On My Plate (OMP) is a series in which I share with you what I’m eating. It features things put together because I need to clean out the fridge or pantry; things made in a hurry; making do with what is there; and things I have seen, heard, or read about and decided to give a try (that are not complicated). It is also about what I am having when I don’t feel like cooking.
Rice bowls are nothing new. They can be found all around the world, and simply put, they are bowls of grains of some sort (rice is popular), that is topped with stuff. Every day when we cook rice and veggies, curries and stews and put them together, they are essentially rice bowls, but we use plates. Today, however, I am sharing with you the type of rice bowl that is easy to put together and really celebrates the use of bits and pieces and leftovers.
In the refrigerator I had some plain, cooked, fragrant Basmati rice, and a piece of pork from the weekend roast. I thought about making fried rice but that would entail cooking and I did not feel like cooking, so I simply decided to heat up the food items and assemble them. As I sat eating and enjoying the meal, it made me think (again) how simple preparations are delicious and how often we can complicate food by adding too many things to a dish.
I reheated the rice and placed it in the centre of the bowl. I reheated, and cut the piece of pork, arranging it on one side of the rice, thinly sliced scallions (purple/white and green parts) were scattered on the rice in the corner at the side of the pork. I scrubbed and sliced a crisp cool cucumber at an angle and arranged it on another side of the rice, then I drizzled some pepper sauce on top of the pork and sat down to eat.
As I ate, I took a piece of pork with some rice, then I would take some of the rice with the scallions, followed by a slice or two of the cucumbers to refresh and cool the palate; sometimes I’d take a forkful of the plain rice. I repeated the process throughout the meal, though not necessarily in the same order. It was an absolutely delicious meal. Tasty and satisfying. For many people, this assembly would be dry, and they would require a sauce or gravy, not for me, well mostly, because I do not like a lot of sauce or gravy unless it is a dish specifically made to be had that way. Traditionally, rice bowls are meant to have well-seasoned toppings regardless of whether they are vegetables or meats so that they can pair and balance with the plain rice. Pepper sauce, hot sauce, and soy sauce are all excellent for drizzling over the toppings (not the rice). In a rice bowl, the rice rules, it is the toppings that must be dressed up to accompany the rice.
Rice bowls are made up of rice, protein, vegetables, and sauce (used primarily as a condiment or dressing for the topping). While rice is the most popular of grains, there are many other types of grains that can be used; the dish would then be referred to as a grain bowl. Farro and quinoa are often used in grain bowls.
As I mentioned the rice (or the grain used) is what really makes up the bulk of a bowl and is the main item in the dish, therefore, if you are setting out to specifically make grain bowls, use the best quality and you can prepare them in a way that makes them flavourful. For example, the grains can be cooked in broth, stock, or even fresh coconut milk. Cooking the grains using an absorption method not only locks in flavour but also nutrients.
There are no rules for making grain bowls except perhaps that they should be meals that are quick and easy. They are great for using up leftovers (as is evident in my case). They are always leftovers that are not the whole of something but put together with other things, they become the sum of something whole.
As I sat eating my pork and rice bowl, it made me think of the dish – oil and rice. One August holiday when as a child, I was spending time in the country with my maternal uncle and his family. He came home one day, and my aunt had not quite finished cooking the meat and veggies to go with the rice and my uncle was ravenous. He took a plate of cooked rice, plucked a few bird peppers from a nearby tree, chopped up a piece of onion and green mango, scattered it all over the rice along with a sprinkling of salt and a drizzle of oil, and sat down to eat with his fingers. I remember going home after that vacation and telling my late Mother that I wanted her to make oil and rice. Mommy stared at me blankly. (LOL)
Cynthia
cynthia@tasteslikehome.org
