Seeds of Life

Rice makes me think of another seed (or cereal) of ours … burghol (cracked wheat). It also brings to mind the famous proverb “el ezz lal roz, wl burgol chana’ h’allo,” which basically means “Glory to everything imported, foreign and new, like rice, and the old, original and native, like burgholwill disappear!”

The original cereal of Lebanon and the eastern Mediterranean is wheat, eaten as flour and bread or frikeh (green wheat dried in fire, which gives it a smoky flavour) and, more often than not, burghol (wheat that is boiled, sun-dried and then cracked fine or coarse).

In war and peace, cereals, or whole grains, have constituted the primary food of humanity for tens of thousands of years: rice and millet in the Far East, wheat, barley, oats and rye in the Middle East and Europe, buckwheat in Russia, sorghum in Afric and corn in the Americas. In the past civil war, the southern Shiite warriors were called “burghol” because burghol was a staple in their diet.

Whole grains contain a balance of protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals, ideally suited for the human diet. But … yes, I know, this is about rice and not grains and wheat. But I can’t restrain myself!

So, by now, we definitely understand that rice is the newcomer. A generation ago, rice was just masri – Egyptian. The fertile wetlands of Egypt produced enough short round grain for the whole region. Rice was cooked as an accompaniment to stews and always with vermicelli; it was first stir-fried in ghee (clarified butter) until golden, and then the rice was added and stir-fried until transparent. Water was added, and it was left to simmer on a low flame.

In later years, a new, fancier rice arrived: rezz Janawa, or Genova’s rice. Whether it was produced there, or elsewhere in Italy, or just shipped from Genova remains a mystery! Still rezz Janawa was of a better quality and of a longer shape.

Basmati rice is of my generation; we never heard of basmati 20 years ago. It probably made its way through the Arabic gulf, where Indian traditions and people have been settled for quite a while.

Today, rice is still a must for home cuisine, which is basically a stew of vegetables or beans, always eaten with rice. One kids’ favourite was riz w laban, the vermicelli rice with yoghurt – not unlike children in North America eating pasta with butter for its simple flavours.

Rice is cooked on its own too. In the following recipe, it is the entrée and not a side dish.

Rice with Fava Beans Recipe

Photograph by Matt Low