Our friend Guy Matsuda at Plainfield Pottery introduced us to this rice dish. The rice-grain mixture is more interesting and nutritious than plain white or brown rice. It produces a dish that is chewy from the whole grains, but still neutral enough in flavor to not compete with what else you’re serving with the rice. The grains in the Sukoyaka Grain Mix include Sprouted Brown Rice, Hulless Barley, Rye Berries, Whole Oats, Red Rice, Purple/Black Barley, Wild Rice and Bamboo Rice. Must be healthy, right? I found it locally in an Asian market. It’s really worth checking out as a great alternative to plain white rice.

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white rice

• ½ cup Sukoyaka 8 Grain mix

• 3 cups of water

Preparation:

1. Add 5 ounces of water to ½ cup of Grain Mix and soak for 30 minutes.

2. Add the white rice to your rice pot and rinse and drain twice.

3. Add 3 cups of water to the white rice.

4. Drain the Grain Mix and add it to the white rice.

5. Cover the rice pot and bring to a boil over medium heat; lower the heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes or until the water is absorbed.

6. Remove from heat and allow to stand covered for 15 minutes; fluff the rice-grain mix with a fork and serve.
   
   *Note: if you can’t find Sukoyama 8 Grain Rice Mix locally, do an online search; you can find it on Amazon.com.