Introduction
Some people fear riding in elevators. Others are afraid to walk under ladders. And, sadly, thousands (probably millions) of Americans face each new day fearing that they might be asked to produce an acceptable batch of cooked rice! Rice cookery seems an alien experience for many of us, so here is a simple method for cooking long- or short-grain white rice, the two most commonly used varieties. What matters is learning the basic proportions of water to rice. Once you’ve mastered these proportions, you may expect fine results regardless of how little or how much rice you are cooking. An important step in our method for cooking rice is to “wash” the rice first. Some package directions don’t include this step or even tell you it is not necessary; we disagree. Typically, rice is preserved by being coated with rice flour. By washing the rice you are merely removing this coating and other unwelcome objects like pebbles and husks.
Ingredients
Long-Grain Rice
| 1 | or more cups long-grain white rice |
| 2 | cups water for first cup uncooked rice, plus 1½ cups water for each additional cup rice |
| ½ | tsp. salt for each cup uncooked rice |
Short-Grain Rice
| 1 | or more cups short- or medium-grain white rice |
| 1½ | cups water for first cup uncooked rice, plus 1 cup water for each additional cup rice |
| ½ | tsp. salt for each cup uncooked rice |
Steps
- Use a pot that is at least double the water volume you are planning to use. (For example, a 2-quart saucepan is fine when using 2 cups uncooked rice and 4 cups water.) Place rice in pan and add water to cover rice. Use your hand to “wash” the rice by swishing it around in the water. Drain the water. Repeat this washing until the water runs clear, usually 2 additional times. Drain well.
- Add the measured water to rice and the appropriate amount of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover pan, turn heat to low, and let the rice cook for an additional 15 minutes (don’t peek!). Remove from heat and let the rice sit until you are ready to serve. (If you have a gas stove, turning down the flame is all you need do after water comes to a boil. But if you have an electric stove, you should set another burner to low and move the pot once the water has come to a boil; otherwise you risk the water boiling over.)
Notes
- Cooked rice can be served plain, assuming that whatever you are serving it with has a sauce. For example, serve rice with a curried dish or a braised dish, such as Braised Lamb Shanks.
- Add some butter and freshly minced parsley to the cooked rice. This makes a nice accompaniment to poached chicken breasts or sautéed fish.
- Leftovers? Rice reheats well. The easiest way is to cover it and heat it in the microwave. Reheating it in the oven is also an option. To do that, place the rice in an ovenproof dish, sprinkle a little bit of water over the rice, cover it with aluminum foil, and bake in a preheated 300°F oven for about 20 minutes.
- Rice pancakes anyone? Mix the cold rice with beaten eggs (this mixture should be light, but not runny). Add a touch of salt and cook as if you were making pancakes. With a little butter and maple syrup this makes a fine breakfast!
This content is from the book
The Basic Gourmet
by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, Kathleen Taggart, and Georgia Vareldzis.
Copyright 2006 Culinate, Inc
