Super-Simple Mixed Rice, a Zillion Ways

Call it risotto, pilaf, Japanese rice, or soupy rice; the technique remains the same. Build a dish with rice as a base, adding ingredients from there. As you stir and cook, the rice releases starch and becomes creamy; brown rice adds a pleasant nuttiness and chew. For some ideas about varying the flavor profiles and ingredients, see the list of ideas that follows.

¼ cup dried porcini mushrooms

2 tablespoons olive oil

¾ cup short-grain brown rice

1 onion, chopped as small as you can manage

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

One 12-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with their liquid

2 cups cooked cannellini beans, or use canned

½ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley leaves, plus more for garnish

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1 Soak the porcini in hot water to cover. Put the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until it’s shiny and a little translucent, just a minute or so. Add the onions, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about a minute. Add enough water to cover by about half an inch.

2 Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a bubble, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice starts to become tender, about 10 minutes. By now the porcini should be soft; chop them roughly and pour their water into the rice, being careful to leave some water behind to trap the sediment. Add the tomatoes and mushrooms to the rice and continue to cook and stir occasionally, until the tomatoes break down, about another 10 minutes; add more water if needed to keep the mixture a little soupy.

3 When the rice is tender but retains some bite on the inside, add the beans. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is no longer soupy but not yet dry. Stir in the basil, and the cheese if you’re using it; taste and adjust seasoning and serve, garnished with a little more fresh herb.

Some Easy Variations for Mixed Rice:

Rice and Peas (Risi e bisi): Omit the mushrooms (or not). If you do omit them, add another cup of water in Step 2. Likewise with the tomatoes: keep them or not. Instead of adding the beans in Step 3, add 2 cups of peas (frozen are fine).

Chile Mixed Rice: Toss a seeded chipotle or pasilla chile into the rice mixture with the onion, along with a clove or two of chopped garlic. Use black beans instead of the cannellini and cilantro instead of the basil. Omit the cheese and stir in a cup or so of cooked chicken or pork if you like.

Japanese Mixed Rice: Substitute dried shiitakes for the porcini. Instead of the olive oil, use a mixture of half peanut oil and half sesame oil. Omit the tomatoes and beans and stir in other vegetables like bean sprouts, asparagus, or chopped bok choy. At the same time add a few shrimp or cubes of tofu if you like. Keep the mixture moist with water, and at the very end add a big splash of soy sauce instead of the cheese. Garnish with chopped scallions or chives instead of the basil.

Coconut Mixed Rice: Omit the porcini and use peanut or grape seed oil instead of olive oil. When you’re cooking the onion with the rice, add some chopped eggplant, one tablespoon of minced ginger, and another of Hot or Fragrant Curry Powder. When you add the tomatoes, add a cup of coconut milk. Use chickpeas instead of the cannellini and garnish with cilantro instead of the basil. Omit the cheese and sprinkle with chopped pistachios if you like.