In many parts of Africa and Asia, fragments of uncooked rice are called broken rice, and these were traditionally considered the rejects of the milling process and sold cheaply to the poor. Now broken rice is an ingredient in many popular dishes like cơm tấm, a street food in Vietnam, and thieboudienne in Senegal. In the American South, broken rice is often known as middlins, or rice grits. You can make your own broken rice in a blender or food processor, as directed below; just be sure not to overgrind the grains. 

　　This recipe was excerpted from 'The Simple Art of Rice' by JJ Johnson with Danica Novgorodoff. Buy the full book on Amazon.

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What you’ll need

　　Chevron

　　Chevron

　　Food Processor

　　$300 At Amazon

　　Fine-Mesh Strainer

　　$12 $11 At Amazon

　　4 Quart Saucepan

　　$200 At Amazon

　　

Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8

　　2 cups long-grain white rice

　　2 cups heavy cream

　　2 cups low-sodium chicken stock

　　2 cups water

　　1 bay leaf

　　½ tsp. kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal), or more to taste

　　½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

　　1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 3 ounces; see Note)

　　1 bunch chives, finely sliced, for garnish

　　8 to 10 bacon slices, cooked until crisp and crumbled, for garnish

　　1 jalapeño, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced, for garnish

　　

Step 1

Working in batches if necessary, place the rice in a blender jar or the

　　bowl of a food processor and pulse until the grains are very coarsely

　　ground into rough, uneven pieces about half to one third of their

　　original size.

　　

Step 2

Rinse the rice in a large bowl with cool running water until the water

　　runs clear. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve and shake off the excess water.

　　

Step 3

In a large saucepan, combine the heavy cream, stock, water, bay leaf,

　　salt, and black pepper and bring to a boil. Slowly add the cracked rice,

　　whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered,

　　stirring frequently, until the grits are creamy and the rice no longer has

　　any bite to it, 25 to 30 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Remove and discard the bay leaf. Gradually add the cheddar cheese,

　　stirring until melted and thoroughly combined. Adjust the salt and

　　pepper to taste if necessary.

　　

Step 5

Sprinkle the grits with the chives, bacon, and jalapeño, and serve hot.

　　Cooks' Note

　　It’s best to buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself, as packaged shredded cheese may have a coating that prevents it from clumping together.

　　Recipe adapted from The Simple Art of Rice by JJ Johnson (Flatiron Books). Copyright © 2023. Buy it on Amazon or Bookshop.