Brown Rice

The most important thing I needed to learn about when I came to Japan was rice. I grew up with the notion that brown is better: brown sugar, brown bread, brown eggs so why not brown rice? Sushi shops in Vancouver sell sushi rolls with brown rice, so why can't I buy it here?

It turns out brown rice is available from bulk bins from some farmer's markets. We buy ours from Azemichi in Utsunomiya, Tochigi. It is called "genmai gohan," which is simply unpolished white rice; if that is too chewy, one can request it to be polished just a little, or it can be mixed with white rice. Brown rice turns out to be cheaper than white, because you don't need to eat so much to feel full, and it doesn't go down as fast as white rice.

To cook brown rice, rinse it under the tap briefly, set the timer for at least six hours later so it can soften a bit, and use a little more water than usual.

By the way, how about trying rice porridge for breakfast?  I pour milk over a bowl of reheated rice,  then add some sweetener like sugar, honey or if feeling extravagant, maple syrup and some toppings like nuts, coconut, raisons, sesame seeds, yogurt, and chopped banana. Perhaps with this post, I'll start a kind of rice revolution.