Rice Is Pretty Nice

If I were to invite you to any family gathering, you would be guaranteed to find rice at the table. My Brazilian grandmother believes that Brazilian rice - or chaval in Portuguese - is an essential part of every meal. Because of this, she makes rice on a daily basis and makes sure to double it for any family get-together. Christmas dinner? There's rice. Thanksgiving? Two bowls worth. A backyard barbeque? You can count on it. The funny thing is, if you were to ask you for her recipe she wouldn't be able to tell you it. My grandmother has a gift for cooking, and knows her recipes by sight and taste. She does not know the exact measurements or time it takes to cook, but instead relies on muscle memory. For this reason, I used the recipe from the book The Cooking of Brazil by Matthew Locricchio.

Part of the reason my grandmother makes rice every day is because it reminds her of her upbringing in Brazil. When my grandparents moved to Los Angeles in 1958, my grandma was 25 and by that time her character had already been built by Brazil's culture and customs. In the book The Cooking of Brazil Locricchio states, "Rice is enjoyed every day in Brazil. It can be as simple or elaborate as the cook makes it, but it is always a part of a Brazilian meal" (Locricchio 51).

Brazilian rice is made with one cup of long-grain rice, one garlic clove, two tablespoons of lemon juice, one and a half tablespoons of vegetable oil, three-fourths teaspoon of salt, and one and a half cup of hot water. The first step is to rise the rice and mince the garlic. Then in a 10-inch frying pan

heat the oil before sautéing the rice and garlic for four to five minutes. When the rice has soaked up a bit of the vegetable oil and turned a darker color, add the lemon juice, hot water, and salt. After bringing to a boil, lower the heat and cover the pan before allowing the rice to simmer for about 18 minutes. When the rice is done turn off the heat but do not take off the lid for another five to ten minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve (Locricchio 52).

Like many other Brazilian foods, the simplicity of rice allows it to be altered to accommodate any meal. For instance, my grandma always sautés a tomato and onion before adding the rice. There are countless ways to make rice which Brazilians do every day. The fact that the recipe is memorized by so many makes me wonder: what are some recipes that your family knows by heart?

Locricchio, Matthew. "Beans and Rice." The Cooking of Brazil. New York: Benchmark /Marshall Cavendish, 2005. 51-52. Print.