Basic Brown Rice Pilaf

In my attempt to avoid white rice, I'm switching to brown rice. I actually really like the texture of brown rice. However, sometimes I want it to have more flavor so that I can eat it as a side dish. I call this recipe "basic" since I consider it a side dish or a base for a multitude of other recipes. I have been eating it with soup to make the meal more filling. However, you can also toss in sauteed veggies. Mix in scrambled egg, edamame, and sriracha sauce to make it taste Asian. Saute with tomatoes, mushrooms, oregano and parsley to make it taste Italian. Mix in fajita seasoning, bell peppers, and corn to make it taste Mexican. You get the idea- experiment away!

Ingredients

1 cup brown rice (I use basmati rice)

1 large onion, sliced thin

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 cups vegetable broth

Directions

1.  Soak the rice in water for 2 hours, or up to overnight.

2.  Drain the rice and keep on the side until Step 4.

3.  In a heavy bottom pot, heat the onions, garlic, oil, salt, and pepper on med-high heat for ~8 mins (until the onions start to turn brown).

4.  Add the rice and cook for ~3 mins, stirring constantly.

5.  Add the broth and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 30-35 mins.  Check the rice at 10 min intervals and add more broth as needed.