a rhetorical rice question

Rice. I personally like rice - whether it is steamed, fried, white, boiled, sticky, brown, pilaf......And I have commented on occasions in the past that I could eat rice every day.

So why don't I eat rice every day in Korea?

Maybe it is because I don't know how to properly cook the Korean rice. (Not that I was an expert in cooking rice in the U.S. I am afraid I often resorted to the boiling bags!) It looks different from the rice I used to buy in the U.S. - the grains are smaller. I once came across a blog that had a 3 part video on how to cook Korean rice, but it seemed like alot of trouble. Especially when it talked about soaking the rice - 30 minutes in the summer and 1 to 2 hours in the winter! So I just buy these individual containers of cooked rice.

I really don't know if I am microwaving it correctly, but I just peel up one corner of the container and microwave it until it is hot. I am sure that most Korean homes have a rice cooker. They are plentiful in the shops here.

Maybe it is because I don't have a rice cooker.

One thing I know for sure is that the Koreans eat alot of rice. When we lived in France, the yogurt, cheese and wine aisles of the grocery store were the largest. Thinking about that, what aisle in an American grocery store has a large amount of one thing? Cereal? Cookies? Funny how the grocery store aisles can show alot about a country. I would say rice, noodles and red chili paste would be indicative of the Korean grocery stores. When you go to the grocery store, the rice is sold in large increments....I mean large, up to 20 and 40 kg. (44 and 88 lbs.)bags.



Maybe it is because I can't lift an 88 lb. bag of rice into my grocery cart.




Maybe it is because I don't have that much room in my pantry.




This past spring, it was interesting to see the progression of the rice fields in Korea.

First they hand plant the seedlings into the fields.







As I understand, the fields are flooded with water to keep weeds and pests under control at that time.













By the time I left in July, the plantings were filling out nicely and were a lush green.








When I returned in September, the rice fields were a golden color













and resembled stalks of wheat.






Then the harvesting begins.







The rice is left to dry in the sun in the fields,










and along the roadside.







I don't think I will lose any sleep over this question, after all it is only a rhetorical question about rice. My thoughts right now are more concentrated on
"What should I make for supper tonight?"


Now that is the never ending question!