Microwave Rice

A few years ago some students told me that microwave rice was good, and I was quite shocked. First, I did not even know that such a food product existed in Korea, and, second, I immediately thought that no self-respecting Korean would eat such a thing. Rice cookers (simple kitchen machines that steam rice) are so ubiquitous here and fresh rice is such a standard part of meals (often 3 a day) that it seems like a crazy adventure into the "fast food" world to consume microwave rice.

So I gave it no more thought.

Until last week, when I discovered that my new apartment has a microwave, my first such machine in Korea.

Right away I remembered the past conversation, and so I bought some microwave rice to try.

Rating: damn good.

I was shocked once again, but I guess that in a rice-consuming nation if you are going to put out an "instant-rice" product then it has to be good.

I tend to think that microwaves are not natural and therefore that I should not use them much, but, dammit, they are so convenient. And rice cookers can be messy and take time to clean.

So, pop a rice package in for 1 and 1/2 minutes, toss some kimchi on top, and there is breakfast . . .