You’ll want to know this hack for (for example) more flavorful rice
If an Indonesian or Indo person has ever served you rice so delicious, soft, rich and creamy that you nearly fell off your chair, there’s a good chance that rice was cooked in coconut milk. Yep, simply one part water to 2 parts coconut milk, the total in a 2:1 ratio with rice, and then cook the rice until tender. Super simple, insanely delicious. But do you know what else you can use for rice that tastes just a little different?
Yes, stock of course, but also: tea! It may add some color, but don’t let that put you off. Grains such as rice, quinoa, rye, spelt and farro (all as whole grains) can be given a flavor boost by cooking them in whatever tea you like – unsweetened, of course, if you’re making a savory dish. But tea works really well for a rice dessert too! This trendy food TikToker got there first:
You can do so much with rice
TikTok user @Sophia_Roe posted a video (which looks particularly well-made and fresh) in which she uses arborio rice to make a beautiful dessert with, among other things, mango and pickled pineapple. When someone asked her what she used as the cooking liquid (because it wasn’t colorless like water), she replied that it was calendula tea, and judging by the comments below, she may well have started a genuine craze here. Jasmine rice in ginger tea, basmati rice in lapsang souchong; let’s try them all!
@sophia_roe who says risotto can’t be dessert? Arborio with calendula, mango, pickled pineapple, and crispy rice. #rice #calendula #crispy rice #cinnamon #fyp #vibes #apartmentmiso #risotto #mango #fennel #dessert #arborio #tropical ♬ Tamboule Fudgemunk – Max Graef & Seibt
Tea time
I think we can conclude that this is definitely worth experimenting with. More flavor in your cooked grains—that’s always a good thing, right? Just always try to cook the grains (for example, rice) until tender without having to discard the liquid afterward. A good guideline is 1 part grains to 1.5 to 2 parts water, but this will vary slightly by grain. It’s better to start with 1.5 parts liquid, and keep another cup on hand in case the liquid has evaporated but the grain isn’t completely tender yet.
Also read:
- 6 top hacks for your used tea bag
- Top hack: how to squeeze a lemon without a knife (and without seeds!)
- Unpopped popcorn? This hack gets it out of the bag
