Ruby Red Jasmine Rice

This rice, imported from Thailand through Alter Eco Fair Trade (www.altereco-usa.com), is our new favorite. The ruby red Thai strain is part of an heirloom family that includes coral red Thai jasmine, black Thai jasmine, white Thai jasmine, and purple Thai jasmine rice (a mixture of purple and white jasmine) and is grown on cooperative farms in Indonesia. It has a strong, nutty flavor, unlike any other rice we've tasted. You can use these proportions for all the colored imported Thai rices, as well as Himalayan red rice, which is Thai ruby red grown in India. You can also mix the rices, two or three different colors, in a single pot.

1. Place the rice in a fine strainer or bowl, rinse with cold water until the water runs clear, and drain. The water will be foamy and dull red.
2. Place the rice in the rice cooker bowl. Add the water and salt; swirl to combine.
3. Close the cover and set for the Regular cycle.
4. When the machine switches to the Keep Warm cycle, fluff the rice with a wooden or plastic rice paddle, breaking up lumps using gentle cutting and folding motions.
5. Let the rice rest 10 minutes on Keep Warm (it will hold for up to 2 hours) before serving.

MACHINE: Medium (6-cup) rice cooker; fuzzy logic or on/off CYCLE: Regular YIELD: Serves 4