Wild rice?

[Eveleaf]

Does anyone know if wild rice is actually raw?

Plain black wild rice from the bulk isle of the grocery store.

My sister gave me a raw recipe a few days ago that is based on black wild rice that has been soaked for two days. Not sprouted, just soaked.

After just a few hours it started to smell, oh, wonderful. Like olives kind of, a warm, smoky smell. It's kind of crunchy, but otherwise tastes just fine. Actually pretty good, with all the other stuff we added to it (olive oil, sea salt, sun-dried tomatoes, green onions, some herbs).

I just want to know for the future, was this dish actually raw? Is wild rice heated/cooked before we buy it? I'll be kind of sad if it is, because that was darned good.

[ChaiLife]

I have seen it used in many recipes in several raw "cookbooks" so I have assumed that it was raw.

The smell while soaking reminds me of corn. I let mine soak for about 3 days, changing the water every day. It is great!!!!

[BerryGirl]

I tried to sprout wild rice for a recipe in Alissa's book and it *reeked*. I had to toss it out and then immediately take the trash out! Not sure what I did wrong.

[Eveleaf]

Thank you ChaiLife!

I'm so happy to hear the good news. I'll post the recipe here in case anyone wants to copy it:

1 cup wild black rice soaked for two or three days (changing the water every day), drained
About 8 sun-dried tomatoes, cut up
4 roma tomatoes, cut up
2 green onions, cut up
2 T olive oil
Sea salt to taste
1 avacado, sliced thin
Fresh greens and/or sprouts

Mix everything up and serve on beds of lettuce/sprouts. Top with the avacado. This makes SEVERAL servings. I'm the only raw one in my family and I'm going to be eating it for days!

[Eveleaf]

Berrygirl,
This may be a dumb question, but did you change the water every day? Maybe your sense of smell is sensitive? What kind of wild rice did you use? My sister and I used really black wild rice and we both adored the smell after just a few hours. Sorry you had such bad results!

[BerryGirl]

I thought I followed the directions for sprouting in Alissa's book... maybe I missed something. That's definitely possible-- I've been doing that lately when preparing food (missing a step, mixing ingredients before you're supposed to, etc.)

[janine]

I believe true wild rice is fairly spendy ($10+ a lb or more) and is light brown. The kind I found I (and probably you did too) is black (apparently not truely raw which is why some people have problems with it molding etc). Whole Foods in Seattle is now carrying true Wild Rice @ $8 a lb.

[exurb]

No, the wild rice you have described is NOT raw.

It used to be thought of as raw by the raw foods community because it gave the illusion of sprouting. Hence you see it in raw foods books, especially those with an older publication date.

There are some artisanal rices that are raw, but when commonly available wild rice is brownish/blackish in tone, it is toasted, heated above the critical temperature. You have to REALLY go out of your way to find raw rice.

I think the company that makes the one I buy is Lundberg (only certain ones of theirs). The ones that proved themselves to be raw comes in very small packages, not cheap, but it will actually grow a green plant, thus you know it's raw. It's a shorter grain. Makes very tasty wild rice salads, although it always remains a little chewy.

[PDMagnusen]

Okay, so the really skinny rice that is totally black is not raw?? Here is the wild rice link for Lundberg and the rice is completely black...

http://www.lundberg.com/products/rice_og_wild.shtml

[exurb]

No, it's not the stuff they market like regular wild rice, it's shorter grain rice. You have to try it and see if it grows a plant, then you know it's raw.

If I go to the store anytime soon, I will direct you to which ones. In tiny pouches, only certain varieties (I think one was a blend of Japonica and a red rice, they look VERY unprocessed, sort of a ribbed outer bran). Maybe the post is still here by Samuel Wilson who led me to this rice. He posted a picture of it, then the ones I found were similar but also raw.


It's more along the lines of this one

http://www.lundberg.com/products/rice_nf_japonica.shtml

you will know it's raw if it grows a plant. They're beautiful products!

[PDMagnusen]

Okay, thanks. Yes, do let me know if you find the actual one. I'm so glad it's not the black rice. I've tried soaking and sprouting it for my boyfriend and he hated it :D :D

[apasionato]

...is the wild rice that is harvested in northern Minnesota in the wilds....anyone can do it, but, most is harvested by the Native Americans...they 'smoke' some of it for the smoky taste/flavor and some don't...if you live near Bemidji or Cass Lake or Grand Rapids and thereabouts, you can find it if you ask around...ask for the wild rice that is not smoked...

When I was in second grade I needed a pair of glasses, so, my parents went out and harvested wild rice and sold it to buy my glasses! That brings back so many memories...

Thank you for bringing up the wild rice subject. I love it!

[exurb]

you clean out your canoe, you paddle into the wild rice, then you smash the rice into your canoe using your paddle, then you empty the canoe and voila :D

[bootzey]

Can use this wild rice to make sushi?

[exurb]

for sushi you wanna use a parsnip-pine nut combination, seasoned.

This rice remains too crunchy when raw, you will not get anything like the cooked sushi rice vibe out of it.

[lnelson02]

http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/wildrice.htm

[ChaiLife]

Gosh it looks like according to the above web site that all wild rices have to be parched to remove the husk. Bummer. Well, maybe I'll soak it every now and then for a special treat. :)

[banana shake]

I'm pretty sure that RICE (even brown/black/mahogany) and WILD RICE are two botanically different plants. Wild rice is actually the seed from a type of grass. Not sure where I read this though.

[banana shake]

Not only is it a different kind of plant, it is cooked ("parched") and hulled. Here's the site:

http://www.mnwildrice.com/riceinfo.htm

Bummer. I love wild rice.

[rawpriestess]

wild rice is actually a grass, and it is not raw, it is parched.

[Shan]

Yesterday I actually called into a tv show on the Raw Food Lifestyle. I asked the expert about grains. She told me she used wild rice, but it didn't sprout. She just soaked it for a day. Then she made sure to rinse it off so mould didn't form. Then after she rinsed it she just let it sit for another day on the counter until it softened. When it split open she said it was ready to eat. She said then she added garlic and olive oil and said it's wonderful. I'm going to try it.

[exurb]

Shan, what was the show?

[Shan]

It's called 'Woman to Woman' and is aired from Barrie, Ontario. It's really low budget but very interesting ususally.