Staple Rice Dishes and the History Behind Them

By Jessy Bernadette

Just as tortillas and beans have become reminders of a happy childhood spent at home during rainy or snowy days for Cassandra Clifford, food has always been more than mere sustenance for me and my family. To us, food is synonymous with family gatherings and all the other types of get-togethers that showcases delicacies, which carry eons worth of culture, tradition and history.

And of course, as someone of Asian descent, no other food speaks to me on a very personal level than a steaming bowl of white, puffy rice. Although, to be honest, as long as it's rice, I'm 100% sure I would love it. This is one of the reasons why I decided to write about rice today. This filling grain is not only made through a series of equally arduous steps but also carries so much history that can't be contained in just one short article. Given this, I've decided to zoom in on two of the most popular rice dishes in the world (I hope you aren't reading this on an empty stomach!) and try to have a peek at the rich histories behind them.

Egg Fried Rice

After a Malay comic based in the UK satirically reviewed a British chef’s version of the egg fried rice, many have wondered where this controversial dish originated from and how it really ought to be made. Since egg fried rice is a dish that’s prepared almost all throughout Asia, its exact origins have been understandably lost to history. However, many of us believe that it was invented in the city of Yangzhou in eastern Jiangsu province sometime during the Sui dynasty. There are countless reasons why people love egg fried rice. However, if you ask someone like me, who is a self-proclaimed egg fried rice enthusiast, the factors that really propelled this dish are its quick and easy-to-follow cooking process and its highly affordable and accessible ingredients. Typically, egg fried rice is made with leftover rice, egg, oil, soy sauce and garlic. All of these ingredients are tossed together in a big wok that's dancing above a tall and intense flame. Beyond the basic technique (which primarily involves proper handling of the wok) and the usual seasonings, there is no strict formula for egg fried rice.

Hence, it can be made as simple or as fancy as you like. As the name suggests, the star of this dish is the rice, so if you don’t have leftovers, the first step to recreating this dish would be cooking your rice with none other than a trusty rice cooker. There's plenty of good reasons why most people in Asian countries prefer this method. This article highlights how most of the modern rice cookers nowadays brandish versatile cooking settings, enhanced safety functions and the latest microprocessor technology that will not only ensure the perfect rice every single time but also promise easy and hassle-free cooking. Once you have your rice, you can then stir fry it with all of the other ingredients. Whether you're a family person who is preparing this dish for dinner or a college student who's trying to live just well-within your budget, egg fried rice is something you can easily whip up.

Paella

Unlike Asia’s egg fried rice, the birthplace of paella is widely known. According to an article by Amigo Foods, this Spanish rice and protein dish originated in Valencia and has a rich history that goes all the way back to the mid-nineteenth century. It was believed that paella was invented by farmers and day laborers who would take a break in the middle of the day, use leftover food from the Moorish feasts and cook it over an open flame. Instead of taking inspiration from the ingredients used to cook it with, the name of this scrumptious dish is derived from the type of pan it’s cooked in -- the paellera. Paellera is a shallow pan that has two handles on either side and can withstand the intense heat of an open flame.

This write-up mentioned how modern paelleras are now made with one of three types of steel. There’s carbon steel, which has the highest thermal conductivity and is the traditional material for paelleras in Spain. You can also find enameled steel, which is easier to clean and maintain. And, of course, there is stainless steel, which doesn't rust. Similar to egg fried rice, paella can be prepared with a wide variety of ingredients. However, to make an authentic paella, your main components should be rice, meat, seafood, seasonal vegetables and saffron. Of the main ingredients that were mentioned, the one that you shouldn't dare miss out on is the saffron, because it is the one responsible for paella’s famous yellow color and distinctive flavor.

Whether you are a fan of egg fried rice, paella or any other rice staple dish, there's no denying that there's a lot of things we can learn from simply examining the origins of our favorite rice dishes.