Surprisingly Edible Brown Rice

Brown rice is cheap and edible, but I'm usually sick of it after about two bites. I find this little side to be surprisingly enjoyable. It actually tastes quite similar to Rice-A-Roni, minus the appalling nutrition facts.

Stats
Cost to Make: $1.70 *
Portions: 6
Pain-in-the-Ass Factor: Minor
How long until dinner: 1 hour 20 minutes (Active Kitchen Time: 20 minutes)


Notes
You could make this dish with stock or water, but I think chicken stock really makes it. For convenience as well as frugality, this is a great application for my chicken stock cubes. I use two in this recipe. Plop them in your measuring container and then fill with hot water until you hit the desired measurement, so your volume balances out.

Brown rice can be a tricky customer. Do your best not to stir or or mess with it, as this can make it mushy. I find it to be inconsistent with how much liquid it needs. It's done when tender but still slightly chewy. Sometimes you'll need to add just a little water, and other times you'll end up with extra liquid at the end. If you have quite a bit of liquid and the rice is done, just turn up the heat and uncover the pan until most of it boils away. Cover again and the rice will absorb the excess. If you only have a little, just put the lid on and leave it alone for about ten minutes.



Down to Business
2 tablespoons oil or butter
1 small or 1/2 large onion, fine chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 cup brown rice
1/3 cup wild rice
2 cups water or stock
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
salt and pepper to taste

I make this in my dutch oven, but you can also use a deep skillet or wok, as long as you have a lid to match.

Saute the onion and garlic until slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and saute, stirring constantly, for another two minutes. Add the seasonings and liquid and bring to a boil. Cover and boil for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 40 minutes, until rice is just about done. Turn off the heat, fluff, and then leave covered for about ten minutes.

This will go with almost any meal. We serve it under a poached egg with sauteed spinach on the side. Cheap, healthy, and tasty!

Price Breakdown*


Wild rice can be very expensive, but if you shop around, you'll find it for a reasonable price.
Mine comes from Traders Joe's. $5.00 for 1 pound. That ends up being about 72 cents per recipe.

Don't be a sucker and buy the tiny packages of brown rice at your grocery store. It's a huge rip-off. I buy mine in 9 pound bags from the local Asian market. 50 cents per recipe. Rice is dirt cheap if you buy it in bulk from ethnic food stores.

I also buy most of my basic spices from Trader Joe's, they all cost $2.00 per jar.



*Obviously, food prices will vary depending on where you live and what's available to you.