A side dish of rice is a trusted accompaniment to a standout main dish. I like to have rice to tame a spicy food, to cleanse my palate, to even out a salty protein. It’s a very reliable component and it’s rare to find someone who would object to its presence. We appreciate its simplicity. Japanese cuisine will often end a complex set of courses with a plain bowl of perfectly cooked rice. I always enjoy this, as it winds down the meal.
Still, we should give rice a challenge every once in a while. Maybe rice wants to be the star of the show. Maybe she wants us to know her potential — to be more than the base of a bowl or a filler side. For how much we all enjoy this food, you’d think we’d take it out of the supporting role more often. Even when we make fried rice or other rice dishes, we still consider it a side.
Enter chile garlic rice, a dish with the same structure as chile garlic noodles. I have seen this structure many times with all kinds of noodles — ramen noodles, rice noodles, even soba or spaghetti, but not as often with rice. I am not sure why, as rice takes on the flavors just as easily as noodles. Don’t be afraid of the oil in this dish — it blends in very well with the garlic and herbs. It is not overly slick. The ginger and garlic are forward but in a way we can appreciate them. I encourage you to increase the Thai pepper or gochugaru if you like it spicy. You could substitute soy sauce for the salt, but it will have a flavor that competes with the fresh mix-ins.
This recipe calls you to completely cover every grain with flavor. Perhaps confront how much seasoning you would dare add to any other main dish. You can serve this with a simple (think salt and pepper) protein, but you don’t even need to. I think this bowl of rice stands on its own, and could only be improved with a fried egg topping.
Chile Garlic Rice
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup cilantro (stems removed)
• 1/4 cup Thai basil
• 1/2 cup green onion (white and light green parts only)
• 1-inch ginger
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon red pepper powder (gochugaru)
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoons avocado or vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• Salt, to taste
• 3 cups hot, cooked rice
Directions:
Mince the cilantro, basil, green onion, ginger and garlic. Add this to a bowl and mix with the gochugaru and sesame seeds.
Add the rice to a large bowl (so there is room for mixing), and top with the herb mixture. It may look like a lot, but it’s OK.
Heat the oils over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Carefully pour the oil over the herbs, trying to sort of cook the ingredients and take the raw edge o~ . It should still be very bright and strong, though.
Stir everything together well, adding pinches of salt as you go to ˚ avor it as you like. I needed about ˛ ve pinches of salt with this ratio.
Serve immediately with spoons as your utensil.
Makes 2 servings.
Mariko Jackson writes about family and food. Email her at thelittlefoodie@gmail.com.
