Someone here thinks that older white Americans will love biryani, korma, plain roti?
I don't think so. They are not open-minded, just like older people in any country like to eat what they know.
I was at an Indian restaurant yesterday with 3 older white Americans. They looked at the chicken tikka masala as if it was gross.

Why is Pakistan anti-saurkraut?
Come now, op, do answer.

I think wheat products are more present in the standard white European American diet. Also, I think older white Americans have different tastes than younger generations that generally have more exposure to a wider variety of cuisines.

My family eats rice a couple times a week, usually with a rice bowl, curry, or a Mexican dish. We eat potatoes and pasta just as often.

I have never seen someone refuse to eat a well prepared rice dish. In fact, just the opposite.

I think most people like the convenience. It is easier to reach for bread than to do all the work of cooking the rice. Home cooks who cook regularly have no issues with rice, but if your cooking is limited to making sandwiches then why would you pick up rice over sliced bread? Besides, you cannot eat rice without stuff that goes with it. Who eats just rice? Or rice with coffee/tea? But you can eat a toast with coffee/tea. Bread is so much more convenient. Very easy to grab and go and eat in the car.

Your ILs can probably wrap a hotdog in a slice of bread and go on their merry way. But they can certainly not make hot dog sushi with the rice, right?

OP, I am an Indian. Rice can be sometimes be unhealthy because of the fact that there is a lot of arsenic in soil that rice can suck up while growing. Also, high glycemic index.

But then so much of our food supply and soil around the world is contaminated and we all just have to be careful about what we eat. And carb-y food from any cuisine in excess is bad. Also - rice and dal combo provides all the essential amino acids that a human body requires.

Washing rice multiple times and removing the starchy water (ie cooking it like pasta) is the best way to remove arsenic and reduce the glycymic index.

OP, just like you were probably introduced to cuisines from around the world here, why not introduce your ILs to Pakistani cuisine? All the biryanis, kebabs, currys and wonderful meat dishes? Also, go beyond the nans - keema parantha, sheermal, rumali roti? They will love you.

And I think the idea of plain white rice is equated for some people with straight-up carbs. Of course that’s a silly because pasta is also carbs and there are all kinds of rice. I wonder if it’s because good rice is harder to make than good pasta noodles?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hispanic here which means rice is made quite a bit.

And folks, you gotta toast the rice first before adding water!

Ha! Also Hispanic. Lots of rice here. Lots of toasting. And with salt and garlic! The best.

I am intrigued! Do you use oil or just dry roast the rice?
(I only know how to make Asian style rice.)

A little oil and the rice.

Indian here. I toast rice in oil for some recipes of rice pulao. Also depends on what variety of rice I am using.

This is the first rice pulao I learnt to make when I was 14 yrs old, and it tastes pretty great. I would not use Basmati with this dish but Sona Masoori or any normal long grained rice.

In a pot, put two tsp of ghee, and toast cumin seeds, whole black peppers, cinnamon stick. Add thinly sliced onions and brown. Add rice, salt and a pinch of turmeric and toast some more, till the rice is properly coated and puffing a bit. Add hot water and cook till done. I sometimes added peas and chopped carrots too. But it tastes divine with just the onions.

Anonymous wrote:Be sure to generalize and judge all Americans based on your husband’s family, OP. That’s a good look.

Yes, pp, only Americans are allowed to do that! How dare you not be as open-minded as they refuse to be themselves!

Be sure to generalize and judge all Americans based on your husband’s family, OP. That’s a good look.

Anonymous wrote:Please settle the debate of whether or not they are actually eating spaghetti and hot dogs in the same meal, op. Lol

Isn't there an episode on the Big Bang Theory where Sheldon who is from Texas loves spaghetti with hot dogs?

Dear op, only Americans on dcum are allowed to make generalizations about other nations, ethnic groups, and continents!
Not foreign immigrants!
French eat only bread and heavy foods.
Germans eat only sausages and potatoes.
Italians eat only pasta and pizza.
All Asians eat only rice.
All Mexicans and Latin Americans eat beans.

I am certain by this point someone told you to go back if you don't like it here! The rules are not the same.

They are mostly of European background and the cuisine doesn't use much rice if any.
If they are from the Balkans, there is some rice used traditionally, which is for rice pudding, stuffed rolls, and risottos.
Due to the parts of the Balkans being in the Ottoman Empire and having more exposure to different cuisines. So, it is just their culinary heritage. If you are in New Orleans, I think rice is used much more.

My American husband grew up eating (minute) rice maybe once a month. I grew up in Western Europe and ate rice a few times a week.
DH believes rice is unhealthier than his packaged white bread and pasta. And yes, I know not all Americans are like this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hispanic here which means rice is made quite a bit.

And folks, you gotta toast the rice first before adding water!

Ha! Also Hispanic. Lots of rice here. Lots of toasting. And with salt and garlic! The best.

I am intrigued! Do you use oil or just dry roast the rice?
(I only know how to make Asian style rice.)

A little oil and the rice.

Anonymous wrote:Hispanic here which means rice is made quite a bit.

And folks, you gotta toast the rice first before adding water!

Really? Learn a new thing every day.