The Joy of Hkaka - Iraqi Crunchy Rice

Rice is the quintessential side dish for most meals in Sephardic cooking. Basmati and jasmine rice, with their wonderful, aromatic nuttiness, add complexity as well as nourishment to each meal. Rice absorbs the flavor of spices and soups beautifully. Combined with legumes, it provides a complete protein and extends a simple meal so that it can serve many mouths.

What makes this rice  so special is the hkaka - the golden crust of rice on the bottom and sides of this lovely dish. It is a treasure to behold and a treat for the mouth because of its subtle combination of flavors and textures. There are various methods of achieving this lovely state of perfection, but I have found this one to be the most consistent.

Unlike the process of cooking rice in the U.S., traditional Middle Eastern rice cooking took some time. No Uncle Ben's. No Enriched Rice Products. Instead, the process of cooking rice began on the front porch. I remember my grandmother Georgia, or "Imi" as we used to call her, sitting on the front stoop of the apartment building. In her lap she held a round, shallow tin, perhaps two feet across. She would add the rice and begin spinning the pan gently on her lap. It was a slow and deliberate process. The soft sound of the rice dancing across the pan was mesmerizing, and for us it became the ultimate game of hide and seek.  Each time she found some small black stones and broken pieces of rice, she would slowly reach for it with her curled, arthritic fingers, pick it out and toss it to the gaggle of chickens, pigeons, and other assorted birds who had gathered for their mid-morning snack.

Once, the rice was sorted, it was time to rinse it. Unlike many asian dishes, which favor a sticky rice that can be easily picked up with chop sticks, Middle Eastern rice dishes place value on the individual grain of rice. Leaving the light of day, Imi would enter the dark of her apartment and stand by the kitchen sink, beneath the light of the small window and pour the rice into a banged up, muddled grey colander. The colander was placed in the sink and the cold water turned on. Working the grains through her gnarled hands, she would wash the rice until the water coming out from the colander ran nearly clear, rather than the yellow, milky white she had started with. A few shakes of the colander, and then Imi would set it aside for a short while to allow the rest of the water to fully drain from the rice.

Finally, it was time to cook the rice. The rice was added to the pot, followed by water and salt. It would cook forever, it seemed, often as long or longer than the soup or chicken that was accompanying it. When it came to the table the smell was unbelievable. On a platter or bowl it sat, inverted, its perfect, shiny golden shell pierced by the serving utensil. My uncle, or father, or whomever was "head of the house" for that meal would take first, and the dish would make its way around. Little by little the armor was picked apart. We kids would wait our turn patiently, praying at the end of the table that there would be some small kernels of gold left us. Imi always in the kitchen, always preparing the next dish or course, ate last. I never thought about whether or not she got her piece of the pie. But I do remember her adding more rice to my plate. Kil'u, kil'u, she would say. Eat. Eat.

This recipe is fairly simple. You are free to add the steps above or create your own ritual, but todays rice has been cleaned very well prior to packaging and a single rice, without draining will suffice, but is not critical to the dish's success.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of basmati rice (optional: rinsed in cold water and drained)
• 3 3/4 cups of cold water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbs olive oil

Directions

1. Place the rice in either a non-stick or well seasoned sauce pan
2. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil.
3. Immediately turn the heat to medium and continue to cook, uncovered, until you can begin to see holes in the top of the rice (about 5 minutes).
4. Cover the pot and turn the heat to low. Cooking the rice for another 12 to 15 minutes.
5. Working quickly, uncover the rice, and with a knife, poke 3 or 4 holes in the rice all the way to the bottom of the pot.
6. Drizzle a little bit of oil into each of the holes and then by pushing some surface grains over them, close the holes. Recover the pot. [Note that you want a really tight fitting lid. If you don't have one, you can place a sheet of aluminum foil or a towel over the pot and place the lid on top.]
7. Continue to cook the rice over slow heat for up to 3 or 4 hours. The longer you cook the rice, the thicker and more golden the crust.

Serve the rice as a side with any dish that has a saucy gravy. For added flair and flavor you can add pine nuts, onions, garlic, raisins, or any number of other pilauf favorites.