Recipe(tried): Rice Oriental Hamburger Helper Variation

Your story hit so close to home that I had to reply. I loved the rice oriental as a kid. I was so bummed out when I couldn't find it anymore that I developed a variation of it, which took about 6 attempts to finally get it as close as I can to what I remember of the original. It rocks and I have been making it at least once a month for almost two years now. You have to steam/cook the rice separately and make the sauce in the skillet with the hamburger and then stir the rice in. Here it is, enjoy...

3/4 cup long grain white rice
1 1/2 cups water
1 pound hamburger
1 can of beef broth (14 ounces)
1/4 cup soy sauce (or more if you like)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon corn starch
1/4 cup cold water

Combine the rice with 1 1/2 cups of water in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes (or cook according to package directions)

While the rice is steaming, brown the hamburger in a 10 inch skillet and drain. Return to pan along with the broth, soy sauce, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil.

Add the corn starch to the 1/4 cup cold water and stir well to dissolve, and add to the hamburger/sauce mixture. Mix well and bring back to a boil to thicken it. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the rice is done steaming.

Stir the cooked rice into the hamburger mixture. Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes, stir and enjoy. (The rice takes on the color and flavor of the hamburger mixture while it stands)

I hope this helps and you all enjoy it.

-Tom