Although rice is a staple food for half the planet, in the United States it generally plays the role of side dish. That’s not a bad thing. Rice provides fiber and minerals such as folate. With a little knowledge, good technique and a few basic tools and ingredients, you can pair rice with a wide variety of foods to make a delicious and nourishing complete meal.
Grilled Chicken Breasts
Grilled chicken breasts are the perfect dish to turn a summer rice salad into a meal. The July 1997 issue of “Cook’s Illustrated” magazine recommends brining whole bone-in breasts to retain moisture. To cook them, the magazine recommends piling coals on one side of the grill, grilling on the hot side until grill marks form, then flipping the breasts and finishing them on the cool side of the grill covered with a disposable aluminum cake pan.
Steamed Vegetables
Steamed vegetables add color, flavor, and most importantly, nutrients to a rice side dish, whether you choose to serve the rice next to the veggies or mix it in. Nutritionist Ellie Krieger recommends using frozen vegetables, as they are picked at the peak of freshness and have all the nutrition of fresh vegetables. Use a microwave steamer bag for perfectly-steamed vegetables in minutes. Add a little olive oil, fresh herbs or dried onions for an extra kick of flavor.
Stir-Fried Meat
Rice is a natural component of stir-fry. While many traditional Asian stir-fries are vegetarian, adding lean meats gives you filling protien and minerals such as iron (Reference 2). But not all meat works for the high heat and quick cooking of stir-fry. Choose kosher or brined white-meat poultry, pork tenderloin or lean strip steak tips cut from the sirloin primal. All these meats cook quickly without drying out or becoming tough.
Eggs and Aromatics
Eggs might not seem like a natural accompaniment to rice, but adding eggs – as well as a few chopped veggies – turns boring long-grain white rice into exotic fried rice. To make fried rice, heat two to three tbsp. of heart healthy oil, such as vegetable or canola, in a large wok or frying pan. When it sizzles, add rice, stir to coat and cook until golden, then add a beaten egg and cook until the egg curdles. Toss in chopped aromatics such as green onion tops, Asian sauce such as soy sauce and add water. Cover and cook until the rice has absorbed the water.