Forbidden Rice
Black Rice was discovered in China as a rice mutation between 3000 and 1000 BC; it became a selectively bred cultivated crop during the Tang Dynasty 618-907 AD and was called "Forbidden Rice" because it was reserved only for the emperor and his family.
I discovered Black Rice doing culinary research for a Chinese New Year dinner. I had actually never heard of it before and that's because it only recently became widely commercially available in US markets, previously being something one could find only in specialty Asian markets, if at all.
Black Rice is an heirloom rice, meaning that it was open pollinated, grown at earlier times in history and not cultivated on any mass scale in modern times until recently. Because it is unprocessed with the bran intact, it contains high fiber, has a lower glycemic index than brown rice and is outright delicious. Its texture is firm like Wild Rice and it has a mild, nutty flavor akin to Brown Rice. It actually turns a deep purple when cooked. This dark color is due to one of the highest levels of anthocyanin by weight of any other grain. Anthocyanin is a chemical compound and a pigment that give foods and flowers their dark purple colors; it is found in eggplant, blueberries, currants, concord grapes and purple cabbage to name a few.
Forbidden Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup black rice
- 2- 1/4 cups beef stock (like, Swanson's or Kitchen Basics)
- 1 4-oz package pancetta cubetti (like, Private Selection)
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/2 medium green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/2 cup finely diced carrots
- 3 green onions, finely chopped
- 6 tbsp light soy sauce (like, Kikkoman Less Salt)
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce (like, Panda Brand)
- 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce (like, Huy Fong)
- rice wine vinegar for serving (like, Marukan Seasoned Gourmet)
Instructions
- Place the rice in a small sauce pan with a tight fitting lid.
- Add the beef stock and stir.
- Bring the stock to a rapid boil over high heat, then put on the lid, drop the heat to its lowest setting and allow the rice to simmer covered until all liquid has been absorbed, about 40 minutes.
- When all the liquid has been absorbed, turn off the heat, but allow the pan to sit undisturbed for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, fluff with a fork, and place the rice in an uncovered dish, and refrigerate for at least three hours; overnight is even better. Drying the rice in this fashion will allow the grains to absorb the flavors more readily when it is fried and keeps the mixture from becoming mushy.
- In a large skillet or wok, stir fry the pancetta cubes over medium high heat until browned, about 10 minutes.
- Toss in the carrots and stir fry for 5 minutes; then add the red and green diced bell peppers and stir fry another 5 minutes.
- Add the rice to the pan, and using the chaun, continually keep the mixture in motion to prevent it from sticking or burning. Cook about 5 minutes until the rice is heated thoroughly.
- Add the soy, oyster and Sriracha sauces, and stir fry another 5 minutes.
- At the last minute, toss in the chopped green onion and stir to combine.
- Serve with rice wine vinegar on the side.
Notes
- Do be careful after you cook the black rice, you'll see why it is also called purple rice. Any liquid left behind becomes a powerful purple dye.
