Which is Best - White or Brown Rice

Which is Best White or Brown Rice

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Many ethnic food cultures have rice as a main staple in their cuisine. And the question of: Which is Best White or Brown Rice – often comes up in the minds of many ethnic foods lovers.

Which is Best - White or Brown Rice?

Rice Paddies (Photo Attributed to Author: Angie, from Sawara, Chiba-ken, Japan)

Rice is cultivated all over the world, and is naturally grown in rice paddies like this image on the left. And “natural” rice is usually some shade of brown in color. But over the past several decades, “white” foods, such as white bread, potatoes, pasta, etc., have taken a bad rap. When asked the question about being the healthiest for you: Which is Best – White or Brown Rice? – most “health conscious” cooks will automatically respond with “brown”.

But is this really the case? I have had conversations with other cooking enthusiasts, chefs, and nutritionists, whose opinions I respect, and discovered that the “Little White Lie” about which is healthier for you – white “processed” foods, or the brown, marketed as “natural” foods, are best.

So I did some digging and research of my own on this, and came up with the following conclusions to help you decide:

Which is Best White or Brown Rice

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(Photo Attributed to Author: Dan McKay)

(Photo Attributed to Author: Dan McKay)

(Photo Attributed to Author: Takeaway)

(Photo Attributed to Author: Takeaway)

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Making Homemade Miso Paste

Making Homemade Miso Paste

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If you love Asian cuisine and enjoy preparing authentic and traditional dishes, then making homemade miso paste is a skill you might want to acquire. Originating in Japan, miso is a fermented food, made with soybeans. And it has for millennia been a staple in their cuisine. But it’s use long ago spread all over Asia, and is highly popular and included in Korean, Chinese, and many other Asian cuisines, as well.

Making Homemade Miso Paste

Large Barrels of Fermenting Miso at Maruya Hatcho Co., Japan (Photo Attributed to Author: Kodachi)

You can, of course, just buy good quality, authentic and traditional miso paste in most major metropolitan areas, around the world. Companies like Maruya Hatcho Co., in Okazaki, Japan, mass produce miso while still using ancient and traditional methods.

You can even purchase from a wide variety here on our online foods store. misoFor making homemade miso paste, you will need just a small amount of already prepared miso – it acts as a “starter”, with the bacteria in it initiating the fermentation process.

But there is nothing quite like the satisfaction of making homemade miso paste yourself, and using it to prepare your favorite Asian dishes. And making homemade miso paste also gives you the ability to adjust the taste with what beans you use, the length of fermentation time, additional kinds of ingredients you can include, etc. – which we get into later in this article.

But first, the basic ingredients and methods for …

Making Homemade Miso Paste Recipe-

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Andorran Escudella

Escudella Traditional Andorran Style

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Andorran Escudella is a national favorite in this small country. Escudella originated among the
Catalan people, and some historians claim it to be the first referenced soup in Europe. Andorrans adopted the basic stew recipe and modified it more to their favorite tastes and ingredients. For as long as modern day natives can remember, Andorran escudella has been a revered “special occasion” dish, traditionally served on Christmas.

Andorran Escudella

(Photo Attributed to Author: Tamorlan)

Very rich, filling and fatty, it features several different meats and animal parts. Some variations include meatballs. Always, however, it is spiced with parsley and garlic – lots of garlic. Andorran escudella also contains plenty of vegetables, which may vary depending on the season. Cabbage, carrots, celery, parsnips and potatoes are common ingredients. It can be served as a soup, or boiled down to more of a stew consistency. Sometimes Andorran escudella is served ladled over a bed of rice in a deep bowl. This recipe calls for rice – and pasta – as inclusive ingredients.

Authentic Andorran Escudella Recipe-

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