Video: How To Make Sushi Rolls

    Making your own sushi at home can be fun and cheaper than going to a Japanese sushi bar.
You'll need to buy sushi rice which is a small grain rice that is sticky when cooked. Other ingredients needed are dried nori sheets and seasoned rice vinegar. You can find these in the Asian Foods section of a large supermarket chain or in Chinatown. Pick up an inexpensive sushi mat too.
Fillings can be endless!

Video courtesy of AllRecipes.com

Recipe: Arroz Caldo : Filipino Chicken Rice Soup

I made White Cut Chicken (Bak Chit Gai) the night before (recipe here) and have this lovely chicken stock left over. It's quite chilly and sleeting outside and I started craving Arroz Caldo, a thick Filipino rice soup that is inspired by the Chinese rice congee. Arroz Caldo means "Hot Rice" in Spanish and was probably given that name by the Spanish settlers in the Philippines when they discovered Chinese congee.

Since the stock is already flavored with ginger and garlic, I found it perfect for this comforting dish. I used some left-over cooked chicken to make this and sped up the process.

Ingredients

• 1 small onion (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 2 inch piece of ginger (thinly sliced)
• 2 tbs vegetable oil
• 1 cup rice (either sweet rice or long grain or a combo of each)
• 1 pound boneless chicken meat (chopped: your choice of chicken breast or thigh)
• 6 cups water or chicken stock
• 2 tbs fish sauce (you can use salt or chicken bouillon if you don't have)
• 2 scallions (white and green part finely sliced for garnish)

Directions

1. In a medium sized pot, heat oil and cook the onion, garlic, and ginger for a minute until fragrant.
2. Add fish sauce and the chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the rice and stir until coated with the flavored oil.
4. Add the water or stock and cover.
5. Bring to a boil over high heat and then lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
6. When done, turn off heat. You may need to add a little water to adjust thickness to your preference.
7. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with the sliced scallions.

Recipe: Indian Style Rice

This is a simple rice dish that you can make to go with the Indian dishes that I posted before.

I was able to find the cloves, cinnamon, and cumin in a 99¢ Store. The green cardamom pods you can find in an Indian spice shop. Remember to remove the whole spices (cloves, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods) before you serve!

I used regular long grain rice (as that's what I had on hand) and the results came out nicely.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 (2 inch) piece cinnamon stick
• 2 pods green cardamom
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place rice into a bowl with enough water to cover. Set aside to soak for 20 minutes, then drain.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot or saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, and cumin seed.
4. Cook the spices all the while stiring for about a minute, then add the onion.
5. Sauté the onion until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
6. Add the drained rice to the pot/saucepan.
7. Cook and stir the rice for a few minutes, until lightly toasted and coated with the flavored oil.
8. Add salt and water to the pot, and bring to a boil.
9. Cover, and reduce heat to low.
10. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed.
11. Let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork before serving.