The "wild rice" that is purchased in stores is processed so that the grains become very hard (so they remain intact during the process and those who buy it find the classic long and uniform grains). However, obtaining beautiful looking cereals requires a cost and in our case it is a rice that does not become soft when cooked. The collection and manual processing of wild rice allows to obtain a soft food (once cooked, the consistency is not so different from that grown) and with a wonderful flavor.
Steps
Step 1. Find a large area where wild rice grows with shallow water, so it is relatively easy to walk through
Step 2. Find a person who can slowly guide a canoe through the wild rice field
Step 3. Get help from a second person who beats the rice stalks after folding them in the canoe, so that the loose ears fall to the bottom of the boat
You can use two wooden sticks called "knockers". If necessary, do a search on the internet to see exactly how to use them.
Step 4. Collect the wild rice by spreading it on a tarp
The tops of the spikes can hide caterpillars, grasshoppers, various species of spiders, ladybugs and other insects. The rice carpet at the bottom of the canoe will likely be teeming with life.
Step 5. Let the rice dry (it takes about 2-3 days in dry weather)
Step 6. Place the cereal in a large iron pan and heat it over embers
The goal is to dry the rice and make the outer skin fragile, without burning it. It takes some experience to calculate the temperature. It is advisable to shake the pan from time to time, so that the grains move and do not burn.
After this treatment you will have dry rice grains, golden brown in color (they must be slightly amber, not too dark)
Step 7. Once dried, place the rice in a hole lined with skin
Step 8. Now it is time to hull it
Rest your forefoot on the rice and sway your heels to the right and left as if you were dancing the twist. In this way you crush and twist the bran and bring out the rice grains. For this process you need something that grips the rice, such as suede (or rubber-soled shoes, very popular nowadays). You don't have to step on your toes to beat the rice (you won't get the result you want); it is the twisting and squeezing movement that frees the beans from the skins.
Step 9. Once you have stepped on the rice completely (this will take about 10 minutes), you need to remove it from the hole and move it to a large container to shell it.
Step 10. The shelling is done by moving the container downwards, in order to transfer all the chaff in front of the bowl (away from the person who is carrying out the operation), where it can be removed rather easily
Much of the chaff, to tell the truth, flies away thanks to the "vacuum" of air you created by making the downward movement, while the larger material can be eliminated by hand or blown away by blowing lightly.
Step 11. The rice shelling is complete
Keep in mind that there will be a lot of long kernels (some of them even broken, sadly), but no chaff, so you can enjoy your harvest to the fullest.
Advice
- The Zizania genus of wild rice includes the "manoomin" variety.
- In some locations, such as in the US state of Minnesota, a license must be purchased in order to harvest wild rice.
- During your collection you will be able to see lots of wildlife, such as birds, fish and mammals.
