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FAlphabetical List of Plants & Trees
FBotanical Name Index
FEvergreen Trees
FDeciduous Trees
FShrubs & Vines
FWet Open Places
FWoods and Thickets
FDry Open Places
FGlossary
FSources Cited
FLinks
FShopping
FMore
great books on this subject can be found here,
or visit Indigenous Books
for a complete selection! Thank You.
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WILD
RICE
Several
species of rice are indigenous to America.
It is one of the most productive food-bearing
plant known to man. In North America, it
grows wild in the water in low and swampy lands
along the borders of the rivers. Countless
millions of birds gather over all the region where
it grows in the season of its ripening, and
multitudes of other animals that gain access to
the ground when the water subsides, live upon it.
Still today,
Native American peoples, mostly Ojibwe, gather
wild rice by traditional harvesting methods.
In
late August, the Ojibwe peoples of The Great Lakes
assemble to harvest and process manoomin (wild rice). The harvesters set forth in canoes and, using
beating sticks, gather the wild rice in the old way from the lakes
and rivers where it grows naturally. |
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The
Hokshichankiya Farm Community
The Trading Post offers mail
order arts & crafts, supplies, clothing, tipis,
herbs, tobacco and buffalo burgers, steaks, chops
and other cuts. |
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| Mino-Bimadiziwin:
The Good Life is a new
documentary about contemporary
wild rice harvesting on the White
Earth Reservation. A viewer
comments "Just viewed the
documentary on Minnesota's White
Earth Reservation. Want to say
that it is outstanding. Well done.
Being intimately familiar with the
White Earth Reservation and some
of the people involved in this, I
just thought it was wonderful." Ordering
Link |
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The first rice is celebrated
with a Thanksgiving ceremony. An offering of manoomin in tobacco
is returned to the water, and sweet sage is burned to give thanks
to the Great Spirit. A spirit plate of plain cooked wild rice is
prepared and offered in thanks; then those assembled, beginning
with the youngest child, partake of the first fruits of the
harvest. |
Authentic,
hand-harvested manoomin is different from the paddy grown product
sold commercially. Traditionally, harvested rice varies in tone
from golden tan to rich brown. Hand harvested rice also tastes
like the lake it has grown from. This taste
can not be duplicated. It is never black and shiny like
the paddy grown variety and it cooks quicker, 15 to 20 minutes, instead of the 50 to 60 minutes needed
to cook paddy rice. Find some classic traditional recipes
below.......
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OJIBWE
WILD RICE AND EGGS
- 1
cup water
- Salt
(optional)
- 1/3
cup traditionally-harvested wild rice, well rinsed
- 4
strips bacon, thinly sliced
- 4
green onions, thinly sliced
- 3
to 6 sliced fresh oyster mushrooms, morels
chanterelles, or shitake mushrooms (optional)
- 6
eggs
- 1/8
teaspoon ground pepper
In
a medium-size saucepan, heat water, rice, and a pinch of
salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and
continue to cook gently for about 20 minutes, until rice
is just tender. If water remains, drain the rice. Fluff it
with a fork and set aside.
In
an 8- to 10-inch non-stick or well-seasoned iron skillet,
over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Drain off all
but 2 tablespoons of drip-pings. Add green onions,
mushrooms, and wild rice and sauté briefly. In
a mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs with 1/4 teaspoon salt
and pepper. Add eggs to skillet and stir with a fork to
scramble to desired doneness. This dish is delicious for
breakfast or as a light lunch or dinner. Serves 4.
WILD
RICE JOHNNY CAKES
- 1/3
cup traditionally-harvested wild rice, well rinsed
- 1/3
cups water, divided
- 3
tablespoons cornmeal
- 3
to 4 tablespoons dried blueberries (optional)
- 1
beaten egg
- 2
to 3 tablespoons bacon drippings or com oil
In
a medium saucepan, heat 1 cup of water, rice, and salt.
Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and continue
to cook gently for about 20 minutes, until rice is just
tender. Stir in cornmeal mixed with 1/3 cup cold water and
cook, stirring gently, for 2 to 3 minutes until cornmeal
turns creamy. Stir in the egg and gently fold in
blueberries. Heat bacon drippings in a large skillet over
medium heat. Drop batter by rounded tablespoons into
skillet and flatten with a spatula or pancake turner into
cakes about 3 inches in diameter. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes
on each side, until golden brown. Serve with bacon and
maple syrup or as an accompaniment for duck or venison. If
serving the cakes with game, you may wish to add 1 to 2
tablespoons of thinly-sliced green onions to the batter.
Makes about 12 cakes.
POPPED
WILD RICE
- 2
to 3 tablespoons corn oil or vegetable oil
- 1
cup uncooked wild rice
- 1/4
cup melted butter
- 2
tablespoons maple sugar or maple syrup
- Salt
to taste
Place
oil in a 12-inch, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat.
Add a layer of rice and swirl over medium heat until the
kernels pop. Toss with butter, sugar, and salt. Makes
about 2 cups.
More
Recipes and Cooking Instructions
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