How do you cook your rice?

winterybella

winterybella

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So out of Duck59 using a sieve with his rice a conversation got started on how people were cooking their rice. In my case, I bring some water to a boil in a saucepan, wash my rice in a bowl and add the rice to the water. At that point I decide what seasonings if any I am going to add and most times if I want a yellowish rice, I'll add tumeric powder. On the odd occasion I might add curry and basically any other seasonings I want to play around with.

Once the seasonings have been decided on and added, I allow the rice to cook at about medium heat. When most of the water has been absorbed, I will sometimes check to make sure the grains are being cooked to the right degree and bring the heat to low so that the rice is allowed to simmer( not sure that is the correct word) and be cooked to perfection without a grain sticking to the saucepan. That's it in a big nutshell.

I probably have a rice cooker somewhere lost away in a cupboard, but maybe used that once or twice 'centuries' ago. I am curious to know how you folks cook your rice.
 
winterybella said:
I bring some water to a boil in a saucepan, wash my rice in a bowl and add the rice to the water. At that point I decide what seasonings if any I am going to add
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I start off cooking my rice in a similar manner too. The seasonings I add would be mostly onion, celery, and sometimes thyme or marjoram. Salt is also added to the pot. I start cooking my rice at a medium heat and check on it at intervals to see if I need to reduce the heat. Near the end, the rice is allowed to simmer until all the water is dried out. If after tasting the rice and I discover it to be too salty, I would add a little more water and turn up the heat.

I have never used a rice cooker, so I always have to keep a close eye on the rice while it is cooking. If I am cooking peas with the rice, then I would let the peas cook until they are reasonable soft before adding in the rice. Most of the time I do cook some kind of peas with my rice.
 
I actually forgot about the rice and peas which I seldom cook. It's kind of a treat when I do cook rice and peas all together as it means there is going to be a stew of some type. When I am at my best, I don't have to check on my plain rice. The temperatures are right and I just lower when I take one look coming close to the end. The forum helped me with some burnt offering once or twice. Busy being on the forum brought my rice to not a boil but a burn.
 
I always cook my rice in an electric pressure cooker - its the only way I can get it to come out well! I don't know why, but I always have problems cooking rice on the hob - I've tried all sorts of different methods but every time it comes out mushy. If I do it in the pressure cooker (equal volume of rice and water, cooked for 4 mins at pressure) it comes out perfectly every time.

Most of the time I keep rice simple: just a bit of salt in the cooking water. But sometimes I'll do a mushroom pilaf or a pilau rice with cardamom, cloves and saffron.
 
If I'm cooking white basmati I use the absorption method. Its so simple:
  • Measure the dry rice in a jug
  • Place in a saucepan with double the amount of water and a little salt. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat all the way down and cover the pan tightly with a lid.
  • Cook on the lowest heat possible for 15 - 20 mins without uncovering the pan until all the water is absorbed.
  • Rest the rice in the saucepan with lid on for ten minutes.
  • Fluff up rice with a fork.
 
Mrs Dangermouse, I have seen that mushy rice before but not in my kitchen. I am more in favour of rice that can shoot blackbirds ( hard rice) than rice that is too friendly (soggy or mushy). Morning you are great measuring and all that. I never measure when I could rice. I don't think I'd know where to begin.
 
We have a rice cooker for our staple of steamed rice. But we also have other versions of rice dish. Usually in the morning of weekends, we have fried rice from the leftover of the previous night. And there is a variety of fried rice to choose from. First is the basic with only the garlic as flavoring. We also have the Chinese version which has the Chinese sausage, onions, scrambled egg and some other garnishings. But the best is the so called adobo rice which is a mix of chicken and pork broth made from soy sauce.
 
Corzhens said:
We have a rice cooker for our staple of steamed rice. But we also have other versions of rice dish. Usually in the morning of weekends, we have fried rice from the leftover of the previous night. And there is a variety of fried rice to choose from. First is the basic with only the garlic as flavoring. We also have the Chinese version which has the Chinese sausage, onions, scrambled egg and some other garnishings. But the best is the so called adobo rice which is a mix of chicken and pork broth made from soy sauce.
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The fried rice sounds really good Corzhens. I like the sound of the Chinese version. My husband does the fried rice in our house. It varies depending on what meat and veggies we have on hand at the time. It is always good though. We always make sure we make extra rice so that we can have it for fried rice the next day.
 
winterybella said:
Mrs Dangermouse, I have seen that mushy rice before but not in my kitchen. I am more in favour of rice that can shoot blackbirds ( hard rice) than rice that is too friendly (soggy or mushy). Morning you are great measuring and all that. I never measure when I could rice. I don't think I'd know where to begin.
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If you know how to cook perfect fluffy grains of separate rice then carry on with your method! I'm totally with you regarding mushy - but there is a Chinese thing about 'sticky' rice. That needs a separate thread! However, regarding measuring, just use a coffee mug. One coffee mug of rice. Two coffee mugs of water. That will serve 3 to 4 people.
 
morning glory said:
If you know how to cook perfect fluffy grains of separate rice then carry on with your method! I'm totally with you regarding mushy - but there is a Chinese thing about 'sticky' rice. That needs a separate thread! However, regarding measuring, just use a coffee mug. One coffee mug of rice. Two coffee mugs of water. That will serve 3 to 4 people.
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I'll try the measuring thing just for the sake of it and see how that goes. It will be a first.
 
winterybella said:
I'll try the measuring thing just for the sake of it and see how that goes. It will be a first.
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Of course it may depend on the type of rice. I'm using Basmati. But even that could vary in the way it absorbs water. I usually rinse it first to, as @ChanellG does to get rid of as much starch as possible.
 
I actually meant to ask you about that pure white rice you had on your plate. The Basmati I have used in the past has been brown and when I cook my perfect rice it's usually the unhealthy white Chef Way rice that has been a staple for eons in this house and country. I actually gave away some Basmati rice because I felt like I was not doing it justice when I cooked it. Guess I go back to buying some now and see if I can perfect that.
 
I wash the rice only once then let it sit for 15 minutes soaked in water. I then heat up a pan saute some onions and garlic in butter then add the rice. I put on the lid and let it cook for few more minutes while occasionally stirring until the rice is cooked. Alternately I use my ricecooker instead of using plain water I use broth then I add some vegetables and choice of meat.
 
Bakemehappy said:
I wash the rice only once then let it sit for 15 minutes soaked in water. I then heat up a pan saute some onions and garlic in butter then add the rice. I put on the lid and let it cook for few more minutes while occasionally stirring until the rice is cooked. Alternately I use my ricecooker instead of using plain water I use broth then I add some vegetables and choice of meat.
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I like this method Bakemehappy. Allowing it to soak in water mean that some of the cooking is taking place before you add it to the pan not so? It sounds tasty.
 
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