Almond Wild Rice Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to cook wild rice? ›

Just like with any other type of rice, it's a good idea to rinse the rice before cooking. Pour a cup of wild rice into a mesh sieve and give it a good rinse. This will rid the rice of any starch that's lingering on the outside of the grain.

Soaking Wild Rice is optional unlike other grains and seeds that should generally be soaked to reduce phytic acid. This is because during the finishing process like any other Real Wild Rice it is parched over Wood Fire to help remove the hull.

Different Types of Wild Rice

There are two main types of wild rice: black and red. Black wild rice has a deep, rich flavor and a slightly chewy texture. It's popular in dishes like risotto, soup, and salad. Red wild rice is lighter in color and has a nutty flavor.

Generally, as Lundberg says, “Excess starch can cause rice to clump together, giving it a mushy or gummy texture.” Huang notes, “Even though stickiness is desirable in short-grain preparations, it would be excessive without washing and sometimes even soaking,” the latter of which is a common practice for Japanese rice ...

Here's Why. The chief reason to rinse is to remove surface starch from rice grains, which can make them gummy as they cook. Soaking allows rice to absorb water, giving it a leg up on cooking. This helps it to have a better, more even texture, instead of drying out while the inside is not evenly steamed and fluffed.

1 cup wild rice. 4 cups water or broth or a mixture of both.

What's the water to rice ratio for wild rice? Although it's pricey, the good news is that with a 1 to 4 ratio (1 cup wild rice to 4 cups water) you get a big bang for your buck.

Wild Rice should be cooked until it puffs and the inside, lighter portion of the grain can be seen. Overcooking may cause mushiness. To keep the grains of rice from sticking together for use in cold salads, toss four cups of cooked wild rice with one tablespoon of cooking oil.

The wild rice grains will pop open when they're done and will have a chewy “al dente” feel when you taste it. You don't want any crunch left, but also don't want it to be mushy. Once it's cooked, turn off the heat and leave the wild rice covered for an additional 15 minutes.

Why is wild rice so expensive? ›

Because of its unique harvesting needs (learn more about it here), wild rice is significantly more expensive than brown rice. In fact, it's one of the most expensive grains. In Washington State, as of January 2023, wild rice costs $5.16 per pound and brown rice costs 80 cents a pound.

Wild rice expands three to four times after cooking. One cup uncooked (6 ounces) will yield about 3-4 cups cooked. One pound uncooked wild rice measures about 2 2/3 cups and will yield about 8 to 10 cups cooked. Wild rice can be served hot, warm or chilled.

Wild rice, also called manoomin, mnomen, Psíŋ, Canada rice, Indian rice, or water oats, is any of four species of grasses that form the genus Zizania, and the grain that can be harvested from them.

Koreans don't consume wild rice and they are not native to Korean peninsula. China is known to have used them but they preferred the edible stems rather than the seeds.

For many years, basically all of the wild rice produced in the world came from Minnesota, and most still does. Wild rice often is harvested from lakes in a traditional way, from canoes; people interested in harvesting wild rice in Minnesota must purchase a wild ricing license, similar to a fishing or hunting license.

1 Cup Wild Rice. 1-2 cups water (texture will be par-cooked with 1 cup of water, very soft with 2 cups- I prefer 1 ½ cups of water for slightly chewy 'al dente' rice) ½ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)

Similar to cooking brown rice, it takes longer to simmer on the stovetop because it's a whole grain. You need to simmer until the hull splits and gets tender, which usually takes about an hour. My Mom cooks wild rice in the oven for holidays, when stovetop space is at a premium, and that works well too.

The bottom line

Wild rice is a special type of grain that's chewy and tasty. It's higher in protein than regular rice and contains several important nutrients and an impressive amount of antioxidants. What's more, eating wild rice regularly may improve heart health and lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.

Make wild rice just as you prepare white or brown rice, but it will require a longer cooking time. The grains triple in size, so one cup of dried wild rice will yield at least three cups cooked. Serve it as a side dish or alongside grilled chicken or salmon.