Canned Rice-and-Vegetable Porridge for Winter

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make rice-and-vegetable porridge to can for winter? Gather your ingredients. Any grain works, but rice is especially good here — it plays well with the vegetables and keeps the porridge light. The key is to use long-grain parboiled rice so it doesn't turn gluey after cooking. Wash, peel, and grate the carrots on the medium side of a box grater.

2. Step 2:

   

   Peel off the outer leaves of the cabbage — they're usually dry and grimy. Cut out the core, then shred the cabbage into thin strips.

3. Step 3:

   

   Wash the bell peppers, remove the cores and seeds, and rinse well again under running water. Cut them into thin strips with a knife.

4. Step 4:

   

   Wash the zucchini and cut it into cubes. If it's young and tender, you can leave the skin and center in; if it's older, peel it and scoop out the seeds.

5. Step 5:

   

   Peel the onions and slice them into half-rings.

6. Step 6:

   

   Wash the tomatoes under running water and cut them into cubes. If the skins are tough, blanch the tomatoes in boiling water and slip the skins off.

7. Step 7:

   

   Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Boil it until just short of done in salted water, then drain and set aside. Meanwhile, prep your canning jars. Use small ones (about a pint / 0.5 L) so each jar is a single lunch or dinner portion. Wash the jars with baking soda under running water and sterilize them in the oven for 10 minutes at 300°F (150°C). Wash and sterilize the lids too.

8. Step 8:

   

   Put all the vegetables into a heavy-bottomed pot at once. Add the salt and sugar and stir. Set the pot over the heat and simmer the vegetables for about 30–40 minutes, until half-cooked. Pour in the vegetable oil and vinegar, stir, and simmer for another 10 minutes or so. Stir in the rice, then turn off the heat and let the pot sit on the stove for about 10 minutes.

9. Step 9:

   

   Spoon the porridge into the jars. Set the jars in a large pot lined with a towel and filled with water, cover, and process them for about 10 minutes. Seal the jars while hot and leave them to cool upside down at room temperature. Don't wrap them up to keep them warm — the rice would overcook and the vegetables would go too soft. Store the jars in a cool pantry until winter. Enjoy!