In many parts of Africa and Asia, fragments of uncooked rice are called broken rice, and these were traditionally considered the rejects of the milling process and sold cheaply to the poor. Now broken rice is an ingredient in many popular dishes like cơm tấm, a street food in Vietnam, and thieboudienne in Senegal. In the American South, broken rice is often known as middlins, or rice grits. You can make your own broken rice in a blender or food processor, as directed below; just be sure not to overgrind the grains.
This recipe was excerpted from 'The Simple Art of Rice' by JJ Johnson with Danica Novgorodoff. Buy the full book onAmazon.
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What you’ll need
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Food Processor
$300 At Amazon
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Fine-Mesh Strainer
$12 $11 At Amazon
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4 Quart Saucepan
$200 At Amazon
Ingredients
Serves 6 to 8
Step 1
Working in batches if necessary, place the rice in a blender jar or the
bowl of a food processor and pulse until the grains are very coarsely
ground into rough, uneven pieces about half to one third of their
original size.Step 2
Rinse the rice in a large bowl with cool running water until the water
runs clear. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve and shake off the excess water.Step 3
In a large saucepan, combine the heavy cream, stock, water, bay leaf,
salt, and black pepper and bring to a boil. Slowly add the cracked rice,
whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered,
stirring frequently, until the grits are creamy and the rice no longer has
any bite to it, 25 to 30 minutes.Step 4
Remove and discard the bay leaf. Gradually add the cheddar cheese,
stirring until melted and thoroughly combined. Adjust the salt and
pepper to taste if necessary.Step 5
Sprinkle the grits with the chives, bacon, and jalapeño, and serve hot.
It’s best to buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself, as packaged shredded cheese may have a coating that prevents it from clumping together.
