I was recently asked for a way to get folks and children to eat brown rice. “Disguise it with yummy additions,” I said. Or use the recipe below:
So far it hasn’t met with rejection.
[Just don’t tell anyone this is actually Brown Rice for then staunch haters of brown rice will gobble this up!!]
Brown rice is a great source of magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, thiamine, manganese and B group vitamins as well as fibre s it is quite disappointing to see folks/children reject it based on its taste. This recipe complements its nutty flavour.
Nutty Brown Rice

Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 stick celery, finely chopped
- 50 g pine nuts
- 1 1/2 cups long grain brown rice
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock or water
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Season to taste
- Heat oil in heavy saucepan and saute onion and celery fro about 3 minutes till onion becomes transparent.
- Add pine nuts and cook over low heat for 2 minutes or until they are lightly browned.
- Add the rice, stirring well until the grains are well coated with oil.
- Add the Stock, Thyme and Bay leaf and bring to the boil .
- Cover saucepan and simmer until rice is tender and all the vegetable stock is absorbed. This will take about 45 minutes.
- Season if desired.
Variations: –
- Add 1.4 tsp cumin or Turmeric towards end of cooking.
- Leave to cool, then add beansprouts and serve as a cold rice salad.
