Forget Boring White Rice – Make It The Appalachian Way For Way More Flavor

Rice is one of the world's most consumed foods, meaning the potential recipes are never-ending. The next time you're feeling tired of simple white rice, try out an old-school Appalachian rendition. Consisting of white rice flavored with sugar, butter, and sometimes milk, this version is a comforting classic, typically enjoyed for breakfast or a snack.

What makes the dish stand apart is its consistency. Rather than just a flavored bowl of rice, the food is served with a saucy consistency — think akin to a warm cereal, only with rice grains as the starch. Enjoyed using a spoon, this preparation harkens back to a rice porridge. In fact, many include similar additions like raisins and cinnamon, rounding out the dish's sweet character.

Yet Appalachian rice comes out drastically less starchy, by way of its preparation. The grains are cooked in a classic dry style — say using the 10-5-5 rule – occasionally even additionally rinsed after boiling. Then, the sugar and butter are stirred into the rice while it's hot, before lightly warmed or cold milk is poured on top, diluting the dish. Unlike a porridge, where milk and rice are simmered together, this version offers its own distinct appeal, still centered around simple additions to your white rice.

Loving the idea of white rice in sweet form? Look into an array of similar delicious creations. This Appalachian rice dish bears a resemblance to rice pudding, a dessert popular in Black American food tradition. Best made with basmati rice, the dish takes on a creamier and custard-like consistency by way of an egg and milk mixture. Baked for as long as an hour and a half inside a water bath, the result turns out much drier in texture compared to the soupy Appalachian version. Similar rice pudding renditions also appear worldwide. Cinnamon- and condensed milk-flavored arroz con leche is popular in Latin America, while rose water-flavored Sütlaç hails from Turkey.

Meanwhile, for a white rice dish that's more akin to porridge, whip up a bowl of congee – the food's consumed both in sweet and savory forms. As opposed to Appalachian rice, congee is simmered for an extended hour or two. The grain kernels break down, releasing starch, which characteristically thickens the dish. In China, sweet additions are wide-ranging, with cooks adding nuts, dried dates, rock sugar, as well as goji berries into congee renditions. The dish also welcomes different rice types, making for an even more open-ended template. The grain type is a wondrously malleable foodstuff, meaning you have abundant options when it tastes stale.