“A diet that consists predominantly of rice leads to the use of opium, just as a diet that consists predominantly of potatoes leads to the use of liquor.” ~ Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher (1844-1900)

Cook-out season is fully upon us now and if you are looking for a dish with a unique attitude, you’ve come to the right place. We just made some Sweet Party Rice that is especially appropriate because it can serve as a main dish for vegans and vegetarians, or a side dish that is delightful with any grilled meat, fish, or poultry. The combination of Garam Masala with raisins and mint will entice even the children to eat something that is good for them.

Garam Masala is a spice blend that comes to us from northern India. When I first tried it, I didn’t like it. Later, I learned that, like curry, the blend is generally unique to the person who does the cooking, so not liking one version should not exclude the possibility of liking it somewhere else. Indeed, I have found this to be true and now find that the aroma itself relaxes me.

If you can’t find pre-mixed Garam Masala in the store, it is easily made from common spices. This is a close proximity to the Spice Hunter version, which I like very much. Purists would say you have to grind it fresh from whole spices, but I am happy with making it from pre-ground.

GARAM MASALA

Yield: 2 tablespoons
Time: 2 minutes

1 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 ½ teaspoons Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon Cloves
1 teaspoon Coriander
1 ½ teaspoons Cardamom

Measure the ingredients into a jar, cover tightly, and shake, shake, shake. That’s all there is to it!

For this Party Rice, we used short grain brown rice because it is a nutritious whole grain and gives a pleasantly chewy texture, but feel free to use whatever rice you prefer. Using rice that was cooked 1-3 days ahead of time will help keep the grains separate (prevent them sticking together) as well as making the dish convenient for last-minute preparation.

In the photo, you can see that for vegetables we used a colorful combination of summer squash, celery, zucchini, sweet red pepper, snow peas, and a touch of corn.

SWEET PARTY RICE

Serves 4 as main dish, 12 as side dish
Time: 20 minutes (+ time to cook rice a day or two ahead)

1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 cups vegetables, cut into bite-size pieces
4 cups cold cooked rice
2 teaspoons Garam Masala
½ cup raisins
½ cup chopped fresh mint
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup cashews (optional)

Soften the onion and celery in the oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, but do not allow to brown. Add the remaining vegetables and cook until they are tender-crisp. Stir in the rice and Garam Masala and continue cooking until hot through (add a tablespoon or two of water if the mixture seems to be too dry). *Stir in the raisins, mint, parsley, and cashews, cover pot and immediately remove from heat. Serve warm.

*If you will be transporting this dish, wait to stir in the raisins, mint, parsley, and cashews until just before serving. That way, you can keep it hot in an electric crockery cooker or reheat it in a microwave oven without spoiling the lift these fresh ingredients offer.

I hope your weekend includes some time playing outdoors. It is good for the spirit as well as the body.