Wild rice Mixtures ? segueway from rice steamer thread

[chocolate moose]

I made a bag of wild rice and white basmati rice in my steamer last week. The kids really liked it, whereas I know they don't want to eat brown rice (it's possible that a fuzzy logic steamer will make it delicious for even my uber picky kids, but until I actually decide on one, buy it, and get them to try it, I'll never know). There's a huge chance that they'll refuse to even taste it.

Anyway, I read someplace that wild rice has 30 times the antioxidants (of what, I forget .... ). I was thinking to maybe stick with eating that, althought I know no one eats straight wild rice, right? They all mix it with another variety, don't they ? (I googled this but couldn't figure out the proporations).

So - I appeal to you, the expert cooks - what ratio of wild to white do you use, or do you buy the little already mixed bags like I do ?

If I stick with the bags, I can use my usual steamer.

What do you all think ? And thanks !!! (MY husband wants this settled; he's DREAMING about a rice steamer since I discuss it so much with him !!!!

[Fisher's Mom]

People do eat wild rice without any other rice added. The reason for adding other rices to it is that wild rice is extremely expensive. (But I love it!)

[RobsanX]

I've only bought dry wild rice once. It came from Minnesota, and it has a VERY strong flavor. I made it 50-50 with white rice, and it was too strong. I think the last time I made it was probably about 10% wild rice. Even that was overpowering, but it didn't knock you down like the 50-50. I don't make it too often, so I can't really remember precise ratios.

[Fisher's Mom]

I think that's true, Robsan. I am fortunate in that a variety of wild rice grows very near me and it is fairly mild in flavor in comparison to the Minnesota variety. When I have used that, I have soaked it overnight and then added a fair amount of butter to the final product.

[FryBoy]

Actually, wild rice isn't really "rice" at all but a different variety of wild grass seed -- although it's closely related to "rice" (also a kind of grass). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_rice

[chocolate moose]

Well, the less the amount of wild rice, the less nutritious the dish is .. on the other hand, any amoutn of wild rice I add, I up the nutrition level ....

Any idea what proportion of wild rice to white rice my unfuzzy logic steamer can handle ? I don't want to blow it up - or make something sticky and gross, either.

[FryBoy]

This site has some good information, and they recommend a 50/50 blend with white or brown rice: http://www.brownielocks.com/wildrice.html

However, I note that they say to cook wild rice in a pot for about 35 to 50 minutes -- that's way too long for white rice, about right for brown. Not sure how that translates to a rice cooker, but I would guess it's the same as brown rice.