BLTA Rice Bowl

My love affair with rice has been my longest by far. There's something about a bowl of the stuff that just makes me happy, and satisfied. If you grew up in Singapore, you might remember the TV ads for jasmine rice where a little girl smells rice steaming away and then basically forces her parents to just give her a bowl of plain white rice. That's, like, my life story, man.

The things I remember about my first trip to Hong Kong, when I was 5, are these: car ferry between harbours and eating FOUR bowls of white rice at lunch. And nothing else. Seriously. Okay, so not great on the nutrition front, but on the picky-child-only-eats-plain-food front, winner ding ding ding!

If anyone reading this is thinking 'what about the carrrbbbbssss??', all I can say is look away now. It's taken me a while to get to this point in my relationship with food, but I'm happy to eat anything (in moderation?) now. Especially carbs. Especially. Carbs. C.A.R.B.Sssssss

Before you think you've stumbled on one of the weirder parts of Tumblr devoted to carbohydrate fan fiction, let me explain the rest of the recipe. Well, it's hard to call it a recipe really - it's more of an idea. In fact, the easiest way to do this would just be to tell you. Sometimes, lists just don't work. I know, hard to believe.

These amounts make about 2 bowls, but just increase/decrease/transfigure as needed. One cup of uncooked Japonica rice makes enough rice for two. I'm no use with rice cooking instructions, because like any self-respecting rice fiend, I have a rice cooker. 

So, cook your one cup of rice. Cook some bacon: I usually just bake it in a hot oven (around 200C) for about 10 minutes, cooking until it's crispy and brown on both sides. Slice some cherry tomatoes in half, dice an avocado, and tear a bunch of lettuce into manageable pieces. Set aside. 

In a small bowl, mix 80 mls of rice vinegar with 1 tablespoon caster sugar and half a teaspoon of salt. Stir until everything is mixed together. Now transfer your rice into a generous bowl, and get your rice paddle ready. Start drizzling two-thirds of the vinegar mixture and fold into the rice. Taste, and only add the rest of the seasoning if there isn't enough flavour. Divide the rice into two bowls.

Lay your ingredients in whatever pattern you like atop the rice. Finish with a squeeze of Japanese mayonnaise, chilli powder and Bonito fish flakes. DIG IN!

Oh, and if you do have ideas for some carb fan fiction, call me.