Elevate Plain Rice With A Spoonful Of One Sticky Ingredient

When it comes to rice, there are many flavorful ways to give this versatile food a delicious upgrade. While there are several types of rice with different uses, there are even more sauces, condiments, and spices available to elevate this simple grain, including soy sauce, butter, and coconut milk. To create a sweeter side dish, though, just use a little honey.

There are lots of unusual ways to cook with honey, and adding this sticky ingredient to a bowl of prepared rice can complement a wide variety of sweet and savory meals. Honey has a complex flavor profile with characteristics ranging from bold and distinct to earthy and floral. When mixed with rice, this natural sweetener takes on a more nuanced taste.

For robust meals that include a lot of herbs and spices, such as chipotle-spiced salmon or vegetarian Thai green curry, honeyed rice serves as the perfect side dish to balance spicier pastes or seasonings. On the other hand, adding a spoonful of honey to Mexican rice made with cilantro and lime may perfectly balance your next batch of dry-rubbed carnitas. To create a tasty stand-alone side dish, cook your rice with a mixture of aromatic vegetables, spicy peppers, and vegetable or chicken broth. You can then add in some honey and salt for an equal balance of sweet and spicy flavor.

Next to using Mother Nature's candy to counteract bold flavors, you can also use honey and rice to make a variety of unique meals and treats. When it comes to breakfast, transform cooked rice into makeshift bowls of oatmeal by adding milk, honey, a sprinkle of nuts, and sliced fruit. You can incorporate a spoonful of your favorite nut butter to make this dish more filling.

Honeyed rice also makes delicious breakfast parfaits. First, mix rice with honey and a dash of your favorite warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Then all you need to do is layer sweetened rice and vanilla yogurt into glass jars. Feel free to add more flavor between layers with fruit compote or jam. For more texture, try including dried coconut flakes, granola, or cereal.

If you're cooking sticky or glutinous rice specifically, add honey and dried fruit and press the mixture into a greased rectangular pan. After a short time in your refrigerator, cut your rice into well-defined squares and enjoy it as a tasty alternative to granola bars. Or substitute sugar for honey when making international recipes such as Thai mango sticky rice or Filipino steamed rice cakes. You can also use honey to craft delicious desserts like vegan pumpkin pecan rice pudding or Korean dessert squares which are made with sticky rice, date paste, honey, and chestnuts.