How to make Brown Rice?

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KT7000

Assistant Cook
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Aug 13, 2022
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Los Angelos
When I make white rice I know from experience that the amount of rice you use is the same amount of water you add. When you make brown rice, supposedly, your supposed to add 2x the amount of water. But when I do this, it comes out being really soggy.

What am I doing wrong?
 
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KT7000, first Welcome to DC!

Is that a typo for your ratio of water to white rice? it is normally 2 cups water to 1 cup rice. Maybe a little less water, depending on the rice and the cook (that's you!).

for brown rice it is pretty much the same but maybe a tad more. This is because it takes a bit longer to cook and needs the extra moisture.

Is your brown rice cooked when it is still soupy? Brown rice can take 30 to 40 minutes, depending on your stove and your simmer level.

What actually do the instructions say on your package? Everywhere you look on the internet gives a different ratio. Honestly you have to find the one that works best for you.
 
It depends on the type of brown rice.
brown basmati rice, takes me 22-23 minutes....regular brown rice will take 45 minutes.


If it is boiled too fast, steam is lost and then the water measurement will change.


Lately I just make rice like pasta, I taste it to see if the texture and taste are right before I drain it. I boil water, add the rice, then taste it as it goes.


By this method, the white rice takes 14-16 minutes.


Using the pasta method, nutrition is lost and so is arsenic for rice grown in the southern US.
Using the exact measurement of water method, you don't lose anything.


If I was going to use the exact water method, I'd use 2 and 1/4th cups water to 1 cup brown rice. Bring it up to a boil, cover it and put it on the lowest heat, to steam it until it is done.
If at that point it is not done, 45 minutes later, water gone, add more water and continue to steam until done.


if it is soggy with 2 cups of water, use 1 and 3/4ths cups water next time, or turn up the heat and the steam will send off the remaining moisture.
 
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Have a friend who makes her rice like that, boils water adds the rice, tests it along the way, when done, drains, dries in hot pot.

It's been perfect every time I've had it.
 
White rice, one cup rice and two cups water. Brown rice, one cup rice and three cups water. I use a rice cooker for both. Perfect rice every time, just like a perfect inning; no hits, no runs, no errors, no men left on base.
 
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Maybe a little off topic, but I use 1½ cups of water for a cup of white rice (plain white such as for Asian dishes). When I make pilaf, which includes butter and pasta, I use a 2:1 ratio.
 
I have no experience cooking white rice. I may have cooked Minute Rice, helping my mum make supper, back in the 1960s.

I have been cooking brown rice since 1970. I use two parts water to one part rice, by volume. I rinse the rice and put it in a heavy pot. I add the water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and bring it to boil. Then it gets boiled for anywhere from 5-10 minutes. On my current stove, I prefer to boil for seven minutes. Then I turn the heat down to barely a simmer and put the lid on it. For brown basmati, it is usually done in about another 35 minutes. For "regular" brown rice, it usually takes another 45 minutes to an hour.

Do not stir the rice.

When I want to check if the rice is ready, I remove the lid from the pot and use a wooden spoon. I stick it straight down in the rice and have a look at the bottom of the pot. If all of the water is absorbed, I fish out a grain or three of rice and chew on them to see if they are done.

I have never had soggy rice. I have had rice turn out slightly mushy or sticky when I tried cooking it with no salt.

I tried the pasta method to cook brown rice. It turned out fine, but it didn't seem to have as much flavour.
 
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