Ah, wonderful rice! Well, I guess rice doesn't have to be a food. It can be a university, there is, after all, Rice University in Houston. And rice can something that is fun to throw at weddings. At least that is what we did when I was a kid, but that seems to have fallen out of favor. So that leaves us with rice as a food. That is how most of us know rice and the Amish are no different!
📜The Amish and Rice
You might be surprised to find rice in Amish recipes. After all, isn't rice Asian? Well, yes, historically. But rice has become a worldwide staple. It's cheap, easy, plentiful and travels well. So Amish bulk food stores can can sack fulls of rice.
Because rice is cheap and sells so well in bulk it gradually became a fixture in Amish stores. So Amish cooks could buy a big sack of rice and it quickly became a hit in casseroles, soups, and as a side.
🎨 White, Brown, or Purple?
The vast majority of rice found in Amish cooking is white rice. Brown rice is sometimes found, but not nearly as common. Brown rice is a healthier alternative to white rice, as it contains more fiber and nutrients. However, it is also more expensive and can be more difficult to find in Amish bulk food stores
Purple rice is a type of rice that has a deep purple color and a slightly nutty flavor (or so I am told, to me, it just tastes like rice!). Purple is not as common as white or brown rice, but it is becoming more popular, as it is a good source of antioxidants.
📋 What is Nice About Rice
Rice is prized for its versatility so you'll find Amish cooks using rice in a variety of ways, including:
- Side dish: Rice can be cooked simply and served as a side dish to any meal. It is often paired with chicken, fish, or vegetables.
- Casseroles: Rice is a popular ingredient in Amish casseroles. It can be used to bulk up a dish and make it more filling. Some popular Amish casserole recipes that include rice include chicken and rice casserole, beef and rice casserole, and tuna noodle casserole.
- Soups and stews: Rice can also be added to soups and stews to thicken them and make them more filling.
- Fried rice: Amish people sometimes eat fried rice, which is a dish made with cooked rice, vegetables, eggs, and meat. Fried rice has historically been quintessentially an Asian dish but the Amish have discovered it and made it their own!
- Rice pudding: Rice pudding is a popular Amish dessert. It is made with cooked rice, milk, sugar, and spices.
Rice is a versatile ingredient that can be used in many different ways. It is also a good source of carbohydrates, which provide energy. This is likely why rice has become more popular among the Amish in recent years.
🍚 11 Amish Rice Recipes
Kathy Davenport
My Georgia grandmother cooked a big pot of rice every day for the noon dinner. Our summer visits usually coincided with time to harvest vegetables (many, many peas and beans). The women and older cousins spent hours shelling and snapping those veggies which would either be cooked the next day or frozen for winter. So when people talk of “comfort food,” mine would be those beans/peas served over mounds of rice.
Kevin Williams
Mmmm, that sounds so good...so simple, but so, so good!