First time I tasted wild rice was at a restaurant in Houston. For main course there was an entry with wild rice. I’ve heard good things about wild rice and I wanted to give it a try. Try we did. The restaurant version of wild rice was full of butter and had some toasted pine nuts. The portion was small, but we loved it so much, decided to cook it at home. Then we found about the price; wild rice is not cheap, I can tell you that. It’s an indulgence for us and I like to cook it once in a while.
My version is very simple. For 1 cup of wild rice, usually I’d add 2 and half cups water, a quarter teaspoon of salt and ghee. I cook it just like regular rice in a rice cooker. The result is very fabulous, nutty, chewy wild rice. Though it looks like ‘Basmati gone black’, the taste of wild rice is unique. It has its own unique smell and texture. You can’t gobble up, each grain beckons you to slow down and enjoy it. Try it, if you haven’t already.
Wild Rice with Eggplant Chole ~ Our simple lunch today.
Eggplant Chole: Recipe Replace aloo (potatoes), with jumbo eggplant cubes. I’ve got the idea of cooking eggplant-chickpeas together from Mika’s blog.
Wild Rice Nutritional information – click here.
Hi Indira,
I never tried Wild Rice.How it tastes like sonamasoori?
Nice Picture and u r really innovative.
Thank u
Vineela Krishna
Comment by vineela krishna — April 14, 2006 @ 3:32 pm
hi
its amazing when i go through your blogs its like i am reading my thoughts in your blogs. I like wild rice very much but never tried to do anything with it. well i will try it This weekend i have a gettogether thinking of doing your walnut cashew laddu ( is it expensive doing for 40 people). well keep up the good work and wish that u win the contest for your tantalizing sweet burger
Comment by madhuri — April 14, 2006 @ 3:35 pm
I’ve tried wild rice at home several times, but there’s only one brand that I’ve been satisfied with. So when I find it in the grocery store, I stock up and buy several boxes!
And… what a good idea to serve it with an eggplant dish. Yum!
Have a great weekend, Indira!
Comment by Beth - Zen Foodism — April 14, 2006 @ 3:49 pm
Indira- never tried cooking wild rice on its own. Usually the stores sell it blended with brown rice. There are only a few grains of wild rice for a lot of brown rie. I do like the chewy taste. Now only if I can get a deal on wild rice…
Comment by mika — April 14, 2006 @ 4:43 pm
Cool pic!
Btw, did you know that wild rice isn’t rice at all? It is the seed of a grass completely unrelated to the rice family! It has a better nutritional profile providing more protein than both white or brown rice.
Comment by mohita — April 14, 2006 @ 4:51 pm
Hi Vineela, Wild rice taste is completely different, more chewy than the regular rice. You have to try it atleast once.:)
Thanks.
Hi Madhuri, did you vote at My Dhaba?
About walnut-cashew laddu, because you mentioned they are for 40 people – half of Costco/Sams club size packet of walnuts and a pound of cashews from Indian grocery – I think you are set for 40 laddus. decrease the size, make small balls or squares. It’s not that expensive. Also please keep in mind, my recipe is very timeconsuming, because I made it from scratch. It took atleast two hours for milk to thicken. Because it is for us, I prepared them on less sweet side, our preference. If you want, you can also make these with evaporated milk(em). In that case decrease the sugar quantity as EM is already sweet. Very difficult to explain but you have to know when to add the cashew-walnut powder to the milk-sugar kova. This important step will make(dry laddu/burfi like) or break(halwa like) the sweet. If it comesout on slight wet side, make laddus and keep them exposed to air without cover. They will harden in few hours.
Do let me know how the sweet turns out.
Have a great party. Best wishes!
Hi Beth, the brand that is available here is “Voyageur” Minnesota cultivated – wild rice. Which brand do you prefer? Whenever I travel to Pittsburgh, I stock up on wild rice. There is one shop that sells wild rice there at a good price.
Thanks Beth. Happy Easter and have a great weekend.
Hi Mika, do you know/remember the big/popular Italian bakery/grocery shop in strip district? They sell all kinds of cheese and fresh bread hot out of oven? They also have a shop attached to the bakery. I buy wild rice from that shop. Compared to Giant Eagle grocery shop, the price is much cheaper. I paid about 5 dollars for a pound of wild rice there. At Giant Eagle it is around 10 dollars, something like that.
Happy new year and have a great weekend at lake Tahoe.
Hi Mohita: Thanks for sharing.
Yep, even though I didn’t mention the history/nutritional information in my post, I am aware of all wild rice history etc., that you mentioned. It is a wonder grain, isn’t it? I feel very privileged to have a taste of this rice, just like the feeling I get whenever I have basmari rice.
Comment by Indira — April 14, 2006 @ 6:48 pm
Indira, I am hearing and seeing the wild rice for the first time in your blog. I was amazed to see wild rice.
Comment by Priya — April 15, 2006 @ 12:32 am
Hello Indira.
I agree with you with wild rice. I have tried it and it has a good taste and to be eaten in small quantities according to me as u have to have a good metabolism . it takes a lot of time to chew and relish it. the first time i ate it i wasnt impressed by it at all but i guess it wud be a acquired taste if you are used to white and brown. great post . i normally have it with salds and havent tried it with indian food
Comment by shomas — April 15, 2006 @ 8:33 am
I’d love to try cooking this rice and taste its flavor.Havent seen or tasted wild rice..:(..not available here, atleast not in Vizag.
Comment by sailaja — April 15, 2006 @ 9:05 am
never heard of wild rice, first time i am seeing on your blog Indira.
How’z the taste exactly, I wonder whether my kids will like it or not. They are very choosy, even fried rice or biryani’s also they don’t like, just the plain white rice is their fav.
Comment by lakshmi — April 15, 2006 @ 10:37 am
hmmmmm only saw wild rice.. never ventured into tasting it….
the picture tempts me to try it…
Comment by Santhi — April 15, 2006 @ 12:57 pm
Hi Indira,
I love your down-to-earth opening lines-always touches me- esp the one about your mom in the Idli recipe.
I tried wild rice a couple of times in the US, loved the taste, and you are so right about eating it slowly. I find it true evn about red-rice-because even after pressure cooking, it retains its texture, and you can’t just swallow it down like white rice.
I’ve never seen wild rice on indian grocery shelves, so cant try that one out, but the eggplant in chole is an interesting combination!
Warm regards
N
Comment by Nandita — April 16, 2006 @ 8:22 am
hi Indira..
I never heard of wild rice. Can you please tell me where do we get it? pics look awesome.
Thanks
-Shireesha
Indira replies:
Regular US grocery shops and natural food stores, Shireesha. Check them out for wild rice.
Comment by Shireesha — April 18, 2006 @ 2:42 pm
Can u name some stores??? will we get it in costco indira?? please guide… i am curious and eager to try it out….
Indira replies:
Hi Shubha, I haven’t seen this rice at Costco. But you can purchase wild rice at regular American grocery shops like Gaint Eagle, Safeway etc.
Comment by Shubha — August 24, 2007 @ 2:20 pm