Humble Short Grain Brown Rice
Many different varieties of rice intrigue me from fragrant basmati and jasmine, nutty whirani and wild rice (although truly a seed) to the more exotic forbidden black and red Bhutanese. But my love for short grain brown rice is unparalleled. When cooked right and eaten simply this humble grain can be everything you need and the perfect canvas for whatever else you crave.
I find myself turning to brown rice over and over like an old friend who never lets me down. I may briefly favor the high protein content and speed in which quinoa cooks or the alkalizing effects of millet but these are mere flings, as I always return to brown rice and wonder why I ever strayed.
Plus, after a harrowing week or just a long day a simple bowl of brown rice sooths the soul and elevates one’s spirit. Just the nutty, fragrant scent of a pot simmering on the stove calms me. Once I have cooked brown rice in the kitchen, dinner is an cinch to put together as this grain is the perfect base for vegetables in any season. Its delicious when combined with simple toppings like toasted sesame seeds, scallions and tamari; add some avocado, nori and kimchi and you have a taste sensation.
Although, like a good old friend, I know it well, I am always struck by the potent healing properties of brown rice: it purifies the blood, expels toxins, promotes digestion, lowers excess fat and cholesterol, strengthens immunity, normalizes blood sugar imbalances, and of all the whole grains brown rice is the highest in B vitamins and trace minerals.
Rice bran, the outer coating on brown rice, is one of the most nutrient-dense substances ever studied and contains over 80 antioxidants that do things like help increase the absorption of vitamins, ensure proper brain function, assist in converting fat to lean body mass, improve circulation, protect against cancer and strengthen arteries.
Given the choice, I’d pick brown over white any day, even if we weren’t such good friends.
Amy Chaplin
Amy Chaplin is an Australian living in New York City by way of Amsterdam and London. She grew up in rural New South Wales in a family and community of gourmet vegetarians; cooking and eating meals from her family’s biodynamic garden sparked her passion for fresh ingredients and hand-made food. It can be said that Chaplin’s career as a chef began while making bread with her father and peeling apples for her mother’s crumble. Chaplin’s upbringing also helped inspire her philosophy, that how and what we eat directly affects the world in which we live, as well as our own well-being. To this day the food she cooks features local, organic and plant-based ingredients. After 5 years as executive chef of the world-renowned vegan restaurant Angelica Kitchen, Amy now consults, cooks and teaches privately, her clients include Natalie Portman and Anna Devera Smith, among others. Chaplin finds herself dispensing recipes and answering queries about the health benefits of ingredients on a daily basis. This whole foods chef is always happy to share her passion for the natural culinary arts and loves inspiring others to cook and eat well too.