Rice

[Dr.Who]

.. i always boil rice and it always comes out fluffy & sticky....but how do i cook it so it comes out firm, not sticky, where each grain is whole and seperate... like in restaurents? and covered in a little bit of oil. :-D

online it says to boil the rice first, then let it cool down, then pan fry it. but that doesnt do it. maybe im not using the right kind of rice? long grain white rice? maybe im boiling it too long?

suggestions welcomed.

 

[PVail]

When you boil it put in some salt , this prevents it sticking . after its ready put it into a strainer or colinder and rinse it with a kettle of boiling water , this will remove the salt and leave the rice perfect. Dont boil it to death . I eat a lot of rice as its one of the meals that doesnt kill me .
Good luck
Peter

 

[Spooky1]

Too much rice = D!!! are you sure you want to cook it?

 

[Dr.Who]

Too much rice = D!!! are you sure you want to cook it?

??

 

[Spooky1]

apparently its causes D!!! mind, when i was told this i was practically living on it. and i still have massive D, even with liquid food, lol. Bit of a laxative is rice, be careful Dr. Who.

 

[Grumbletum]

My Ex-MIL, who was Egyptian, made the best rice ever. She'd heat some oil in a pan, then cook half the rice in it til it was golden brown. Then she added the rest if the rice, stirred it til it was all coated with the oil, just covered with water, then cooked til the water was absorbed.
I watched her do it many times, but to this day can't get it as good as hers.

 

[PVail]

I have never found that rice causes D, strange but its one of the safe foods in moderation I find. Maybe it depends on the type of rice and the way its cooked. Well at the moment I would matter if I ate air as it all hurts, but thats the nature of the beast .

 

[rob101]

To cook perfect basmati rice take 1 cup of rice to two cups of water and bring to the boil with alid on then simmer for 9-10 mins or untill the water has all gone.

 

[Jennifer]

Usually a 1 to 2 ratio with any rice (sounds like you might have too much water Dr.Who). I use Jasmine rice (love the smell and taste). You can always use a stock instead of water to give it a different flavor. Its never caused diarrhea for me and that's actually the first time I heard someone say that it did. Rice is usually one of the safest things to eat (its even listed in the BRAT (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) diet ).

 

[lowone]

i use a microwave rice cooker and just eyeball my water level. days with too much water i get boiled mushy rice, days with not enough or just the right amount and it comes out perfect or aldente~ and perfect individual kernels... the challenge is the right amount of water is only a few drops off the wrong amount!!

oh add- i also usually only make 1~ cup of dried rice at a time... which makes gauging the water level difficult! if i make a huge batch then it almost always comes out tasty/perfect....

 

[gypsy_dyke]

at work they tell me to rinse the rice till the water runs clear and add butter before steaming. you can add anything like broth or sauteed onions for flavor.we also use an industrial steamer. I don't know if that makes a difference. all rice is a little different, try not to add to much water. hope this helps

 

[rygon]

yeh the rice needs to be washed. either rinse it before until the water runs clear or rinse with hot water afterwards until it runs clear (i normally use the 1st method). Then boil it in water. If done correct you all the water should have evaporated by the time it is cooked.

Dont over cook it else it will go all goopy. Still wants a bit of firmness left in it (but doesnt want to be hard)

 

[Dr.Who]

...it comes out perfect or aldente~ and perfect individual kernels...

oooh yeeaah, thats what im talking about
aldente!


thanks to every for your hints, tips & suggestions :-D

rice has always been a safe food for me,
i just.. i just seemed to have forgotten how to make it properly.

 

[harrietpeter]

For those of us for whom rice is pretty much a staple, I'd say worth investing in a rice cooker. It comes out perfectly for me every time. And considering I eat rice at least twice a day, it was definitely worth the investment! You can add spices to the rice cooker and also use different kinds of grains to vary the taste, too!

 

[bangarang]

For those of us for whom rice is pretty much a staple, I'd say worth investing in a rice cooker. It comes out perfectly for me every time. And considering I eat rice at least twice a day, it was definitely worth the investment! You can add spices to the rice cooker and also use different kinds of grains to vary the taste, too!

Indeed, I always thought rice cookers were a waste of money until I actually had rice in a rice cooker. Yum!

 

[Dr.Who]

For those of us for whom rice is pretty much a staple, I'd say worth investing in a rice cooker. It comes out perfectly for me every time. And considering I eat rice at least twice a day, it was definitely worth the investment! You can add spices to the rice cooker and also use different kinds of grains to vary the taste, too!

well... can the rice cooker make rice aldente vs sticky&fluffy?

how does it work differently then cooking rice in a pot.. you still gotta measure the water and the rice using a rice cooker, no?

ok i may buy one.

cheers

 

[Jennifer]

There are directions on rice cookers and most usually come with their own measuring cup (each cooker has notches inside that show you where the water line should go). To get a more aldente texture all you have to do is add less water. It's usually a 1 to 2 ratio. One part rice, two parts water. Trial and error by a couple tries should help you figure out how much water to cut out completely or you can also leave the rice on the warm setting and more water will be burnt off making it firm up again but you'll deal with a crusty rice bottom (easily pops off the pot by soaking it in water).

I use my rice cooker all the time but if I want rice now then I use the stove but it's still the same ratio as the rice cooker (1 to 2). On the stove its a little more hassle cause you have to lower the temp at the right time but is a little quicker. Always make rice first when using a rice cooker if the rest of your dish is pretty quick to fix. You can also steam vegetables in a rice cooker.

 

[WinterRoad]

You could try instant rice (uncle ben's, etc). If you get the original, unseasoned variety, it's the same as regular rice but par-cooked before you get it, and it will definitely not be sticky.