Pilaf, Risotto, and Other Ways with Rice: Featuring More Than 200 Recipes from Around the World

Rice is one of the world's staples, feeding about half the world's population, though few Americans may realize its versatility. And while Asia consumes 90% of the world's rice crop, writes Fretz (Going Vegetarian), one can find rice dishes indigenous to the Middle East, West Africa, South America and throughout the Caribbean, and in the American South, particularly South Carolina. Her second chapter discusses how to add flavor to rice's nutty, fragrant but basically bland taste. For those who agree with Louis Armstrong, whose salutation was ``red beans and ricely yours,'' there are outstanding recipes for rice and beans. But Fretz ranges far beyond the basic to Persian lentils and rice with fried onions to Puerto Rican ``Arroz con Gandulez'' and other incarnations that are unusual and tempting. Paella and risotto are lumped together, since both are Mediterranean in origin, and pilaf is well covered. Asian classics, such as ``Sizzling Rice Soup'' (here dubbed ``a tempest in a soup pot''), are presented with little modification of traditional methods. Though not geared exclusively to vegetarians, most recipes use very little meat, making the book a good reference for the health-conscious. (Mar.)