how to make rice that comes out right every time?

[KG]

going back to my mostly vegan ways, minus the wheat and potatoes

new to making rice tho - sometimes it's soggy, sometimes okay. once in awhile it's too dry. is there a secret to it? i buy good jasmine rice.

[shoelace414]

1. I use a rice cooker myself

[Kenergy]

34. Me too...it works well and easy 2 use n/t

[Liberal Veteran]

2. A rice/vegetable steamer.

About 20 bucks (I got a brand new one at Goodwill for 5 bucks and it works like a champ).

[GOPisEvil]

3. My sure-fire Jasmine rice.

1 cup rice
1.5 cups water
1 tbsp. butter

Put everything into sauce pan and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer, cover and let stand for 15 min., then remove from heat.

[KG]

7. you don't get the water boiling first?

maybe that's what i'm doing wrong.

[CountAllVotes]

10. no you don't boil the water first

this is likely your problem I bet!

You bring the rice, cold water, salt if you like to a roaring boil, stir to break the grain and then lower the heat to a low simmer for about 20 mins.

As for cookware, I have old Revereware pots with the copper bottoms on them. This can made a huge difference as well, the cookware being used.

:kick:

[demnan]

4. Here's what a Vietnamese friend taught me

Measure the rice you want in a sauce pan - with a good steam hole in the lid and a heavy bottom - up to the first knuckle of your middle finger. Wash several times to remove excess starch. Then when water runs clear, measure the water so it comes up to the second knuckle of your middle finger.

Turn rice on high to boil cover loosely with lid. When it starts to boil turn it to simmer and secure the lid. Let it cook for 15 minutes or so (you will smell when your rice is done).

Of course the best way to cook rice is to buy a rice steamer. Then all you have to worry about is the measuring.

[WindRavenX]

5. 1:2 ratio of rice to water

Jasmine rice = yummu

[CountAllVotes]

6. my recipe

One cup of white/jasmine rice (I like white Basmati myself)
2 cups of water

Put all in a pot that is rather deep not wide. Bring to a full boil (add some salt and oil/butter substitute if you like). When it comes to a roaring boil, stir to break up the grain.

Then lower the pot to a low simmer and cover with a the pot's lid and cook for 20 mins. Remove from heat and allow it to steam with the lid on for about 10 mins.

Brown rice requires more water (maybe an extra 1/2 cup. or more, depending on the type of brown rice) and a much longer cooking time (twice that at least as the white rice/Basmati requires. You should also allow it to steam with the lid on after the cooking time is up.

Good luck! :D

[yellowdogintexas]

25. my exact same method for perfect rice. It is amazing how much

better it turns out in a deep pot that is just the right size to hold the cooked rice. I use a heavy bottomed 1 quart pan with a tight fitting lid.

[CountAllVotes]

28. that is what I use too!

It is an old Reverware pot - hold one quart. If I try to cook more than 1-1/2 cups of rice, it is too much for the pot to hold.

The deeper the pot the better for cooking rice for sure. It does not come out nearly as good in a pot without the depth.

I was going to be a professional chef at one point in time and I have found that the cookware is only as good as the cook. I really do like Reverware the best (if you can still find it). If I need more, I buy used pieces on eBay believe it or not. :D

:kick:

[XNASA]

8. Slight less water than 2:1.

More like 1.75 cups of water per cup of rice.

Only use good rice. None of that processed crap.

Put the water and rice in a pan along with a couple of pinches of salt.

Leave uncovered and when it starts boiling, turn the burner to low, give it a stir, and cover it.

In about 12 minutes, check it and fluff it up with a fork.

Works every time.

[demzilla]

9. My basically foolproof recipe is

For one cup of rice use 1 3/4 cups of water. Combine the two in a heavy saucepan (I use enameled Le Creuset-type stuff. Don't use thinnish stainless steel type pots!) The key is to let the rice soak in the water for a half hour or so before you even turn on the stove. Then bring to a rapid boil, reduce heat to a very low simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Check after five or so to make sure the simmer is low and not too rapid. Adjust heat as necessary . . . This is pretty much foolproof with basmati rice, and should work equally well with jasmine.

[KG]

11. thanks eveybody.

:thumbsup:

[supernova]

12. Works really well in the microwave

cover rice with about 1/2 inch water. Cover with plastic wrap and puch a couple of holes to let steam escape.

Cook on medium power (level 4 or so; you might have to experiment) for about 25 minutes. YOu want it to "simmer", not boil over.

Water cooks away and leaves the fluffy rice, much as if you had used a rice cooker.

[Darth_Kitten]

13. I just boil the heck out of it.

I never put a lid on it.

Just boil and watch it so it doesn't burn. :)

[KG]

14. maybe you should drop by sometime, give me a few pointers.

:hi:

[Darth_Kitten]

17. I just wing it with rice

and other things..... :)

[Kali]

15. Same pan and lid every time?

Measure CAREFULLY and take into acount humidity. (this is from someone who has cooked a LOT of rice and I only get it right about half the time. - I usually make Husband do it, but he messes up sometimes too.

Back in the day, I tried sucess rice in boiling bags - really expensive and lots of waste, but if you really need perfect rice - it works, next best is Uncle Bens regular white convertied 20 minute kind, - learned that from consumer reports, but its kind of expensive too.

Now I usually use Mahatma white and am thinking of starting to mix in a bit of brown for health - I really don't like brown rice but had some mixed about 25% brown 75% white and it was acceptible.

Store brand and really cheap rice sucks - talk about mush. Jazmine rice, cooked right: mmmmmm

[supernova]

16. Jasmine and Basmati rice

are flavorful.

I also like wild rice.

I used to make what I called a "rice salad." It was wild rice, green and red bell peppers; dressed with EVOO, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

I haven't made that in a while. Might be time to do so again.

[Kali]

18. mmm that sounds good even if I don't know what EVOO is.

Nevermind, yes I do - extra virgin olive oil. :crazy: :silly:

[DS1]

27. I learned to like brown rice

Now I prefer it, which is a complete 180

[CountAllVotes]

29. no ...

Mixing raw brown rice with raw white rice and cooking them together is a recipe for disaster as brown rice requires a far longer amount of time to cook.

:kick:

[Kali]

31. Oh yeah I know that

same with wild rice. I just meant for eating.

[blondeatlast]

19. Hubby is Asian Indian and we eat rice almost every meal; a reice cooker

is the best investment you will make.

Perfect every time.

Ratio of 1 c. rice to 2 cs. water and a touch of olive oil and salt.

Never fails.

[KG]

20. i'm considering a cooker, since i plan on eating alot of rice in the

future.

[blondeatlast]

22. I bought ours 4 years ago atTarget for I think 25 dollars.

It was to replace the one we'd worn out before.

It's made by "Aroma" and is very easy to clean (sticking can be a problem with aluminum pans).

I'm pretty sure you won't regret it!

This is the one I bought and I love it (yes, as someone mentions, it does brown the rice on the bottom but I LIKE the flavor; above the very bottom of the pan the rice is perfect).

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_10/602-7954531-4178250?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B00004RD9E

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

21. Rice cooker fo sho. For the type of rice you like, you determine the best

ratio of water to rice and you will get consistent results.

[gollygee]

23. We have a veggie steamer/rice cooker

we use it for veggies a lot and rice a lot. We use it almost every night for something.

Ours has two tiers - one can cook rice while the other steams veggies.

YUM

[DawgHouse]

24. I use a rice cooker

I cook rice almost everyday because my puppy dog is on a strict chicken/rice diet. You just put the rice and water in and walk away. I love it.

[ewagner]

26. On the stove

Measurement is important...use exactly twice as much water as rice (e.g. one cup of rice to two cups of water)

bring rice and salted9about 1/2 teaspoon of salt) water to a boil, let boil for about a minute or so, then turn the heat off, or remove the pot from the heat entirely and let it sit COVERED for twenty minutes....viola! Perfect Rice!!!!

in a microwave:


use the same measurements only make sure the water you add to it is HOT from the faucet to begin with....Cover. Microwave on HIGH for five minutes, remove the top and stir, them microwave on 50% for 14 minutes...

dead.
center.
perfect.

[cssmall]

30. Acutally, Michelle and I cook it the Japanese way.

You wash the rice and then soak it for at least 30 minutes. Then, you get 1.1 cups of water to 1 cup rice and place the rice and water in a 2 QT. saucepan and bring to boil. Once boiling, lower the temperture to low or med-low (depends on your range), let cook for 15 minutes. Then, at the end of fifteen minutes, turn the heat up to high for 5 seconds and then remove from heat and let stand for 15 minutes. After all that, remove the lid and fluff the rice a bit and enjoy. It's nummy.

[the_spectator]

32. How long...

does it actually take you to EAT the rice, after that Broadway-worthy major production you just outlined? I'm just curious. At least you don't require a "Le Crueset enameled" pot as a poster did above, whatever the hell THAT is! :crazy:

Jeez! You foodies are worse than the rock snobs! And that's saying A LOT!

(Please forgive, I kid because I love.)

[cssmall]

35. It seems like a lot of work.

But, it's not. And, actually for fried rice the next day, yum! :rofl: That was a great post, btw.

[the_spectator]

37. Thanks for being so tolerant!

I was getting a little ornery last night. Katrina issues I guess.
Thanks again! :hi:

[cssmall]

43. One correction!

My wife nagged me to say this after reading my post. You MUST wait for it to boil and then covered to simmer that 15 minutes. Also, the pan should not be too big or too small for the contents.

[applegrove]

33. Rice cookers are excellent! You turn it on - then walk away and you

can eat the rice whenever.

[ulysses]

36. sautee it first.

I heat a little oil in the sauce pan and toss the rice around in it for a minute or so (don't let it brown) then stand back and add the water, 2:1. Cover, let it come up to a boil, stir, then turn the heat down. Works every time for me. :hi:

[Patiod]

38. How hard is it to throw the bag of Success Rice in a boiling pot?

:evilgrin:

The rice cookers are great, and they allow you to have all the nice flavored/scented rices. Brown still takes WAY longer to cook than white, though

I find that the brown rice I prefer just takes too long in the cooker or a pan, especially if I'm running out to a meeting or class or something, so I actually DO use the "Success" or "Uncle Ben's" instant brown rice. It's just as tasty as slow-cooked, and I've read that it retains nutrients. If I had the foresight to make up one big batch, and then refrigerate and re-heat, I'd have all the convenience without all the cost but I don't, so I keep the bag rices on hand.

[peacebuzzard]

42. That is what I do in a hurry.

[magnetism]

39. Uncle Ben's Instant

just follow on-box directions. Comes out awesome every time.

[driver8]

40. Rice Cooker!! Even I can make rice using a rice cooker.

My wife is an excellent cook and she swears by her rice cooker.

[distantearlywarning]

41. Rice Cooker.

One of the best items I ever purchased.

I never ever have to measure - I just dump a reasonable amount of rice in, and then put enough water in to cover it by about a 1/2 inch or so. Then I turn the thing on and walk away. 30 minutes later I have perfect "Chinese restaurant" fluffy rice.