Rice

Rice

Research

Rice is a main source of food for over half the world's population. Fifty countries produce rice with China and India producing 50% of the total production. Over 300 million acres of Asian land is used for growing rice. Rice production is so important to Asian cultures that the word for rice in particular Asian languages also means food itself.

Where is rice grown?

Rice is grown in a variety of environments and can be grown in places where other crops would fail. The leading producers of rice are China, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma, Philippines, Brazil, Japan and the US. Environments for growing rice is classified based on altitude (upland, lowland) and water source (water from rain, irrigated). 

Irrigated rice:

- About 80 million hectares of irrigated lowland rice provides 75% of the world's rice production

- Irrigated rice is grown in bunded fields or paddies

- Farmers to try to keep 5-10 cm of water on the field

- Irrigated rice is usually grown continuously with two or even three crops a year

Rainfed rice (lowland):

- Grown in river deltas and coastal areas

- Planted in bunded fields, flooded with rainwater

- About 60 million hectares of rainfed lowlands provided 20% of the world's rice production

- Frequently affected by drought or even floods

- Amount of rice grown depends on the intensity of rainfall and how the timing and duration of rainfall

- Farmers rarely use fertilisers and tend to not try to grow improved varieties of rice

Rainfed rice (upland):

- Nearly 100 million people depend on rainfed upland rice as their daily staple food

- Two-thirds of the total upland rice is grown in Asia: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam are important producers

- Upland rice only contributes about 4% of the world's total rice production

- Climates and ecosystems are extremely diverse

Map showing where rice is grown (ignore the weird heads)

Map showing the three primary rice ecosystems around the world

How is rice grown?

1. Prepare the soil- on hilly terrains, the area must be levelled into terraces; paddies have to be levelled too and then the fields have to be ploughed before planting.

2. Rice seeds are soaked

3. Seeds have to be placed into fields- many Asian countries sow seeds by hand while large enterprises in the US sow seeds by airplanes but most farmers use a drill that places the seed in the ground

4. After approximately three months, the plants would have reached full growth and the grains will start to ripen. Then the water is drained from the fields and as the fields dry, the grains ripen further and harvesting starts
5. Rice is then harvested either by hand using sharp knives or sickles or machines by tractors or horse-drawn machines.

6. Rice grains are dried to decrease the moisture either by artificially heated air or with natural sunlight. Dried rice is called rough rice which is now ready for processing
7. Next, hulling is done by hand by rolling or grinding rough rice between stones. In modern day, this is usually done at a mill but before this, rice is first cleaned to sift out any debris.
8. Once the rice is clean, rice is usually hulled by a machine that copies the action of the traditional method using stones
9. From the machine, grains and hulls are moved to an another machine that separates hulled and unhulled grains. Hulled rice grains are known as brown rice.
10. The brown rice goes through two more machines that remove the outer layers from the grain and then again to ensure that all outer layers are removed
11. The brown rice is now a lighter coloured and is cooled and polished by another machine. Broken kernels are then sifted out.

Three basic types of rice:
Short grain:
Short grain rice is small compared to the two other types. It is usually squat and plump when uncooked but when cooked, it is soft and tender and sticks together really well. Sushi rice is a common type of short-grain rice. It is often used for sushi, pudding and moulded salads.

Medium-grain:
Medium-grain is shorter and wider than long-grain. This type of rice is moist, tender, slightly chewy and sticks to each other when cooked. Common types of medium-grain rice include Arborio and Valencia which are used to make risottos and Bomba rice, which is used in paellas.

Long grain:
Long grain rice is long and slim. When cooked, it is fairly dry and firm and tends to remain separate. This type of rice includes American long-grain white and brown rice, basmati rice, jasmine rice. Usually best for side dishes, pilafs and salads.

Six different types of rice:
- Sweet brown rice
- Brown basmati rice
- Himalayan red rice
- Purple Thai rice
- Chinese black rice
- Colusari red rice

Foods that use rice as its base
- Rice wine- sake, cheongju
- Chinese varieties- sticky rice, fried rice, rice pudding etc.
- Risotto
- Paella
- Rice crackers

Parboiled rice vs Precooked rice

• Also called instant rice, minute rice, boil in a bag rice etc.
• Rice that has been soaked with the outer layer, steamed and dried before sale
• Re-cooking parboiled rice is quicker than cooking raw rice because parboiled rice is pre-cooked already
• In parboiling, nutrients are transferred from the bran (pieces of grain husk separated from flour after milling) to the kernel of the rice
• Advantages of parboiled rice: convenience
• Disadvantages of parboiled rice: loss of nutritional value, loss in flavour

Major nutrients in rice and functions in the body

Carbohydrates

• Their main role is to provide energy- is the body's main source of fuel and is needed for physical activity, brain function and operating the organs
• Important for intestinal health and waste elimination
• Carbohydrates is changed into glucose- some of it is used for energy and the rest is stored in your muscles and liver for future use
• Simple carbs: simple sugars found in fruits, vegetables, milk etc.
• Complex carbs: starch found in bread, cereals, starchy vegetables, rice, pasta etc.
• Complex carbs usually contain fibre which can help digestion

Protein:

• Vital to the maintenance, development and repair of the body
• Hair, skin, eyes, muscles are organs are all made from protein
• Children need more protein than adults because they are growing
• Excessive protein will become energy but if there is enough energy, it would become part of fat cells
• Proteins are involved in some hormones and enzymes are proteins that increase the rate of chemical reactions in the body
• Protein forms antibodies that help prevent infection, illness and disease

Fibre:

• Fibre is the indigestible part of plants which is mostly made up of carbohydrates
• Two types: soluble and insoluble; soluble fibre cannot be digested but absorbs water when it passes through the body; insoluble fibre is unchanged and contributes to faeces
• Aids digestion- soluble fibre helps to plump out faeces which slows down the rate of digestion while insoluble fibre speeds up digestion
• A lack of fibre can lead to problems in the stomach like constipation, colitis, colon cancer etc.

3 Vitamins:
Vitamin B:
- Vitamin B1 helps convert glucose into energy and has a role in nerve function
- Vitamin B2 is involved in the production of energy, help vision, and helps you keep your skin healthy
- Vitamin B3 is essential for the conversion of carbs, fat and alcohol into energy, helps you keep your skin healthy and supports the nervous and digestive systems
- Vitamin B5 is needed to digest carbs, proteins, fats and alcohol. It is also needed to produce red blood cells
- Vitamin B6 is similar to B5 and is needed to digest proteins and carbs, produce red blood cells and certain brain chemicals

Vitamin E:
- It is an antioxidant
- Protects body tissue from damage by free radicals which can harm cells, tissues and organs
- Free radicals are believed to play a role in aging

Vitamin K:
- Stored in fat tissue and liver
- Helps blood to clot properly
- Important role in bone health

3 Minerals:

Magnesium:
- Helps maintain normal nerve and muscle function
- Keeps heart beat steady
- Helps bones remain strong
- Regulate blood glucose levels
- Helps to produce energy and protein

Phosphorus:
- Works with calcium to help build bones, it is important to have the right ratios
- Involved in the body's energy production

Potassium:

- Makes sure cells, tissues and organs properly function in the body
- Electrolyte- conducts electricity in the body
- Crucial to heart function
- Important for skeletal and smooth muscle contraction

What food group is rice in?
Rice is part of the "bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods" food group in the Eatwell Plate. It should make up about a third of the food we eat and is an important part of a healthy diet. We should try to eat whole grain varieties as much as possible.

Cooking Methods of Rice
Boiling:
1. Boil water- for every cup of rice use 1 3/4 cups of water and mix in 1 teaspoon of salt into the water
2. Add the rice into the water
3. Use a wooden spoon to separate any clumps and do not over stir because it can cause the rice to become sticky
4. Let it simmer for about 18 minutes and turn down the heat. Then remove it from the heat and let the rice steam in the pot for another 5 minutes
5. Gently separate the grains before serving

Absorption:
1. Wash rice thoroughly
2. Boil water in a saucepan with a tight fitting lid
3. Once the water is boiling, add rice and salt and boil for 5 minutes with the lid partially covered
4. Cover completely with the lid, turn down the heat and cook for a further 10 minutes
5. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to stand for a further 10 minutes without removing the lid
6. Remove the lid and serve


Microwave:
1. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water is clear
2. Drain the water and place the rice in a microwave-safe bowl
3. Add water to cover the rice by 2cm- a way to measure this is by placing your index finger at the top and if the water reaches your finger's first joint then it is enough
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to trap the steam and cook on a high setting or 800 watts for 5 minutes then cook on a medium setting or 500 watts for another 7 minutes
5. Set aside for 3 minutes then separate the grains and serve

Steaming:
1. Place rice in a saucepan then add the water using the method above
2. Cover with a lid or foil and bring it to a boil over high heat
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed
4. Remove it from the heat and set it aside for 5 minutes without lifting the lid
5. Stir the rice to separate the grains

Differences between cooking rice and pasta
- Rice takes longer to cook- usually 20+ minutes while pasta takes 8-12 minutes
- When cooking rice, water is absorbed while when cooking pasta, you have to drain the excess water afterwards
- You use boiling water when cooking pasta but just normal cold water when cooking rice

References:
- http://ricepedia.org/rice-as-a-crop/where-is-rice-grown
- http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-between-short-medium-and-long-grain-rice-227756
- http://www.readersdigest.com.au/recipes/types-of-rice.asp
- http://ricepedia.org/rice-as-food/other-rice-products
- http://elizabethyarnell.com/effortlesseating/2012/08/parboiled-rice/
- http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/role-carbohydrates-6560.html
- http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/nutrition/nutrition-tips/why-you-need-fibre/news-story/b4dbf1478a89fe896e776c14ed4c2e96
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002406.htm
- http://www.healthline.com/health/how-your-body-uses-phosphorus#Phosphates2
- http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/potassium
- http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/easy-ways-enjoy-whole-grains/grain-month-calendar/wild-rice-september-grain-month-0
- http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/cooking/cook-rice
- http://www.foodtolove.com.au/recipes/cooking-rice-absorption-method-17896
- http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/steamed-rice/3c49b9d8-34c0-41fa-bd2a-cadb2ba90ad8
- http://www.taste.com.au/quick-easy/articles/microwave-rice/xLKoNjzB

Planning

After the demo in the lesson, I have decided to make a mushroom risotto because:
a) I like eating risottos and especially mushrooms
b) I want to make my own and learn how to make it
c) It is pretty simple although the paella was simple too

For the recipe, all I need to bring in is mushrooms and parmesan cheese to add after cooking the rice.

Evaluation

Today in Food Technology, I made a mushroom risotto with parmesan cheese mixed into it.

This involved using different skills; cooking rice; knowing when your rice is done; what to do if your rice is not soft enough; cutting skills when you cut your ingredients.

I think that I worked in a safe and hygienic manner because I washed my hands before making my food. I wore an apron, tied up my hair, removed my watch to prevent dirt and germs getting into my food. In addition, I used the correct chopping board when cutting up my mushrooms and remembered to put a wet cloth underneath. Most importantly, I remembered to put the handle of my pan in the right way this time. 

I was organized today because I worked in order of the recipe. My workspace was neat and I even had time to wait for my rice to be cooked after doing my washing up. 

The appearance of my dish wasn't very colourful because it was basically white rice with a yellowish shade and an occasional mushroom. I found the taste of my dish good because it was very cheese-y and the rice was cooked to a texture where it was soft- not too hard or soft. The aroma was that it smelt nicely of cheese but there wasn't exactly a smell that stood out to describe.

Nutrition Program

This is the cost of my risotto, it costs £1.46 which is approximately $14 HKD. The suggested selling price was £3.65 which is around $35 HKD. I think the cost is a bit too low because cheese is not as cheap as it says. I think it is because this tool is from England and cheese there is pretty cheap but in Hong Kong it is not.

These are the nutritions in my risotto. You can see that it is high in protein which is good for the body but it is also high in fat which is not good for the body. This is why I got an amber traffic light- meaning that it can be eaten most of the time but is not a healthy choice. I think this is was high in fat because the high amount of cheese I added in. If I did not put in any cheese, the traffic light would have turned green. Even if I put in a less amount of cheese, I think the traffic light would have stayed amber.

Pasta

Pasta

Research
Pasta is one of the world's most accessible foods and a great source of carbohydrates. The word "pasta" translates to "paste" in Italian. This is a reference to the dough made from a combination of flour and water or eggs.  Most people think of pasta as Italian food and although it is traditionally Italian, the history of pasta is pretty complicated.

Pasta is most likely to be the descendant of noodles from Asia. A common belief is that Marco Polo brought pasta from China to Italy during the 13th century. In his book, "The Travels of Marco Polo", there is a passage that mentions a plant that produced flour. The Chinese used this plant to create barley flour which Marco Polo then mentioned that it was used to make dishes similar to pasta, including one called "lagana" which we believe is the modern day lasagna.

Marco Polo

There are tons of varieties pasta, some of the common types of pasta include:
- Angel hair (fine and delicate strands)
- Spaghetti
- Macaroni
- Farfalle (looks like a bow tie)
- Fettuccine
- Fusilli (pasta with twists and spirals)
- Linguine
- Penne
- Rigatoni (tube-like)
- Shells
- Lasagne
- Ravioli
etc.

The Encyclopedia of Pasta

Pasta without sauce is unspeakable, some simple pasta sauces include:
 - Bolognese
- Tomato
- Primavera
- Cheese
- Pesto
- Cream
- Alfredo
- Marinara
- Carbonara
etc.

There are tons of pasta sauces available!

My 6 favourite dishes include...
- Spaghetti bolognese
- Beef lasagna
- Spaghetti with clams and garlic
- Pesto pasta with chicken
- Macaroni and cheese
- Penne and broccoli

Planning

After watching the demonstrations of making tomato and white sauce. I decided to go with the tomato sauce mainly because I like tomato sauce better. Out of the three pasta choices: penne, macaroni and fusilli, I will be using penne and will add corn and mushroom to my dish.

Evaluation

Today in Food Technology, I made a tomato sauce with corn penne dish. I did not add mushrooms in the end because after some research, I found out that people usually do not add mushrooms with tomato sauce but add it with cream sauce instead.

This involved using different skills; cooking pasta; knowing when your pasta is done; cutting skills when you cut your ingredients; making a sauce (when to put in ingredients, knowing when it is done etc.).

I think that I worked in a safe and hygienic manner because I washed my hands before making my food. I wore an apron, tied up my hair, removed my watch to prevent dirt and germs getting into my food. In addition, I used the correct chopping board when cutting up my vegetables and remembered to put a wet cloth underneath. However, I forgot to put the handle of my pan the right way when cooking and had to be reminded. 

I was organized today and definitely improved from last time because I worked in order of the recipe without making any mistakes. I had better time management skills as I finished early and had time to sit down and do a bit of reflection. Although no mistakes were made, the teacher said that I should have added more salt to the pasta itself when it was cooking so that it would be more flavourful. 

The appearance of my dish was vibrant because there was a nice shade of the same colours- red, yellow and orange. The taste of my dish was okay but it definitely needed more salt as there wasn't much flavour but there was a nice taste of pepper in it. My pasta itself was cooked nicely as it wasn't undercooked or overcooked because the texture of it was soft enough but was too soft. The aroma was that it smelt nicely of tomato sauce but except for that, there wasn't any special smell that stood out the most.

Nutrition Program

In this lesson, we used this website called Nutrition Program where we entered in our ingredients for our vegetable soup and it gave us information about the nutrition, costs etc.

This is the cost of my soup

0.82 pounds is only roughly 8 HKD which is very cheap for pasta

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My pasta was pretty healthy but there was too much salt in it so I got an amber traffic light. Everything else was a green traffic light meaning that it is a healthy choice and this pasta can be eaten for a few times each week.