Monday, September 22, 2008

rice connection

After my rant about food scandals here, I had lunch with some of my beading classmates.

We were talking about the food scandals and two of my classmates (who are related through their husbands), shyly admitted that they don't have a problem with rice because they grow their own!

I was envious of this, but happy that there are people out there who can enjoy rice without having to worry if it has been tainted with chemicals or mold.

So on Saturday, an errand arose out of the blue and I met up with the classmate that grows her own rice....she and her husband had just cleaned the harvested rice which is called seimai, and she gave me a ziploc bag of freshly cleaned rice!

Last night, I washed several cups and pre-set my rice cooker for breakfast this morning.

I usually don't make "white rice", always add in extra grains for fiber or add in some genmai (brown rice), but I thought since we were trying my classmate's rice we should try it "plain"....delicious.

The grains seemed a bit smaller than the rice I buy, but still delicious and much appreciated.

Gochisoosama!

13 comments:

bourgogne said...

very surprising and cool that ppl grow their own rice! everything grown yourself always seems better and better for you. i wonder how much land you need to grow your own rice.

K and S said...

It is very cool, Bourgogne, I'm not so sure as to how much land you need, but I think at least a half acre is necessary.

Take care.
Kat

Phoebe said...

This rice certainly looks healthy (as in good/plump)!! Did it taste any different to the ones that you buy in the markets, Kat?

K and S said...

No difference in taste, Phoebe, just peace of mind :)

Take care.
Kat

KirkK said...

Hi Kat - Amazing, I guess being a city-boy, I just find it hard to believe people grow their own rice. That is so very cool.....

Deb in Hawaii said...

I have to say I never really thought about people growing their own rice. How cool to get to try some.

K and S said...

Thanks Kirkk & Deb, even though we are near the city, there are still many fields of veggies and rice around, which makes me happy to see :)

Take care.
Kat

ila said...

mmmmm!!! my mom's classmates still sends us their home-grown rice every shin-mai season. i swear it's the best thing ever.

K and S said...

Fresh is definitely the best isn't it, Ila? You guys are really lucky :)

Take care.
Kat

Anonymous said...

Oh my god that's so brilliant, growing one's own rice!

Where do they grow it? Do they have big gardens? (Having visions of padi fields.......)

K and S said...

I'm not sure where they grow the rice,P-T, but I think they have some land (maybe an acre or more??) Most farmers that I've seen grow their rice during the summer then during the other months, they use the same field to grow other veggies.

Take care.
Kat

Martin J Frid said...

Envy, envy. I do have a few friends who grow their own rice, and it sounds like a good deal.

They get over 800 kg from their 1/10 ha, which is over 5 ton of milled rice per ha.

I have seen the fields, they are on a huge flat area, and everyone has their own little "1/10 ha" to care about.

And that is just 2 hours north of Tokyo ;)

K and S said...

that is great, Martin! I hope they are sharing some with you :)

Take care.
Kat