COOKING FAIL: I cannot make any kind of rice but the minute kind.

[GreenPartyVoter]

Just tried to make Jasmine rice for a fried rice recipe. All the water boiled away leaving half cooked rice. I set it to simmer, but I guess the burner was too big? Am trying again on the lowest setting of the smallest burner. *siiigh*

[Kali]

1. yeah needs to be really low

also you can cheat and check - take a fork and without stirring anything stick it down to the bottome of the pan and just lean it to one side so you can peer down into the crevice to see if any water is left if it is gone or almost and you still have like 10 minutes to go on the time, take a 1/4 cup or so of hot water and dribble it right around the outside edge of the rice (near the rim of the pan) and then put the lid back on.

I do it all the time - rice takes a little practice but if you do it regularly you will get the hang of it. Also know that like beans, length of storage and relative humidity does make a difference.

For fried rice it really is best if used the next day after making it.

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. Well, it's a little mushy and some stuck to the pan, but it'll do. I'll try your trick

next time, thanks! :hi:

[rug]

2. What, you screwed up boling water?

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Pretty much. LOL

[marzipanni]

5. You are using a ratio of 1:2 rice to water?

I turn my gas stove down to the point that the flame almost goes out, a very low ~3 1/2 diameter circle- the lowest setting on an electric stove may be fine.
Any kind of white rice should be done in 18 minutes, then turn it off, and let sit for 5 minutes, and fluff with a fork. The only other requisite is a tight fitting lid that steam doesn't seep out of.

[redwitch]

6. You can bake rice.

Covered casserole, same recipe but bake at 350 until done ( half hour or so, depends on how much you are making). Perfect consistency every time.

[driver8]

7. Buy a rice cooker.

I am the worst cook in the world, but even I can make rice in this thing!

[dimbear]

11. And if you don't have that, use the microwave. Much easier and

less risky.

[GreenPartyVoter]

25. Risky? Rice cookers are risky? Do they explode or something?

[dimbear]

35. I meant the microwave is less risky than the stovetop.

Especially if you use a clear glass container.

[GreenPartyVoter]

37. oh. LOL That's a relief since my husband has offered to buy me a rice cooker.

[IcyPeas]

8. low simmer AND DON'T STIR IT - keep the lid on

[Chan790]

9. Everything said above...

as well, you can (and in the case of basmati, texmati, sushi and jasmine rices really should) pre-soak your rice for about 5 minutes. It makes it come out less clumpy and more individual grains, removes some of the dust and and reduces cooking time slightly by increasing absorbency.

Just pour it into a bowl, cover with water while you do your other prep, pour off the water and add (edit: the rice) along with fresh water into the pan.

As for the gas stove, it's a bit hotter that the coil so...as low as you can go once you reduce to simmer. Keep it covered too.

[elocs]

10. I just made Jasmine rice last night in the microwave.

I used 1 cup of rice and a 14 ounce can of chicken broth in a round, clear casserole dish adding a tablespoon of olive oil (I stirred it before cooking). I put the cover on and nuked it for 20 minutes and it came out perfect.

I make rice all the time this way, usually with 2 cups of water per 1 cup of rice and it works every time.

[MiddleFingerMom]

12. Easiest solution? Boil-in-Bag rice. "Success" is the big national brand...

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...but the supermarket I go to has boil-in-bag BROWN rice for about 1/3 cheaper ($1.69 for four bags of 4 servings each -- about 1 cup uncooked).
There IS white rice -- my store just doesn't carry it.
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Virtually foolproof... though not as good. Ten minutes and pull out the bag.
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Second -- I'm not sure why I was so freaked out about rice for so long. When I tried it from scratch again, it was simple and hard to ruin
(though I am a much better and experienced cook now).
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2 cups water (I season it heavily with sodium-free chicken broth granules and other spices -- chiefly chili powder). Bring to a FULL boil. Dump
in rice and turn it down to almost nothing. I let it come back to a boil (which it does quickly) uncovered and then cover it and start checking
after 10 minutes (some say 12-15, but I find it dried out too often leaving it that long). Remove immediately to a serving platter/bowl -- don't
leave it in the pot. Watch it CONSTANTLY until you get the hang of it/are comfortable leaving it -- and set a timer, if you space out easily (not
that I do that -- but my timer sounds like Big Ben for a reason).
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The frozen section at our store (in the store-brand generic veggies section) has pre-cooked frozen rice (some with veggies like diced carrots
and peas) that's nuke-able, albeit expensive (compared to normal or boil-in-bags).
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We used to joke about MiddleFingerMomSis and how, when she got married (WAY back in the pioneer days) she couldn't boil hot dogs. She learned
quickly and escalated her learning to include classes -- and now she is, by FAR... the finest (actual) gourmet home-cook that I know.
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One Christmas, instead of turkey or ham we had stuffed deviled lobster. MiddleFingerMom, when she called and heard the menu... was more than
half-convinced that we were all going to go to hell for shirking tradition like that.
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It woulda been a tasty tasty condemnation.
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[Kali]

20. success is WAY better than minute-rice

but if you are feeding a bunch of kids it gets pretty expensive, better to learn how to cook regular rice in large quantities:rofl:

[pink-o]

13. I suck around an oven! I live on raw fruits, veggies and anything I can nuke

But I do know how to cook rice. You have to figure out your stove top, especially if it's electric, so it might take a few attempts. But I'm with the poster who says you simmer very low, but you check it and stir it to insure you don't burn it. Then once your rice is cooked thru, you drizzle it with a bit of olive oil, stir it in, then let it sit for about 5 to ten mins. Delish every time.

[nolabear]

14. I know. That really big rice can be very tricky.

Sorrysorrysorry...

[bullwinkle428]

15. GPV, I use the microwave for a near-foolproof method of "pre-cooking" rice!

I like to pre-cook it the night before when I make fried rice, as it saves time in addition to some recipes actually calling for cold, pre-cooked rice.

I'll use around 2 1/2 cups of rice with 3 cups of water, cover and cook at full power for around 8 minutes. I'll then stir and re-cover, and cook for around 20 minutes at 50% power. Works great every time!

[Generic Brad]

16. Is that "Minute" as in "Tiny"?

Because if so, you are making it correctly. Those grains of rice are small.

[kentauros]

17. How about the Jamie Oliver method? :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0oz1RhcN9I

It's one of his assistants doing the cooking, so ignore the angry commentators ;)
The technique is good, one that I'll be trying soon. It reminds me of how in this country instructions for cooking rice all to often skimp on the amount of water, unlike in this demonstration. If you don't mind experimenting, I'd say this one's a good choice :D

Oh, and here's his channel, introducing his "30-Minute Meals". I love that kitchen!
http://www.youtube.com/user/JamieOliver

[Dr Morbius]

18. Here's what I do:

1: have a saucepan with a tightly fitting lid. The importance of this cannot be overstated. Myself, I bought a pan with a glass lid; being able to see through the lid allows me to turn the rice off before it's too late. Simple solutions are often the most effective.

2: Buy Uncle Ben's Converted rice and follow the instructions on the side. When it is time to simmer the rice turn the burner as low as it will go without going off. Do NOT uncover; do NOT stir. Steam cooks rice; allow the steam to escape and you ruin the rice.

3. Turn off the burner after the twenty minutes have elapsed. Let the rice sit, covered, for five minutes, then serve.

It always tastes perfect. I detest minute rice; it doesn't taste right to me. There used to be another brand just as good as Uncle Ben's; it was called Riceland Gold (essentially the competition's version of the same thing, converted rice). I've never used a rice cooker but trust me when I say it will accomplish same thing as a good saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.

Master this and you can do other interesting things with the rice, such as sauteing onions and celery in the butter you plan to use with the rice.

[MrMickeysMom]

19. Do you use a microwave, GPV?

Cause, if you do, rice is so easy.

I boil the appropriate measure of water on the stove, then take a corning glass casserole with lid. I set the microwave for "half power" and about 15 min's for white Jasmine, add the boiled water atop, put the lid on and let it finish in the microwave. Afterwards, I take it out to "rest" for about 10 min.

Perfect!

[GreenPartyVoter]

24. I didn't this time because the package said no more than 1 cup of rice at a time and I

didn't want to spend all night microwaving rice. LOL (As a side dish I am sure I could use the microwave but I needed a lot of rice for the fried rice recipe, hence the disaster of trying to boil it on the stove for the first time in about 10 years.)

[Kat45]

21. I buy the precooked you can put in the microwave for 90 seconds.

That's because I don't cook. :shrug: It even comes in jasmine and basmati now.

[pacalo]

22. I learned a method of cooking rice years ago that is no-fail.

It really helps to use a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid. Use long-grain rice instead of the short-grain because it's less starchy.

I usually cook 4 cups of rice at a time. I put whatever is left over in a gallon-sized bag, flatten it out, & put into the freezer.

Put 1 tsp. (or to taste) of salt into the pot; add 4 cups of water; bring to a boil.

While waiting for water to boil, wipe very dry the measuring cup, then add 2 cups of rice.

When water is boiling, gently pour rice into pot, evenly distributing it; set burner to low (#3 on electric stove); DO NOT STIR! Put the lid on, & cook for 30 minutes. NO PEEKING!

After cooking for 30 minutes, turn heat off, but leave the lid on for an additional 30 minutes. STILL NO PEEKING!

After cooling for 30 minutes, you'll have the fluffiest rice. If you let the pot cool completely before removing all the rice, every grain should come out easily.

[GreenPartyVoter]

23. UPDATE: Holy Cow! So many good suggestions here. Thank everyone! I will give them all

a try the next time I need to make real rice.

[csziggy]

28. Electric burners often do not turn to a real simmer

I only cook brown rice varieties and I never worry about sticky rice so if you are looking for fluffy white rice, ignore the rest of this.

I've had the best success with heavy pots that have tight lids - thin ones do not distribute the heat very well; a really loose lid lets out too much steam. Twice the water as rice. I dump it all in together, cover, and turn the burner up 3/4 of the way to High. Set a timer to 5 minutes- that is about as long as it takes to come to a boil.

Then I turn the burner down to just above the very lowest setting. Set the timer for 30 minutes. Check it to see how it's cooking - if it seems a little dry, add a little water. If it does not look as though it is still barely simmering, turn it up a little. Set the timer for 15 minutes more. It should be done by then.

[K8-EEE]

29. Very true, it could be the cookware

If you can try in a heavy enamel, stainless, or cast iron pot with a nice fitting lid...and keep the lid on for like 10 minutes after you turn the burner off to keep it steaming a bit longer.

[K8-EEE]

26. Make it in a big batch, then freeze in cupcake pans.

Then pop the frozen rice out of the cupcake pans and put in a ziplock bag, it nukes or steams up super easy!

For some reason it's easier to make rice in bigger batches. Keep the lid on during cooking, and after you turn the heat off. Freeze the leftovers for "instant" rice later.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

27. Rice Cooker...I'd be lost without one

If you rinse the rice in several changes of water, then let it sit in a covered saucepan of water for a half hour or so, then rinse it in a strainer and cook it in a rice cooker, it comes out perfect.

And when I make fried rice, I always cook it and then refrigerate it. That way, the individual grains really "flake" when stir-fried in the wok, rather than coming out as one big gummy ball.

I consider myself to be a pretty good cook, but without the rice cooker, I've never had luck with rice either.

:toast:

[tigereye]

30. my "secret" - twice as much water as rice. Let water come to a boil, add rice

turn down to low and leave it alone for whatever time frame. Always works. Or you can just get a rice cooker. They are cheap.

[dembotoz]

32. pretty much my recipie--and the grade of rice matters to...

get some decent stuff--not the store brand.
It does make a difference.

I get the big bags at costco

great rice every time

[tigereye]

34. we buy bhasmati rice at a local Middle Eastern food store

that's pretty much all we make anymore. It's very forgiving...

[thereismore]

31. I hear people using a 1:2 rice:water ratio. That would produce mush in my kitchen. I use

a 2:3 ratio exactly. I measure 2 cups of dry white rice (Thai jasmine is my favorite), and rinse it well in a strainer under running water. This is done to remove the rice dust and possible molds from the mill. Then, I measure 3 cups of water, add salt and a tablespoon of oil (not necessary), and bring to boil under a lid. At full boil, I dump the rinsed rice in. This will kill the boil. Stir the rice a bit so it is level under water. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and turn down the heat to an absolute minimum (short of turning it off, of course). 15 minutes or so later the water will have been absorbed by rice and it's yummy and not gluey at all.

[jobycom]

33. Awww, I love little bitty rice, too! For the regular size, I use a rice cooker.

Different rice cooks differently. Jasmine has several varieties, and even in the same variety the amount of water can vary depending on age of the rice, or how ripe it was when harvested. If your water is boiling away too quickly, you aren't using enough, and/or you have it on too high a temperature. You are keeping it covered the whole time, right? One mistake new cooks make is to stir the rice while it cooks--don't. Don't even lift the lid. The water is absorbed by the rice, and if you lift the lid, you lose some water and you reduce the heat inside the pot.

If it's a white rice (hull removed), two to one water to rice is a good ratio. For brown rice, you need more water and more time--usually 2 and a quarter or 2 and a half to one. You bring it to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer the directed amount of time (Google rather than following package directions). For a wild rice or a Jasmine rice or any rice or grain you haven't heard of, Google that name, find a couple of recipes, read the comments on them, and choose the method that seems wisest or whose description fits what you are trying to do. I know, for instance, that I no longer steam quinoa, because I found a recipe for boiling and draining it that works better. I hate that recipe for brown rice, but for quinoa it works better.

Also, don't ignore the part that says "Let stand covered for X minutes." That's a critical instruction, more important than the exact time or temperature.

Also, if your pot is thin, reduce heat even more and cook a little longer, or cook at the long end of the time range recommended. You want the water to lightly simmer, not boil, and you want the temperature as even throughout the rice as possible. With a thin pot, the heat transfers mostly to the bottom, and you can scorch the rice, and that will use up the water too fast, too.

A rice cooker is a great invention, unless you are really a gourmet. The cheap ones ($15) do a decent job but burn the bottom. A moderate one ($40 to $70) controls the temperature better, so the rice is better. A good one ($80 to $200 or more) uses a more complex temperature system and can change settings for different grains. These are better than stoves, sometimes, and you can cook whole meals in them. Zujirushi and Tiger are two good brands. People always balk at spending a hundred bucks for a specialty item like rice cooker, but after the first batch, they usually change their minds.

Best thing about rice cookers is that they automatically adjust for the rice grain. Basically, they measure the temperature of the bottom of the bowl. Water boils at 100, so when the temp starts climbing over 100, the machine knows the water is gone and the rice is heating up, and they shut off. The fancier ones control the temperature throughout the cooking, raising and lowering the temperature at different stages to maximize your rice enjoyment, so they say. It seems to work, too. The moderate ones use a programmed fluctuation, the more expensive ones constantly adjust based on temperature and I have no idea what else.

More than anyone ever cared to know, I imagine. :)

[AsahinaKimi]

36. I know some have suggested a Rice Cooker..

I got one at Walgreens for about 10 dollars and had it over a year. I just love it.


Its very easy to use, and the rice comes out as you would expect it to be in a restaurant. Would recommend one highly ! Not only that but you can use it for steaming veggies or even tofu!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

38. I can tell you an easy way to make rice if you are interested. Just pm me