Basic Egyptian Rice

Egypt produces an important rice crop on irrigated lands in the Nile Valley and Delta. The rice is a delicious short- to medium-grain japonica, with smaller grains than Italian or Spanish rices, now available at specialty stores in North America. Traditionally, plain Egyptian rice is cooked with a little oil or butter in salted water, using the absorption method. In her remarkable Book of Jewish Food, Claudia Roden recounts that the Jewish community in Egypt uses olive oil, while the