Flavour Experiments - How do I impart specific flavours to rice/quinoa/couscous?

[HomeEconHelp]

I have tried some grain based salads in cafes that look plain - and yet they are bursting with flavour. I thought that the cafe might be toasting the rice/quinoa/couscous in infused oils so I tried to do something similar. I got some oil, added mustard seeds and garlic to the oil and then toasted my rice in it before simmering it. I didn't really notice a major difference.

Is there another way to do it?

The salads I saw pretty much just looked like grains, celery, brocolli, and spring onion. But it tasted amazing.

 

[Pearl]

I've wondered this too! I need to do a little homework on this one!! Wonder if one of the cafes would give up their secret?

 

[backlash]

I had some quinoa at my son's wedding reception.
Never had it before and see no reason to ever have it again.
All I can figure out is someone must have said it's good for you so people eat it.
I suggested they feed it to cows then eat the cow.
My vegan niece that made it was not amused but her husband was.

 

[Pearl]

I use quinoa in a lot things!! Salads, stews, soups. It is VERY good for you!! The other ingredients make up for it's lack of taste!

 

[Haertig]

I have tried some grain based salads in cafes that look plain - and yet they are bursting with flavour. I thought that the cafe might be toasting the rice/quinoa/couscous in infused oils so I tried to do something similar.

We just went to a Benihana restaurant yesterday. For those that don't have those in your area, it is Japanese style food cooked right in front of you on a large flat grill.

I carefully watched the fried rice the chef made. Dumped a bunch of already cooked rice on the grill, that had been generously covered and preheated with safflower oil prior to adding the rice. He let the rice sit there for quite a while. Vegetables that go into the rice - onions, carrots, green peas (?) and I'm not sure what else - were grilled separately in a different spot on the grill. Ditto for some skinless boneless chicken breast. As the rice was cooking, he added some garlic butter. Then some more garlic butter. Then a ton more garlic butter. Finally, a bunch more garlic butter. Then he started salting it. Enough salt to kill off a whole herd of garden slugs. And then ... extra salt. Quite a bit of pepper came next. He scrambled/fried a bunch of eggs on the grill too and added those to the rice.

He added a whole lot more seasonings than I would have ever imagined. Nothing exotic, just regular stuff that you'd find in any kitchen. And in the end, the rice came out pretty mild as things go. I was expecting it to be seasoned to death, but it was very good and if anything - under seasoned. Bottom line: don't skimp on the seasonings you add to the rice. It took quite a bit more than I was expecting. YMMV.

 

[joel]

I would add Saffron, I am thinking of growing the saffron flower, it is easy & would not need more than 20 bulbs.
Infuse your salt with vanilla, Turmeric & ginger for a flavour.
I would make up a small amount until I found a flavour combo I liked.
Fresh Mint is another one that is good for you & gives a kick.
Speaking of kick, heat can kick it up a notch or three.
Got any Ghost peppers or Carolina Reapers??

 

[Haertig]

I would add Saffron

Saffron is not cheap. But I have found it much cheaper at the Indian food market we have here in town than in a regular grocery store.

 

[Weedygarden]

I would add Saffron, I am thinking of growing the saffron flower, it is easy & would not need more than 20 bulbs.
Infuse your salt with vanilla, Turmeric & ginger for a flavour.
I would make up a small amount until I found a flavour combo I liked.
Fresh Mint is another one that is good for you & gives a kick.
Speaking of kick, heat can kick it up a notch ot three.
Got any Ghost peppers or Carolina Reapers??

A few years ago, I was sitting in daughters back yard and saw a crocus blooming, in the fall. It was a saffron crocus. A few more appeared within the week and I picked them all and harvested the stamens, where the seasoning part is. Expensive to purchase? Very! But I have planted quite a few saffron crocus on my property. I thought about it. Saffron crocus could be a nice small farming business.

 

[joel]

Saffron like vanilla beans, it is fairly cheap to set up & grow, the labor on harvest it the cost, so do enough for you & you closed circle of family & friends. As a business the cost for Saffron is bed lay out & picking the Bloom, drying the spice.
Vanilla in zone 8 & above you need a greenhouse & the plants, which can be a large start up.
Mushrooms, garlic & honey is easier, but you will not get rich.
With a large greenhouse you can grow ginger, turmeric & pineapple too

 

[joel]

https://motherwouldknow.com/how-to-identify-real-saffron-avoid-fake-saffron/

 

[joel]

Saffron is not cheap. But I have found it much cheaper at the Indian food market we have here in town than in a regular grocery store.

Good to know, saffron for taste, use turmeric for saffron color.
Turmeric is good for you & cheaper than Saffron.