Are you looking for a different way to serve rice during your next holiday party? If so, you may want to consider making a rice mold. Rice molds are easy to make and can look quite festive. A rice mold is essentially hot or cold rice that has been molded into a ring. The inside of the ring then gets filled with another food item that pairs well with rice. Examples of inner ring foods include seafood salad, chicken salad, barbecued pork or buttered vegetables. In my experience, rice molds work well when served at cocktail parties as well as sit down dinners. Here’s what you need to know in order to make one:
Supplies Needed
In order to make a successful rice mold, you will need cooked rice, a ring mold and homemade vinaigrette. Homemade vinaigrette may be made by combining 8 tablespoons of oil, 2 tablespoons of vinegar and assorted seasonings. I’d suggest that you consider using white vinegar for white rice and cider or red wine vinegar for brown rice. I’d also suggest that you use seasonings that will compliment the foods that you intend to put inside the rice ring. For example, if you plan on placing shrimp inside the rice ring, you may want to season the vinaigrette with garlic and citrus.
Molding the Rice
Once you have your ingredients on hand, simply mix the oil and vinegar into a bowl first. Then add your seasons into the mixture. After your homemade vinaigrette is complete, toss the rice into it. Continue by pressing the vinaigrette coated rice into the ring mold. Do not press the rice too hard. Otherwise it could become mushy. Your next step will be based on whether you want to serve cold rice or hot rice.
Cold Rice Preparations
If you decide to serve cold rice, cover the exposed area of rice with tin foil and place the ring mold into the refrigerator. Let the rice filled ring mold remain in the refrigerator for at least an hour. That should give the rice ample time to set. When you are ready to serve the rice mold, remove the foil. Then cover the ring mold with a serving platter and flip it upside down so the rice slides out of the mold intact. Afterward, carefully fill the center of the ring with your other food items and then serve it.
Hot Rice Preparations
If you decide to serve hot rice, you will need a baking dish that is able to hold the ring mold and an inch or two of water. Place the water and the ring mold into the baking dish. Next, tightly cover the exposed rice with tin foil. Continue by placing the pan in an oven just long enough to heat the rice through. I should also mention that if you have a gas burning stove and a metal baking dish, you may also try heating the rice on the stove top. Once the rice is hot, remove it from the oven or the stove top. Then carefully transfer the hot rice to a serving platter in the same way that you transferred the cold rice. Fill the inner ring with your other hot foods and serve it immediately.
Source: Personal Experience
Killeen Gonzalez has a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. She is a former special events planner.
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