Rice Measures?

[dragnlaw]

Thought I would ask everyone what "rule of thumb" do you use for cooking rice, various types of rice.
I don't really measure anymore with the rice cooker. I use the measure supplied by the appliance.
Eons ago, I often did the rice in the micro. 2 quart glass Lidded casserole. I would pour in a generous amount of rice, add enough water to cover above the line of rice by about 1.5 fingers width. Season with either beef or chicken concentrate (depending on what the main was). Zap in the micro wave.
Served 6 or 8. It was at this time I used to do a mix starting with the Imperial first, then the brown and lastly with the white, was very pretty with jewels of red and green sweet peppers.
Then my rice evolved into mostly just 2 servings with ATK's Steamed Rice (almost a pilaf - and left with a tea-towel under the lid so moisture didn't drip back down. Very yummy.
but there was also a Lemongrass Coconut Milk Rice. It was all I could do not to eat that whole pot in one sitting.
I ended up getting a rice cooker as I just couldn't adjust to the new burners I had with moving. Not been sorry. It's great.

What are your go-to ways of cooking rice? Has it evolved over the years? Trending from one style to another?

 

[HeyItsSara]

A cup of rice is only 6 oz. Like coffee. I have flooded our steamer before I realized this.

 

[dragnlaw]

To me those are dry measures. My scale doesn't sit on my counter (don't have a counter, LOL).
I also don't weigh things like lentils, beans, raisins, same with the liquids, into a measuring cup it goes.
I did at one time weigh my flour but I fluff with a whisk - and I've donte the measure/weigh with that but not anymore.
With a new recipe that is expressed in weights then yes, of course I weigh.

 

[Andy M.]

For plain long grain rice, I use 1½ C of water for a cup of rice. I bring the water to a boil, add the rice and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes and rest for 5.

For my mom's pilaf recipe I brown 3 ounces of angel hair pasta in 4 Tb of butter, add the rice and cook for a minute or so then add the broth, BTB, RTS for 25 minutes and rest for 5 because that's how mom did it.

 

[dragnlaw]

A cup of rice is only 6 oz. Like coffee. I have flooded our steamer before I realized this.

Are you referring to a rice cooker/steamer? I've got the original little measure cup that comes with it. But I knew that it was not the same as an Imperial measure - LOL they have enough warnings about it. But yeah, I can see were some people get caught.

 

[dragnlaw]

For my mom's pilaf r

ALWAYS follow mom's! It's always the best.

 

[Badjak]

Rice is one of the things. i cook by volume. Amost everything else by weight or intuition.

2 measures Jasmine rice to 3 water.
Bring to the boil quicky.
Stir
Cover
Lowest heat possible for about 5 minutes
Turn off heat, leave to stand for a minimum of 10 minutes (but no harm if thats 40+ minutes).
Take of lid
Fluff with fork
Eat.

 

[Steve Kroll]

For plain long grain rice, I use 1½ C of water for a cup of rice. I bring the water to a boil, add the rice and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes and rest for 5.

I have a rice cooker. But if I'm making rice on the stovetop, I follow the same method as Andy... 1 part rice to 1.5 parts water.

 

[pictonguy]

I just make sure that the water covers the rice up to my first digit of my finger. I normally soak for the rice for about 30 minutes, then rinse a few times before I add the water, then turn on the burner, bring to a boil then cover and put in a 350 oven for 15 minutes. I've never used a rice cooker, thought about it but don't consume rice enough or use rice enough in the restaurant to bother.

 

[Badjak]

I did have a rice cooker, but I actually preferred my stove top rice (I eat a lot of rice)
Good thing as these days I run on solar only ...

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

In the rice cooker, 1 cup white rice with 1 1/2 cups of water or 1 cup brown rice with 21/2 cups of water. I rinse the white rice until the water is clear. I don't rinse brown rice. The good thing about using a rice cooker is that it will compensate if you use too much water, and you can just turn it on and walk away to do something else while the rice cooks.

 

[Paid In Grapes]

When measurements are given in cups are you folks using dry cup measure, liquid cup measures or both, ie, dry cup for the rice and liquid measuring cup for water?

 

[Steve Kroll]

When measurements are given in cups are you folks using dry cup measure, liquid cup measures or both, ie, dry cup for the rice and liquid measuring cup for water?

In imperial measurements a cup is a cup is a cup. It's a measure of volume.

1 part rice to 1.5 parts water by volume.

 

[Andy M.]

The Serious Eats website did a rice cooking test a while ago. They determined that a cup of rice absorbed a cup of water regardless of the initial quantity of rice. i.e. , 2 C rice 2C water etc. Then the addition of a half cup of water would account for evaporation. So, 1C rice 1½ C water, 3 C rice 3½ C water.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

When measurements are given in cups are you folks using dry cup measure, liquid cup measures or both, ie, dry cup for the rice and liquid measuring cup for water?

Yes, a cup is a cup is a cup, but it is easier to measure dry items in a dry measure and liquids in a liquid measure.

 

[dragnlaw]

For the benefit of those who don't know...
A dry measure cup is flat across the top of the cup for ease of leveling with a straight edge.
A wet measure cup has a raised edge to prevent spillage of liquids.
As Sir LOB says, both are 1 cup.

 

[Paid In Grapes]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[blissful]

I'm still cooking my brown basmati rice, measuring 4 dry cups into a large kettle of boiling water, cooked for 27 minutes, then drain in a colander in the sink. It makes 2 quarts of cooked rice. I freeze it in 1 qt containers, one to the freezer and one for the current meal and planned overs.

 

[larry_stewart]

Years ago we had a microwave rice cooker that came with a water/ rice ratio chart depending on which rice you were using. As simple as this thing was, the rice always cooked perfectly.

We don't eat rice as frequently anymore, so now I always do it stove top.
Usually with the long grain rice the 1 cup rice to 1 1/2 cups water is good.
Many times I make variations of rice where I pre frying garlic, onions, mushrooms or whatever. Also sometimes use different broths or fluids in place of the water. Sometimes these changes or additions messes with the ratio ( slightly) so I sometimes have to either hold back on the liquid or add a little more. If im just making plain rice, I can add everything then walk away. If Im messing around a bit, I kinda have to actively watch and check the liquid. Its worked for me for years.

 

[pictonguy]

Years ago we had a microwave rice cooker that came with a water/ rice ratio chart depending on which rice you were using. As simple as this thing was, the rice always cooked perfectly.

We don't eat rice as frequently anymore, so now I always do it stove top.
Usually with the long grain rice the 1 cup rice to 1 1/2 cups water is good.
Many times I make variations of rice where I pre frying garlic, onions, mushrooms or whatever. Also sometimes use different broths or fluids in place of the water. Sometimes these changes or additions messes with the ratio ( slightly) so I sometimes have to either hold back on the liquid or add a little more. If im just making plain rice, I can add everything then walk away. If Im messing around a bit, I kinda have to actively watch and check the liquid. Its worked for me for years.

I make that a lot. Rice pilaf basically. I normally use chicken stock for the liquid. I have a few variations i normally go with and it's more interesting and use it for salmon entrees the most.