Rice matters

Not long ago, there was an article in the New York Times about the rise of California premium japonica rices, which are apparently now grown, harvested, and milled to such exacting standards that they are actually supplanting Asian varieties in even the famously picky Japanese market. We had just bought a biggish sack of japonica rice at the Japanese supermarket in Rockville, and as it turns out, it is one of the fanciest and most-praised brands, Kagayaki Select. I of course know nothing about rice, so this was the sheerest luck, but it's true that it cooks up beautifully.

I am also growing addicted to my furikake (rice seasoning sprinkle). It comes in about eight million flavors. The one I have become attached to is Nori Komi Furikake, which contains roasted white and black sesame seeds, sugar, dried seaweed, salt, and "hydrolyzed soy protein." S. finds it deeply vile, but I find it delectable. I see that people also enjoy eating various furikakes on hot buttered popcorn, which sounds like a potentially fine idea. I am now contemplating how dandy it would be to have a ton of different varieties of furikake for use in making assorted tasty rice balls.

Posted by redfox at October 22, 2003 05:38 PM (dinner reports) | Comments (2)

Comments

I've been reading your blog for a while & greatly enjoying it. I was finally driven to comment by the glory of riceballs. O-nigiri are the hidden treasure of Japanese home cooking and I wish you luck in making them!

Posted by Nicole at October 24, 2003 10:49 PM

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