I know I hadn't until I read about it in the latest issue of Eating Well. This whole-grain rice is related to Basmati rice - it has a very different appearance though!
It has a reddish-brown tinge, the grains are thicker than regular long-grain brown rice and it produces a very aromatic note of popcorn while it cooks. One thing I noticed when it had completed cooking was that the grains split open a little somewhat akin to what happens when you cook wild rice. I went out to a few of our local markets to see if I could even find it and was surprised I was able to easily locate it in each store! I wonder how I missed it before?
Once we had finished cooking the Wehani rice, we began the rest of tonight's dinner - Dirty Rice! Confession; just like the last time we made a different version, this is not "true" dirty rice, but I just can't bring myself to buy chicken livers and gizzards. We've come a long way in our culinary journey, but neither of us are ready for that (and can't say we ever will be either!).So, instead of using those chicken parts, the dish ends up a little lighter as the meaty portion comes from using chicken andouille sausage. While the sausage is already cooked, we first browned them in the skillet to enhance their flavor with a bit of caramelization. When browned, chopped onions, celery and a red bell pepper are added. Once they had softened enough, a couple cloves of garlic are tossed in, followed by a bit of fresh thyme and a couple shakes of cayenne pepper for a background of heat. While you could use regular long-grain brown rice in this recipe, the Wehani rice brought a chewier, more toothsome texture that was a welcome change. I'm looking forward to experimenting more and seeing what other dishes would benefit from this extrinsic rice!
Recipes
Dirty Rice
Dirty Rice
No, you're not the last person to have heard of this rice - I must be! I can't bring myself to use odd chicken parts either so your recipe looks fantastic to me. I can't wait to try it.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of wehani rice either. It looks interesting, though. I'll be keeping an eye out for it.
ReplyDeleteNope, you're not the last one to hear of and/or find this rice. Never heard of it until your post. Your "dirty rice" looks yummy. I hear you on the chicken livers and gizzards, though. Ick.
ReplyDeleteI bought Wehani rice several years ago to make a filling for stuffed acorn squash. I could only find it at the natural food store back then. And I feel like there was some supplier from California that was the sole supplier or maybe even inventor of it.
ReplyDeleteI'm another one who's never heard of it either! The popcorn aroma sounds interesting though. May have to see if I can find it at my local stores and give it a try.
ReplyDeleteI never heard of it either. It looks like bugs when dry!
ReplyDeleteWell, you are definitely not the last..probably not even close... ...I've never heard of it either...and my regular Basmati still makes the house smell like popcorn...
ReplyDeleteand I ain't eating gizzards either...ick.... there is so much more appetizing stuff to use.... wwhew.....
I've never heard of wehani rice, either! I'll have to look for it!
ReplyDeleteYour're not the last one - I haven't heard of it either. Sounds nice though.
ReplyDeleteWhew! Glad we were not the only ones then. The rice was a nice change of pace though - I need to try it in something else now!
ReplyDeleteI've heard of it, in fact I have a rice blend from Lundberg farms that includes that and japonica, wild, etc, etc.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, I'll never eat liver or gizzards or any offal for that matter. I can't even stomach red meat.
Randi - Yup, it was under the Lundberg family of foods.
ReplyDelete