Post #15: Cooking Rice Easily!

The staple of empires, the builder of civilization, and the sustenance for millions around the world: Rice! Whether you like it spicy, fried, hispanic, or in a delicious jambalaya, everyone has eaten or at least tried this staple grain.

The concept of coking rice is a fairly simple process, though difficult to perfect. While at first, your rice might turn to mush or become hardened, practice makes perfect. You cannot make a perfect pot of rice without failing a couple times.

Cooking Rice follows three basic steps:

-Rinse

-Cook/steam

Rest

A fairly rule to remember is to use about 1.5 to 1.75 cups of water for every cup of rice. Rice needs to absorb water to cook and to expand in size. If the rice proves too mushy or loses shape, use less water or cook for less time. If it becomes too hard, use less water next time around. It's all about experimentation.

Soaking/Rinsing:

• While not necessary, preemptive soaking helps to improve grain size and create purer or cleaner tasting rice.
• Soak until they expand to their fullest size, then drain to allow the dirty water to be flushed away.

Cooking: 

• The most common form of cooking Rice is through the Absorption method. This method involves filling a pot with water, dispensing the wanted amount of rice and allow the rice to absorb and cook using the hot water.
• Constantly stir softly until the water has evaporated (but do not lose all of the steam!)
• Remember that steam from 5 seconds ago? Once the water has almost evaporated away, turn the flame off and allow the steam to cook the rice the rest of the way through (taste-test often for best results).
• Let the rice rest for a few minutes, then serve!

Your rice should be slightly sticky, soft, and tender!

Another alternative is to use a rice cooking/steamer such as this:


These machines combine the whole process of cooking rice and usually have space for steaming veggies as well! If you want to buy one, buy cheap and for the long-term!