Tips for cooking rice

CheekyChops

Hi
Anyone got suggestions/tips for cooking/boiling rice

My rice always when cooked isnt fluffy like you get out of the takeaway but is more starchy and wet and isnt fluffy

Tips for cooking rice property ?

DebDynamite

I just boil mine in a good bit of water. I find people worry too much how much water to use on rice but it can all be drained off anyway.

So when it's cooked I drain it off and rinse it in boiling water to get rid of any excess white residue (what ever it's called). Drain well again.

I use Basmati rice btw.

rep8888

+1

Irish_Elect_Eng

For Best Results use a rice cooker, worth the investment if you eat rice a lot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_cooker

The Microwave one works quite well if you want to save some money

+1 for the rice cooker, lovely sticky rice every time!

argos have a cheap one

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/4237381/Trail/searchtext%3ERICE+COOKER.htm

loyatemu

afaik takeaways all use rice-cookers so if you want the same results you need one of those. I'm generally happy enough with the results from a pot - lots of water and drain it through a sieve (I never bother rinsing with boiling water after). I've tried the absorbsion method a few times, works ok but you have to keep a close eye on it so it doesn't burn.

nesbitt

I cook rice using the absorption method!:)

Use a heavy based large cooking pot with tight fitting lid.

My best results are using my 24" cast iron pot (cooking for 4) with really good fitted heavy lid. If your lid is not that tight fitting (ie lets steam escape) simply line the lid with tin foil and this will keep it steam tight...

Whatever quantity of people you are cooking for use 1 volume rice to 2 volumes water... You will find that the water is about 2cm above the level of the rice in the pot. Do not be generous with the water... Add a little salt to taste...

Bring to boil, lid off. Clamp lid on tight, using tin foil liner. Reduce heat to a glimmer for 15 mins. Do not lift the lid, leave it to cook + absorb the water, slowly undisturbed. This is vital. Turn off heat, do not lift the lid and leave to continue absorbing water with the residual heat in the pot for a further 10 mins.

Fluff rice with a fork.

If you follow this exactly you will achieve fluffy, cooked rice and not a trace of water or indeed rice stuck to the bottom of yer pot!

Tip: put rice on when you start cooking, by the time you have your stir fry, curry done rice will be ready to serve.

PS. I bought a rice cooker a few years ago, and never used it, charity shop would not take it cos it was electrical item so had to confine it to Co.Co. recycling:o

mrmac

I use both a rice cooker, and a pot, depending on how much rice I need to cook.
The rice cooker is very handy, put in the number of cups the cooker is graduated with, pour in water up to the correct level (indicated on the side of the bowl), and switch it on. Simples.

If it's a smaller batch of rice, I just use a pot, plenty of water, pinch of salt, and boil it until it's cooked. Drain well, put back into the pan, and cover with the lid for 5 mins. This helps to really dry it out.

Before using either method, "wash" the rice in a big bowl, using plenty of water. Rinse, and repeat; this will remove a lot of the starch from the rice.

jeepers101

This recipe is good for 3 hungry people. Double the ingredients if required.

Ingredients:

3/4 oz real butter

1 small onion, grated

1 chicken stock cube

200g basmati rice

400ml boiled water



Method:
Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and stock cube. Stir until stock is well dissolved. Add dry rice and stir in for a couple of minutes.

Now add boiling water and let it simmer, stirring regularly. When all the water is NEARLY dissolved (about 8 mins), remove from heat and put a lid on the saucepan. Leave for a few minutes for the rest of the water to dissolve.

Fluff up with a fork, serve and enjoy.

stomprockin

I Use a Rice Cooker also. For me the best rice to buy is in the Asian Market.

I personally prefer the Thai jasmine rice (Golden Thai Dragon)

As Mensioned above wash the rice a few times before cooking, if your useing a rice cooker - i measure the amount of water by dipping my finger into the boul just tiping the rice and the water should be just a little bit above your nail, but i find the amount water you use depends on the type of rice you use.

To add a little extra aroma/flavor you can stir your rice while cooking with some lemongrass

mossy2

Hello There
The absorbtion method has never let me down. However I use only 1.5 vol water for 1 vol of rice.

All other details as per nesbitt's post above. I've used this method since reading it on a Ken Hom cookbook 15 or so years ago (as I recall he says one and a third water to one rice). I always use bismati rice so I can't vouch for how it would work with any other variety.

nesbitt

mossy2 wrote: »

Hello There
The absorbtion method has never let me down. However I use only 1.5 vol water for 1 vol of rice.

All other details as per nesbitt's post above. I've used this method since reading it on a Ken Hom cookbook 15 or so years ago (as I recall he says one and a third water to one rice). I always use bismati rice so I can't vouch for how it would work with any other variety.

I use long grain rice, (uncle Bens 1kg box good value). Agree with less water volume that is why I said don't be generous with the water.... I think this also depends on the type and size of pot used and if cooking with gas or electric. So I would further advise to adjust after a bit of trial and error and you will get fluffy rice every time. I love Basmati too but my kids don't so don't tend to cook it....

huskerdu

nesbitt wrote: »

I cook rice using the absorption method!:)

Use a heavy based large cooking pot with tight fitting lid.

My best results are using my 24" cast iron pot (cooking for 4) with really good fitted heavy lid. If your lid is not that tight fitting (ie lets steam escape) simply line the lid with tin foil and this will keep it steam tight...

Whatever quantity of people you are cooking for use 1 volume rice to 2 volumes water... You will find that the water is about 2cm above the level of the rice in the pot. Do not be generous with the water... Add a little salt to taste...

Bring to boil, lid off. Clamp lid on tight, using tin foil liner. Reduce heat to a glimmer for 15 mins. Do not lift the lid, leave it to cook + absorb the water, slowly undisturbed. This is vital. Turn off heat, do not lift the lid and leave to continue absorbing water with the residual heat in the pot for a further 10 mins.

Fluff rice with a fork.

If you follow this exactly you will achieve fluffy, cooked rice and not a trace of water or indeed rice stuck to the bottom of yer pot!

Tip: put rice on when you start cooking, by the time you have your stir fry, curry done rice will be ready to serve.

PS. I bought a rice cooker a few years ago, and never used it, charity shop would not take it cos it was electrical item so had to confine it to Co.Co. recycling:o

Perfect description of the absorption methd. Great rice every time.

I do have a rice cooker though and find it very useful.

The Sweeper

nesbitt wrote: »

My best results are using my 24" cast iron pot (cooking for 4) with really good fitted heavy lid. If your lid is not that tight fitting (ie lets steam escape) simply line the lid with tin foil and this will keep it steam tight...

This is fascinating.

I hated cooking rice by absorption up to.... last week.

I always boiled mine in a large stainless/copper based pot, and it worked out fine. If I tried cooking by absorption I always had sticky, stodgy rice with a crust on the bottom, which I hate.

However, I decided to do a Jamie 30-min-meal type dinner during the week, and made a lamb madras with lentil daal and rice by absorption. I have a Mario Batali risotto pan:



This is a REALLY heavy cast iron pan with a thick enamelled interior.

I did basmati by absorption - one cup rice, two cups boiling water, a pinch of sea salt, couple of cardamom pods, tsp of cloves, pinch of cumin seeds, tablespoon of olive oil.

The water was straight out of the boiled kettle, so I watched to make sure it came back up to the boil again, fitted the lid tightly for about two minutes, and then just turned the heat off.

Given that the pan is about 8kgs of cast iron and enamel, the residual heat was quite sufficient to cook the rice perfectly - no crusty base, no stodginess - it was light and fluffy and marvellous and i'm a convert!

rgiller

I usually rinse the rice in cold water before adding the hot to get starch out of it. Just pour on some cold water from the tap into the pot containing your rice, swish around a little bit then strain the water out. It'll be really milky with all the starch coming off the rice. Seems to give better final results when you do this before the absorption method listed above

the beer revolu

I, too, swear by the absorbtion method - the rice has much more flavour that way.

Nesbitt's description is spot on but I go for 1 rice to 1.5 water.
I also give the rice a wash before.

\My favourite everyday rice is Thai Fragrand or Jasmine rice but this method works for all rice. With brown rice just reduce the water a bit and cook for about 25-30 mins rather than 15. (actually, I find about 12 minutes cooking and then sitting for 10 works for me on my hob).

Once you get this right you'll never go back to flavourless boilled rice!

BailMeOut

Delia's method works every time.

1 cup of rice in heavy saucepan with about a tea spoon of oil. Stir until all rice is a little shiny. Add a pinch of salt and pepper (bay leaf also good) and 1 3/4 cups of boiling water. Quickly bring to the boil again stirring a few times. Then put a tight fitting lid on pan and turn cooker down to about as low as you can get and let steam for 15-20 mins (depending on the rice you are using). Turn heat off and let sit for another 10. Do not at an time open lid during this time.

Replacing boiling water for boiling chicken stock is also really good.

Padraig Mor

We got a (Lidl) rice cooker recently but find that it's continually burning the bottom layer of rice, no matter how much water we put in.

BaZmO*

Yep, absorption method here aswell.

Never used to be able to get it right, but the trick is the tight fitting lid. I just use two sheets of kitchen paper folded over to create one sheet. Place on the counter top, and put the lid on top of it and press down. This creates an indent on the kitchen paper that you can cut around, making it about an inch larger than the indent. The reason why need to trim the excess is that you don't want the paper hanging over the edge when cooking as it can burn.

Other than that, it's 1 part rice to 2 parts water. Bring the water to the boil and keep boiling until there's a little bit of water over the surface of the rice, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting, give the rice a good stir, put the kitchen paper and lid on, cook for 10 mins, and then let lest for a further 10 mins. Don't open the open the lid until the 20 mins is up though.