Rice

  A Korean grad student once explained to me that this was how his mother taught him to make rice.

Wash, wash the rice under cold water, making sure to grind the rice in your hands thoroughly this releases the husk from the grain and helps to release starches in the rice.

Saute the rice in oil or butter, here a nice heavy sauce pan helps if this is not available a piece of quarter inch steel on the burner will help, I throw in shallots, garlic, or onion with a pinch of nutmeg and cayenne for flavor. Saute until the rice become translucent. This also helps to release the starches in the rice, making it easier to digest and eat with your fingers or chopsticks.

Turn off the heat, add cold water at a ratio of 3 water to 1 rice. I usually go for one and one half cups rice to four and one half cups water yielding 3 cups rice. Jong Pils mother would add water until it covers your hand while placed on top of the rice, this I don't understand because if you just sauteed your rice it is very hot and that becomes painful and the amount of water would vary according to the size of your pan.

Bring to boil.

Stir.

Turn heat down as low as possible or until the flame just stops touching the bottom of your pot.

Cover.

Walk away(a watched pot never boils).

Depending on your rice check in with it in about 15 to 45 minutes . If you still see water go back to Cover. If you don't see water on top but can dig down and see water and the rice is not tender go back to cover. If the rice seems tender leave uncovered and simmer until your water evaporates. When your rice is tender and your water has been absorbed or has evaporated your rice is done.

Enjoy a treat that that has nourished societies for thousands of years.

What is, is, what is not, is not.

The Tao is made because we walk it,

things become what they are called.

Why is this so? Surely because this is not so.

Everything has what is innate,

everything has what is necessary. 

Nothing is not something,

nothing is not so.

Therefore, take a stalk of wheat and a pillar,

a leper or a beauty like Hsi-shih, 

the great and the insecure,

the cunning and the odd:

all these are alike to the Tao.

In their difference is their completeness;

in their completeness is their difference.

Chuang Tzu

My coffee pot just fell to the floor and smashed into thousand pieces.

Nothing is now my coffee pot