Rice Is Life: Recipes and Stories Celebrating the World's Most Essential Grain

by Caryl Levine, Ken Lee, Kristin Donnelly

Overview

A love letter to the humble grain featuring 65 recipes for rice and all its glorious possibilities.

Rice is so much more than just a pantry staple. It's the foundation of cuisines across the world, a grain that sustains half the world's people, and the start of a delicious meal at home.

In RICE IS LIFE, rice visionaries and founders of Lotus Foods, Caryl Levine and Ken Lee, share 65 recipes that showcase the grain in easy-to-cook meals from around the world. From Arroz Con Pollo to Hainanese-Inspired Chicken and Rice, to Ramen "Carbonara" and Soba Noodles with Green Tea Broth and Smoked Salmon, this cookbook captures the diversity of flavors and helps transform simple, gluten-free pantry staples into flavorful and nourishing dishes.

Along the way, it offers essays on rice culture and sustainable rice agriculture, showing how rice plays a part in uplifting people across the globe. With its bright and colorful interior, RICE IS LIFE finds the joy and freshness in the everyday beauty of rice not just as a pantry staple, but a staple of life.

Rice is central to global cooking: As the staple food for more than half the world's population, rice is ubiquitous and is the foundation of so many cultures, including Japan, Korea, China, India, the Persian Empire, Italy, Finland, West Africa, the Caribbean, Thailand, Vietnam, the American South, and many more.

Naturally gluten-free: Rice and rice noodle–based recipes are naturally gluten free. This makes this pantry staple a core component in the diet of people with celiac disease, are sensitive to gluten, or are trying to incorporate less gluten into their diet for other reasons. This cookbook helps home cooks prepare rice with confidence and explore all its glorious possibilities.
 
Perfect for:

• Home cooks who are looking to expand their repertoire
• Fans of cuisines that rely on rice (Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Filipino, Italian, Persian, and more)
• People looking for gluten-free meal ideas  
• fans of Lotus Foods and their products
• Readers curious about the history, cultural significance, and environmental impact of rice

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781797214900
Publisher:	Chronicle Books
Publication date:	10/11/2022
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	917,281
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.62(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Caryl Levine and Ken Lee are rice visionaries. Their pioneering introduction of Forbidden Rice®, Bhutanese Red Rice, and other specialty rices has fundamentally changed how Americans think about, cook, and eat rice, transforming it from a starchy white side dish to a center-of-the-plate ingredient. They also introduced a new paradigm, using market incentives for social change. By paying farmers premium prices to conserve rice biodiversity, they help improve incomes, protect the environment, and provide consumers with healthier rice.

Kristin Donnelly is the author of MODERN POTLUCK (Clarkson Potter, 2016) and CAULIFLOWER (Short Stack Editions, 2018). MODERN POTLUCK was lauded in the New York Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Food & Wine, Epicurious, and Design*Sponge.

Table of Contents

Introduction 11

On Rice 17

Rice Varieties from around the World 28

How to Cook Rice 39

1 Eggs and Rice

A New Day, a New Way of Growing Rice 55

Black Rice with Brussels Sprouts and Fried Eggs 61

Black Rice Porridge with Seven-Minute Eggs and Chili Crisp 62

Spiced Lentil and Rice "Shakshuka" 67

Ken's Fried Rice 69

Tips for Fried Rice 71

Omurice 72

Breakfast Sausage Fried Rice 74

Central Javanese Nasi Goreng 76

Bibimbap with Mushrooms and Zucchini 79

Cheesy Rice Patties with Poached Eggs and Spinach 81

Savory Rice Torta 84

Ramen "Carbonara" with Corn 87

2 Snacks and Soups

Rice Is Life 89

Furikake Rice Balls 92

Using Leftover Rice 92

Scallion Rice Cakes with Dipping Sauce 95

Grilled Sticky Rice Skewers with Peanut Sauce 96

Vegetable Temaki (Hand-Rolled Sushi) 99

Broccoli Bisque 102

Khichdi with Carrots and Spinach 103

Spring Minestrone with White Beans and Block Rice 105

Miso Broth with Sweet Potatoes, Bok Choy, and Ramen 106

Soba Noodles with Green Tea Broth and Smoked Salmon 109

Avgolemono Soup with Rice and Smoked Fish 110

Rice Soup with Clams and Lemongrass Broth 111

Creamy Chicken and Red Rice Soup 115

3 Salads and Sides

An Unexpected Benefit of SRI: Improving Women's Lives 117

Jasmine Rice and Herb Salad 122

Cauliflower and Red Rice Salad with Pistachios and Herbs 125

Sicilian-Inspired Rice Salad 127

Sesame-Ginger Noodle Salad with Green Beans 128

Summer Rice Salad with Tomatoes, Corn, and Roasted Peppers 131

Okra Rice 133

Miso-Glazed Eggplant with Seaweed Rice 134

Rice and Black Beans with Coconut Milk and Thyme 137

Black Rice Mujadara 138

Carrot Rice with Pistachios and Dried Apricots 141

Basmati and Pea Pulao 142

Jollof Rice 145

Sticky Rice with Mushrooms 147

Lemony Rice with Spinach and Dill 149

Swiss Chard Stuffed with Black Rice, Almonds, and Currants 151

Limiting Our Exposure to Arsenic in Rice 153

4 Main Dishes

Rice Is Culture 155

Kimchi Fried Rice with Shiitake and Edamame 163

Beet Rice Bowls with Avocado-Chickpea Spread 164

Jade Rice Bowls with Broccoli, Tofu, and Avocado "Ranch" 167

Rice Bowls with Pureed Block Beans, Chili Sweet Potatoes, and Lime Yogurt 171

Cheesy Risotto-Filled Poblanos with Pickled Onions 173

Portobello Ramen Burgers 176

Roasted Squash with Lemongrass Coconut Curry Broth and Black Rice 179

Tofu Pulao 181

Black Rice Risotto with Dashi, Scallops, and Furikake Butter 183

One-Pot Red Rice with Mussels and Swiss Chard 187

Quick-Marinated Salmon with Coconut Rice, Herbs, and Fried Shallots 189

Arroz Con Polio 192

Cold Ramen with Chicken, Egg, Snap Peas, and Carrots 195

Chicken Jambalaya with Chorizo 196

Hainanese Chicken and Rice 198

Shifting to Organic and Fair-Trade Agriculture: A Farming Family's Story in Thailand 200

Thai Coconut Rice with Papaya Salad and Chicken Skewers 203

Vietnamese Pork Patties with Noodles and Dipping Sauce 205

Shrimp Paste Fried Rice with Sweet Pork 208

Spicy Noodles with Bok Choy and Pork or Tofu 210

Brown Rice Pilaf with Cumin Lamb, Kale, and Salted Yogurt 212

Burmese-Inspired Noodles with Sausage and Spiced Tomato Sauce 213

5 Desserts

The Future of Rice 217

Horchata Milkshakes 220

Chamomile Rice Pudding with Strawberries 223

Chocolate-Coconut Rice Pudding 224

A Garden of Eden in India 226

Kheer 229

Finnish-Inspired Rice Pastries 230

Rice Pudding Cheesecake with Almond Crust 232

Matcha Rice Pudding 233

Afterword 237

Organizations to Support 240

Acknowledgments 242

About the Contributors 245

About Lotus Foods 246

Index 250

Editorial Reviews

08/01/2022

Levine and Lee began importing black rice from China to the United States in 1993, and in this solid if not groundbreaking compendium, they gather mostly plant-based recipes that showcase the grain. The authors lay the groundwork with a primer on varieties and their origins (such as “delicious and delicate” Bengali kalijira rice) and a list of basic preparation methods. Recipes range from a Japanese rice omelet with ketchup, to broccoli soup thickened with jasmine rice and spiced with coriander. Beyond Asian dishes, the authors include chicken soup with red rice from France, and West African jollof rice. They freely cross-pollinate, stuffing roasted poblano peppers with risotto or a risotto itself made with dashi. The black rice that started it all is smartly employed: it features in an onion-rich mujadara and in stunning combination with beets. A chapter of homey desserts includes several versions of rice pudding, one of which is flavored with green tea. As is often the case with brand-based volumes, it can read rather like a catalogue: such entries as a carbonara with corn made with Lotus brand rice noodles, for instance, feel wedged into the proceedings. On balance, though, the deep rice expertise will go a long way in helping home cooks go around the world at the table. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Every recipe in Rice Is Life looks so comforting and nourishing, and I love that they reflect rice’s origins around the world. I’ve known Ken and Caryl for years, so their book made me smile: It captures so well our shared belief in the importance of supporting our farmers. We should learn about the farmers who help put food on our table, and this book is a great place to start.”

 —Edgar Castrejón, author of Provecho 

 

“Rice Is Life is for rice lovers. This book delves deep into the history of rice and all its varieties, plus how to cook, store, and season them. That’s before we even get into the delicious recipes: twists on traditional classics such as Spring Minestrone with White Beans and Black Rice, Sesame-Ginger Noodle Salad with Green Beans, and Portobello Ramen Burgers with ramen noodles as the bun! Throughout the book are stories of culture and rice's integral place in societies around the world, and beautiful photos that will have you hopping into the kitchen to cook. This book is a tribute to this incredible grain. You'll have so much fun delving into the world of rice with Levine and Lee as your knowledgeable guides.”

—Rachel Conners, author of Bakerita

 

“Rice Is Life beautifully illustrates the complexities of rice varieties, origins, and history, proving rice is anything but monolithic. It’s more than just ‘white rice.’”

—Tu David Phu, chef, community ambassador, and filmmaker

 

“Rice Is Life is a celebration of the most common staple ingredient throughout the world. It’s full of learnings about the varieties of rice, the growing benefits of System of Rice Intensification, how rice can be cooked, and how to make the perfect fried rice. I especially enjoyed reading the stories of farmers from countries that provide the varieties of rice for Caryl and Ken’s company, Lotus Foods. I love the simplicity of the dishes and how this humble gluten-free ingredient can make for a very fulfilling meal with the wonderful and delicious recipes portrayed in this exquisite cookbook.”

—Amisha Gurbani, author of Mumbai Modern

 

“I have been a fan of Lotus Foods, both for their wonderful rice and noodles, and their passionate support for small farms and environmental sustainability. That passion has found its way into this gorgeously photographed cookbook, which highlights the seemingly endless varietals of rice around the world. This book shows you how to cook rice varieties to your taste (with handy charts and all) and features recipes inspired by the cuisines of the globe: everything from breakfasts, soups, salads, and noodles to desserts. Perfectly suited for your home kitchen, Rice Is Life covers every aspect of rice.”

—Noah Galuten, author of The Don't Panic Pantry Cookbook

 

“An incredibly fascinating cookbook that tells a bit of a love story about rice production, the culture that it encompasses, and the extraordinarily elegant recipes you can create with rice.”

—Wil Yeung, host of Yeung Man Cooking and cookbook author

From the Publisher