USDA writes: Rice is the primary staple food for more than half the world’s population, and Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South America are the largest consuming regions. The bulk of global rice is classified as Oryza sativa, a plant species that is believed to have originated in Asia from the Graminaceae (grass) family.” And this, from the BBC: “Because rice was not indigenous to the Americas and plantation owners had no knowledge of how to grow it, enslaved Africans were brought to fuel its husbandry, feeding the US’ eastern seaboard, Britain and provisioning many parts of the British Caribbean. In the antebellum South, if cotton was the king of commodities, then rice was the queen.”
12 Servings
Ingredients
2 cups basmati rice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 bay leaves, fresh, if possible
1 cinnamon stick, about 2 inches
½ teaspoon cumin seedKosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
Directions
- Soak rice in cold water for 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.
- Meanwhile, saute onion in olive oil, stirring frequently.
- When onion is translucent, add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cumin seed, salt, and pepper. Stir and sniff; seasonings should become aromatic.
- Add drained rice, stirring to homogenize ingredients. Add 4 cups water.
- When mixture boils, reduce heat to simmer, cover pot, and cook until rice is tender and fluffy, about 16 minutes.
Nutrition
(nutrition info here)
Carbon Impact
(carbon info here)