Barrel rice, as a traditional dish loved by diners, is not only eye-catching because of its unique cooking method, but also because of its plump, soft and glutinous taste, and fragrant aroma. Below, I will explain in detail the authentic method of barrel rice, so that you can easily make delicious barrel rice at home.
1. Prepare materials
The first step in making rice in wooden barrels is to prepare the required ingredients. Mainly include: high-quality rice, fresh meat (such as chicken, pork, etc.), seasonal vegetables (such as greens, carrots, etc.), seasonings (such as salt, soy sauce, cooking wine, ginger, garlic, etc.). At the same time, it is also essential to prepare a special wooden barrel, which allows the rice to better absorb the aroma of the wood during the steaming process, thus adding a unique taste.
2. Handle the ingredients
1. Rice Handling: Wash the rice, drain it, and set it aside for later use. To increase the taste of the rice, a little salt and cooking oil can be added during the washing process and gently stirred to allow the rice to be fully absorbed.
2. Meat processing: Wash the meat, cut it into pieces of moderate size, and marinate it with cooking wine, salt, ginger, garlic and other seasonings for about 20 minutes to make the meat more tender.
3. Vegetable handling: Wash seasonal vegetables, cut them into shreds or chunks, and set aside. The choice of vegetables can be matched according to individual tastes and seasonal changes.
3. Cooking process
1. Cooking rice: Put the processed rice into a wooden bucket and add an appropriate amount of water (generally 1:1.2 according to the ratio of rice to water). Then put the wooden barrel in the steamer and steam on high heat for about 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked until eight ripe. At this point, the rice has absorbed most of the water, but it is not yet fully cooked.
2. Stir-fry the meat: While cooking the rice, add the marinated meat to a separate pot and stir-fry until it changes color. Add the chopped vegetables and continue stir-frying until the vegetables are broken. At this time, you can add an appropriate amount of soy sauce, salt, and other seasonings to taste according to your personal taste.
3. Bibimbap: When the rice is cooked until eight ripe, pour the sautéed meat and vegetables into a wooden barrel and mix well with the rice. Be careful to stir gently to avoid breaking the rice. At the same time, you can add some green onions, coriander, etc. to your personal taste.
4. Continue steaming: Put the mixed rice into the steamer again and continue to steam for about 10 minutes. At this point, the tightness and breathability of the barrel allow the rice to fully absorb the aromas of meat and vegetables while maintaining its soft and glutinous taste.
5. Remove from the pot: When the rice is fully cooked, remove the rice from the barrel and shake it gently a few times to separate the rice from the barrel. Then place upside down on a plate and serve.
4. Precautions
1. Choose high-quality rice: When making rice in wooden barrels, choosing high-quality rice is key. High-quality rice has a soft and glutinous taste and rich aroma, which can better absorb the aroma of wooden barrels.
2. Control the heat: During the steaming process, control the heat. Steaming over high heat will make the rice cook quickly, but overheating will make the rice sticky. Therefore, adjust the heat at the right time during the steaming process to ensure that the rice is cooked to just the right amount.
3. Stir gently: When mixing rice, stir gently to avoid breaking the rice. At the same time, make sure that the meat and vegetables are well mixed with the rice so that every bite can be tasted richly.
4. Choose the right barrel: The choice of barrel is also the key to making rice in barrels. Choose a wooden barrel with good sealing and air permeability to ensure that the rice can fully absorb the aroma of the barrel. At the same time, the size of the barrel should also be chosen according to the size of the family and the amount of food.
Through the introduction of the above steps, I believe you have mastered the authentic method of wooden barrel rice. Making rice in wooden barrels at home is not only quick and easy, but also allows you to enjoy the unique charm of traditional cuisine. Let's try it now!