried to like brown rice butit’s too heavy for most Asian foods and takes so long to cook.
Several yearsago, I discovered Japanese short-grain rice that was partially milled. It wasat Nijiya market, a small chain based in California that organically grows itsown rice in California. And, you could buy it at 100, 75, 50, 25 and 0 percent.The 100 percent is white rice and 0 percent is brown. (The Nijiya online store doesn't carry a full selection.)
I bought the 50 percent Akitakomachi rice and found that it cooked up at thesame rate as regular white rice. Amazing and with half of the bran intact, the rice retained some of the healthy aspects ofbrown rice. I wanted to call it brown rice but my husband coined the term “beigerice.” The rice was delicious – separate fluffy grains with a faint earthy sweetness.We found ourselves eating more rice than we normally did. It was better for us, no?
Why did it take so long for me to share this? It’s because Ithought that it was rice that could only be found at Nijiya market. Unless anAsian ingredient is more or less widely distributed, I’m reluctant torecommended to you. It would be a terrible tease.
But I had a revelation when I was in Tokyo in 2010 doingresearch for the tofu book. One day, Japanese food authority Elizabeth Andohtook me boutique food shopping at Takashimaya. Turns out that in Japan -- getthis – you can buy unmilled rice and specify to the vendor how much bran youwant removed! The vendor dials your request into a milling machine and you getcustomized rice on the spot. I was floored and came back to the U.S. thinking thatNijiya beige rice was an extra special Japanese experience to have in America.
That all changed late last year. Studying the rice area at aChinese market in San Jose, I realized that there was partially milled beigerice. I just never spent enough time deciphering the Japanese rice bags toidentify the stuff. I decided to try SunValley Rice’s “Gen Ji Mai” rice, a medium-grain rice that promised morenutrients than white rice.
There was also Sukoyaka brand, among others, but the SunValley was on sale. Labeled “brown rice,” the bags can easily be dismissed asregular brown rice. They’re not. You’ll notice that these rice are moreexpensive than regular white and brown rice. My on-sale price was $14 for 15pounds. The Nijiya market rice is about double that but you’re paying fororganic. You pay a premium for the beige rice.
There are packaging claims that the rice contains outrageousamounts of nutrients not found in white rice. I am not sure if I feel that muchimpact but it’s a great, more fiber packed alternative to white rice. As a sidenote, when we do make white rice, it tastes extra extra good.
How do you cook beigerice? In my limited experience, I’ve found that beige rice cooks up withthe same amount of water and in the same amount of time as white rice. Thatsaid, for stove-top cooking:
short-grain beige rice: 1 cup raw rice: 1 cupplus 2 tablespoons watermedium-grain beige rice: 1 cup raw rice: 1 1/4cups waterIf the rice is “new crop” back off the water by about atablespoon. The cooking process remains the same. (See “Howto Cook Perfect Rice” for guidance.)
Where to buy beige rice? I found mine at Lion Market andimagine that it’s sold at Ranch 99 as well. Japanese markets, such as Mitsuwa,Nijiya and Marukai will have it. Korean markets like H-Mart probably stock itbut I never noticed. It’s also sold online but it’s a little weird to buy ricefrom Amazon. Watch the shipping costs.
If you already knowabout this rice, what do you think of it? If you’re new to beige rice, check itout.
Related posts:
Asian Herb Rice Salad recipe (Nasi Ulam)Coconut Rice recipeVietnamese Red Rice recipe (Com Do)Hainan Chicken and Rice recipe (Com Ga Hai Nam)Posted in Asian Ingredients, Cooking Tips & Tools, Essentials: Rice | Permalink | |
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Comments Try Beige Rice: The Middle Path between White and BrownRaise your hand if you dislike brown rice and love whiterice but know that white rice isn’t the healthiest thing to eat all the time. Ifyou did, we are members of the same club. I’ve tried to like brown rice butit’s too heavy for most Asian foods and takes so long to cook.
Several yearsago, I discovered Japanese short-grain rice that was partially milled. It wasat Nijiya market, a small chain based in California that organically grows itsown rice in California. And, you could buy it at 100, 75, 50, 25 and 0 percent.The 100 percent is white rice and 0 percent is brown. (The Nijiya online store doesn't carry a full selection.)
I bought the 50 percent Akitakomachi rice and found that it cooked up at thesame rate as regular white rice. Amazing and with half of the bran intact, the rice retained some of the healthy aspects ofbrown rice. I wanted to call it brown rice but my husband coined the term “beigerice.” The rice was delicious – separate fluffy grains with a faint earthy sweetness.We found ourselves eating more rice than we normally did. It was better for us, no?
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