How do you cook rice?

[GB]

OK I know this has been discussed here before, but I can't seem to find any of those discussions. How do you cook rice?
I have always just used the boil in bag rice (gasp ) and tonight I would like to make it the real way LOL. How much water to rice do you use? What temps and for how long? TIA!

 

[crewsk]

I use 2C water to 1C rice. Bring the water & about a teaspoon of salt to a boil, stir in rice, cover & reduce heat to a simmer & cook for 20 minutes.

 

[Alix]

Ditto what crewsk said, except we go salt free here.

 

[pdswife]

That's what I do too.. only since there is only Paul and I at home I use one cup of water and 1/2 cup of rice.

If I'm making basmati rice though... I take the rice (no need to measure) and rinse it over and over until the water runs clear. Then I cover the rice with water and let it
sit all day. I rinse it again right before I need it.

I rub olive oil all over the pan I'm going to use and then put the rice in and add water just until it covers the rice. Then I add some more olive oil and a little butter
and mix well. Bring to a boil uncovered and the cover and reduce heat. Cook until water is gone, this only seems to take a few minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for awhile.

In a separate pan, saute some minced onion in butter.
Add a handful or two of bay berries and a few teaspoons of sugar.
Careful it burns very easily!! Cook just until the berries are soft.

Plate the rice and put the onion/berry mixture on top.

Sorry, that I don't have any measurements.. I just eyeball it.

 

[Robo410]

yup, it's a 2 to 1 ratio...20 min for long grain...and best if you don't peek. keep the lid on!

 

[Bangbang]

I use Uncle Bens Long Grain Rice and follow the directions on the package. However I use my rice cooker when making sushi with Jasmine Rice.

 

[Brianschef]

I bake mine, in very large amounts, then freeze in meal size packages. 2:1 ratio 350 degrees F, 25-30 minutes

 

[Barbara L]

On a gas stove, 1 part rice to 2 parts water. Bring to a boil. Stir, cover, and turn heat as low as it will go. Cook 14 minutes without lifting lid.

On an electric stove, 1 part rice to 2 parts water. Bring to a boil. Stir, cover, and turn burner OFF, but DO NOT remove from burner. Let sit, without lifting lid, 20 minutes.

Barbara

 

[Bangbang]

On a gas stove, 1 part rice to 2 parts water. Bring to a boil. Stir, cover, and turn heat as low as it will go. Cook 14 minutes without lifting lid.

On an electric stove, 1 part rice to 2 parts water. Bring to a boil. Stir, cover, and turn burner OFF, but DO NOT remove from burner. Let sit, without lifting lid, 20 minutes.

Barbara

On my electric stove I use 1 part water 1 part water or broth. Bring to boil....cover .....then simmer on low for 20 minutes.

 

[Lugaru]

I always use real rice... all you need in life is a rice cooker (cheap and endlesly useful) and a sack of rice. I mean if rice cookers are good enough for 4 star restaurants and Iron chef, it's definatly good enough for me. And at $30 bucks (average) its totally worth the price.

 

[cats]

I have to admit that rice is one of few shortcuts I take, so I simply use Minute Rice brand, either white or brown rice. I have never made rice from "scratch", so can't really testify as to whether or not there is any taste difference from what I do. I've heard tho' that it can be difficult to keep it from being kind of sticky or gummy and the Minute Rice is fail safe.

 

[Robo410]

always found minute rice to taste kinda straw like. real rice is pretty fool proof. and converted or parboiled rice will not be sticky.

Many chefs advocate the pasta method...dump your rice into boiling salted water...20 minutes...drain well and fluff. I will try it one of these days.

 

[Michael in FtW]

For plain old everyday long grain white rice I use a ration of 2 parts water to 1 part rice. There are several ways to cook rice but this is my method:

I put the rice in a bowl and run cold water over it ... swirl it around with my fingers for a minute or two, then pour the rice into a sieve, rinse it off, toss it back in the bowl, and repeat. I repeat this until the water in the bowl is no longer cloudy. This washes off the surface starch which will make it stickier.

After that - I heat a pot over medium heat with about 2-Tbsp fat/oil/butter per cup of rice - saute the rice until it's dry and just toasty (4-6 minutes) - then add cold water, bring to a boil, slap the lid on (and leave it on) and reduce to low for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for at least 10 minutes before lifting the lid and fluff it with a fork.

The trick is to have a pot with a tight fitting lid, and don't go peeking - leave the lid on until it's done!

 

[ironchef]

Great rice, everytime.

 

[BlueCat]

Rice is so simple on the stove that I've never thought about a cooker, although it keeps warm rice for you as needed. I always remember the Frugal Gourmet (or as we came to call him later, Chester the Molester) saying to use 1c. of rice and 2 c. of water, bring it to a boil with the lid off and then take it down to a simmer with a lid for 20 minutes. Five minutes of standing time off heat and there you go!

BC

 

[Sandyj]

Oooo, oooo! Saw this and can't help but comment! Ag no, man! Oy bloody vey! the instant rice has so very much less body and taste than regular rice, it seems a shame that something so plain and easy to cook would ever need to be replaced by something easier (something with no taste!). My own large, extended family is firmly divided about the best way to make rice. Some don't consider it cooked unless it is sticky (as in, stick-to-your-ribs-fills-you-up, sticky and clumpy (don't rinse it before hand, add a little extra water)) and some like the grains to be elegantly fluffy and separated (back to the 2 (liquid) to 1 (rice) ratio). It's a staple in South African Sunday dinners, covered in gravy from the roast (chicken, mutton, pork whatever). and...don't think just because we've made the rice we can get away with not having roast potatoes! Oddly (or not), it's my older relatives who like the sticky variety and they all lived through much harder times when I think rice was more than just a side dish. I have to admit being utterly mystified as to why rice cookers are so popular when it seems just as easy to get good results with a plain old pot (maybe partly because I'm always cursed with lousy kitchens with no counter space). That reminds me: here's a rant: my neighbor (LOVELY woman) has a beautiful, huge kitchen with oodles of counter space and light, and she doesn't cook much besides macaroni and cheese from a box or pizza from a box or frozen dinners from a box or....instant rice!

 

[GB]

OK I used a two to one ratio. I added the rice and a little salt once the water came to a boil. I slapped the lid on and turned the heat as low as it would go (on my electric stove) and let it cook for 20 minutes. I forgot to let it rest for 5 minutes. The taste difference between this and the instant stuff was HUGE. Well worth the effort. The problem is that the bottom of the pan was covered in stuck on rice. Not a single piece burned, but a lot stuck to the pan. The rice that came out was nice and fluffy and not sticky. What did I do wrong? Would letting it rest avoid this problem. I would think that could not be the issue. Any ideas?

 

[tancowgirl2000]

Rice is one of my PET PEEVES to cook!!! I can do minute rice just fine...it's my friend!!! Oh and I always make enough for an army!!!! one cup dry just does not look like enough!

 

[SierraCook]

GB, here are a couple of links that maybe of use to you.

http://chinesefood.about.com/library/blcookrice.htm

http://busycooks.about.com/library/lessons/blricesci.htm

http://chinesefood.about.com/cs/rice/ht/cookrice.htm

 

[wasabi]

Great rice, everytime.

This is all I use to cook rice.