Best Way to Cook Rice?

[Hal-9000]

First of all shut the hell up :lol: I realize grown men should know basic cooking.

I typically make instant rice. Contrary to the bad rep, it is real rice and they add nutrients back into it after they change the molecular structure.

Every time I've made real rice...either long grain white, long grain brown, parboiled or medium grain...it hasn't turned out well.

If you google how to cook rice there's 314 million results and the same amount of differing methods.

~~~~~

Without using a rice cooker, what is your way of cooking a normal batch of rice?

Internet says: 1 cup rice = 1.5 to 2 cups salted water.
Bring water to a boil then put on lid after stirring once, heat down to lowest setting, don't touch for 15 to 20 minutes.

There's all sorts of variations :shrug:

The ratio of rice to water.
Do you put the rice in before you boil the water or after?
I've tried three lowest settings on my stove. I've had mushy, dry, clumpy-chewy rice. How low is low?
Do you let it simmer untouched for 15 or 20 minutes. 17.5?
Some sites say leave it in the pan for an extra 15 minutes with the lid on after simmering to absorb more water.

Parboiled rice is supposed to have more vitamins and nutrients than normal white long grain and basmati rice. Yet it keeps coming out sticky or gooey :(



I have a 2 kg bag of parboiled rice and don't want to make chewy orphanage rice, thanks

[DemonGeminiX]

I have the boil in a bag rice. Makes it really easy. I'm not messing around with that guessing game crap. If I had to do it the hard way, I'd kidnap an Asian and make her do it for me.

[Hal-9000]

I have the boil in a bag rice. Makes it really easy. I'm not messing around with that guessing game crap. If I had to do it the hard way, I'd kidnap an Asian and make her do it for me.

We have similar but they're pretty close to instant or converted rice, which isn't a bad thing. The more instant or easy type of rices get knocked for being Chernobylized, or less healthy.

[DemonGeminiX]

What kind of rice is it?

Don't add salt to your water until after it's come to a roiling boil. Adding salt to water raises water's boiling point and you'll be waiting around all day.

[Hal-9000]

My Dad had this old canvas bag of Rooster rice. I screwed it up enough times to start using instant rice.

Rooster is a common brand here but what I didn't know was that it was short grained and had added starch, which equates to true sticky rice. Each and every effin time :x


I must have tried every water/rice ration, every cooking time and method, and probably threw out at least 7 pans of slop :lol:

[Hal-9000]

What kind of rice is it?

Don't add salt to your water until after it's come to a roiling boil. Adding salt to water raises water's boiling point and you'll be waiting around all day.

I've used everything from Rooster to no name brand and usually white long grain to start.

Every time I've made brown rice it turned out chewy.

Parboiled has less starch than white rice but more nutrients put into the grain as they dehusk it, so it's supposed to cook easier and be better for you. My parboiled is no name right now and I haven't opened the package yet..

[Hal-9000]

What kind of rice is it?

Don't add salt to your water until after it's come to a roiling boil. Adding salt to water raises water's boiling point and you'll be waiting around all day.

What about the rice?

Do I let it luxuriate as the water warms up like in a hot tub or do I shock it by throwing it in the roiling boil?

[Hal-9000]

I've made passable dishes of rice but never like the old take-out stuff that was light and fluffy. Man I could eat piles of that stuff.

I really like chicken fried rice too and have yet to make anything comparable to the take-out version.

[Hal-9000]

I can feel Asian people laughing at me

[DemonGeminiX]

According to what I'm reading online, you have to rinse your rice. Put the rice in a pot and fill it up with cold water, drag your fingers through the rice in the water several times, and then strain the water out. The water should be opaque looking from the excess starch you're trying to get rid of. You do that 3 or 4 times or until the water you strain out runs clear. That's how you avoid sticky rice.

According to what I'm reading, you boil 1 and 3/4 cup of water per cup of rice. And you need to put a lid on it. Stir once to separate, but don't break it up. Fluff the rice with a fork.

Or kidnap an Asian chick and make her do it. Make sure the one you kidnap doesn't know martial arts.

[DemonGeminiX]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx7sxWI9FNI

[Hal-9000]

According to what I'm reading online, you have to rinse your rice. Put the rice in a pot and fill it up with water, drag your fingers through the rice in the water several times, and then strain the water out. It should be opaque looking from the excess starch you're trying to get rid of. You do that 3 or 4 times or until the water you strain out runs clear. That's how you avoid sticky rice.

According to what I'm reading, you boil 1 and 3/4 cup of water per cup of rice. And you need to put a lid on it. Stir once to separate, but don't break it up. Fluff the rice with a fork.

Or kidnap an Asian chick and make her do it. Make sure the one you kidnap doesn't know martial arts.

And then some say don't rinse the rice (some brands you need to such as Basmati and brown rice) because you want the outer layer of starch :lol:

Lid is the common thing both with instant and regular rice. Making instant you leave the lid on for 5 or 10 minutes right after turning the heat off to absorb water. It's almost dummy proof.

With real rice some chefs were saying 2:1 ratio, large pot, simmer for 20 minutes with lid on never stirring then leave for another 15 off the heat with the lid on.

I get chewy or mushy rice :lol: It must be my pan

[Hal-9000]

Imma screw up some parboiled right now :dance:

[Hal-9000]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx7sxWI9FNI

:-k

After rinsing, she throws everything into the cauldron at once and then fires it up.

White rice 18 minutes...brown is a little bit longer, 45 minutes :lol:

[Hal-9000]

https://www.theloop.ca/5-ways-youre-cooking-rice-all-wrong/


As a rule of thumb, all non-converted (regular, not parboiled rice) varieties of rice should be washed before cooking. Mauer suggests rinsing until the water runs clear and the rice is rid of excess starch.

Converted rice (parboiled rice), however, should not be rinsed. Instead, add rice and a little oil or butter to the cooking pot, and lightly toast it on the stove before adding water.

WTF...we gonna fry the rice dry now? :lol:

[DemonGeminiX]

I'm assuming she's done it at least once or twice before making the video, so she knows more than me.

[DemonGeminiX]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8KyAGqXPVg

Dude's last name is Woo. I trust him.

[Hal-9000]

Okay so instant and parboiled rice is never rinsed.

Boy it's almost 50/50 about boiling the water with the rice in or out.

One guy says - Bring the rice mixture to a full boil and keep stirring it cosntantly for 15-20 minutes as it's boiling :lol: Really?

[DemonGeminiX]

The Woo guy above rinsed his parboil rice.

[Hal-9000]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8KyAGqXPVg

Dude's last name is Woo. I trust him.

:lol:

See? I just read/saw that you never rinse it because it's dehusked already.

Woo also says only 1.5 cups of water per cup of rice. Every other parboil instruction has said at least 2 cups of water, usually it's more like 2 and 1/4 :lol:

And Woo is saying only cook for 15 minutes.

I think Woo is having fun at our expense :-k

[Hal-9000]

One guy says rinsing parboiled makes it take longer to cook because it's already been partly done. Parboiling isn't precooking, it's more like soaking the rice so nutrients absorb in and starches change structure.

I'm going - no rinse, 2:1 water/rice, 20 minutes simmer on lowest heat and throwing the salt, some butter, the rice and the water all in the pot before it boils.

Wish me luck :thumbsup:

[DemonGeminiX]

Every video I've watched rinsed the rice. It's not just Woo. Trust Woo.

[DemonGeminiX]

One guy says rinsing parboiled makes it take longer to cook because it's already been partly done. Parboiling isn't precooking, it's more like soaking the rice so nutrients absorb in and starches change structure.

I'm going - no rinse, 2:1 water/rice, 20 minutes simmer on lowest heat and throwing the salt, some butter, the rice and the water all in the pot before it boils.

Wish me luck :thumbsup:

Let me know how it turns out. May the Woo be with you.

[Hal-9000]

What have I got for dinner...just salad and rice?

Geez, maybe if I'm lucky I can find some **$#!I*&% ham shaped tofu as well :x

[Hal-9000]

Let me know how it turns out. May the Woo be with you.

The Woo surrounds us and penetrates us and binds the galaxy together :)

and may the Woo be with you too.

[KevinD]

I've never ever rinsed rice. I always do 2:1 water/rice. I use an old pyrex (clear) pot and lid.
Heres how I do it: put rice in pan. Add COLD tap water. Bring to a rolling boil ( large bubbles, rice is swirling around) while heating to boil, I'll stir s couple times. Once boiling, I lower heat to where it will just simmer (imagine a sauce pan with water just slightly bubbling) and cover. I do not use salt. Then I'll simmer for 20 minutes. Most of the time it's pretty much perfect. Some times , depending if wife bought s different brand of rice, it can vary from a tad crunchy to way too soft/sticky.
I used to have a rice steamer that a Taiwanese co-worker gave me, but it quit working years ago.

[Godfather]

I buy good rice, rinse the shit out of it, and follow the bag's instructions. Like 1/4 times it's perfect, 2/4 times it's average and 1/4 times it's complete shit :lol:

My asian coworkers laugh at me when I tell them this. They just use rice cookers and the 'finger method' where they stick their fingers in the pot and it should be up to your first knuckle rice, and second knuckle water (or some shit like that, I dono).

My indian coworker on the other hand says she makes it like pasta which is wild to me. She literally cooks rice in a big pot of boiling water and strains it. Never tried that method.

[Goofy]

I tear the corner of the bag then microwave it for 2 minutes :ok:

[Hal-9000]

It turned out fine! :lol: If anything it was a little moist when done, but it was light and fluffy and tasted great.

Here's what I did:

2 cups water, 1 cup parboiled rice, salt and about a tablespoon of margarine. I threw it all in a pan and brought to a boil, stirring it once or twice. Then let it simmer for 20 minutes exactly on lowest heat with the lid on. Then let it sit for an additional 5 minutes with the lid still on.

It was probably the margarine that made it moist and it would be easy to tweak for less moisture.

Oh and I forgot that one cup of real rice makes considerably more than one cup of instant rice :lol:

[Hal-9000]

I've never ever rinsed rice. I always do 2:1 water/rice. I use an old pyrex (clear) pot and lid.
Heres how I do it: put rice in pan. Add COLD tap water. Bring to a rolling boil ( large bubbles, rice is swirling around) while heating to boil, I'll stir s couple times. Once boiling, I lower heat to where it will just simmer (imagine a sauce pan with water just slightly bubbling) and cover. I do not use salt. Then I'll simmer for 20 minutes. Most of the time it's pretty much perfect. Some times , depending if wife bought s different brand of rice, it can vary from a tad crunchy to way too soft/sticky.
I used to have a rice steamer that a Taiwanese co-worker gave me, but it quit working years ago.

That's pretty much the exact method I use. I did switch pans this time because I used to use a low saucepan. I tried a pan with the same diameter but higher sides, about 5 inches and maybe that made the difference?

[Hal-9000]

I buy good rice, rinse the shit out of it, and follow the bag's instructions. Like 1/4 times it's perfect, 2/4 times it's average and 1/4 times it's complete shit :lol:

My asian coworkers laugh at me when I tell them this. They just use rice cookers and the 'finger method' where they stick their fingers in the pot and it should be up to your first knuckle rice, and second knuckle water (or some shit like that, I dono).

My indian coworker on the other hand says she makes it like pasta which is wild to me. She literally cooks rice in a big pot of boiling water and strains it. Never tried that method.

I've seen the finger method when using a pan on the stove top. Seems to me we all have different fingers so I don't trust methods like that.

eg Tiny Asian lady finger height makes X-amount, hal's fat sausage fingers makes X(2)-amount :lol:

My old east Indian coworkers were rice masters, they brought it almost every day for lunch. Or I should say their wives were rice masters :thumbsup:

[Hal-9000]

I tear the corner of the bag then microwave it for 2 minutes :ok:

Rice-cheater [-(

[Hal-9000]

Let me know how it turns out. May the Woo be with you.

Woo is a brown rice Sith Lord. I don't trust him anymore.

[Goofy]

Rice-cheater [-(
Hell yeah! :dance:

[DemonGeminiX]

Woo is a brown rice Sith Lord. I don't trust him anymore.

Kneel before Woo. Woo knows all, Woo sees all.

[Hal-9000]

Hell yeah! :dance:

The Scottish-Asian community is disappoint.

[Hal-9000]

Kneel before Woo. Woo knows all, Woo sees all.

:woot:

[Godfather]

I've seen the finger method when using a pan on the stove top. Seems to me we all have different fingers so I don't trust methods like that.

eg Tiny Asian lady finger height makes X-amount, hal's fat sausage fingers makes X(2)-amount :lol:

My old east Indian coworkers were rice masters, they brought it almost every day for lunch. Or I should say their wives were rice masters :thumbsup:

Indian coworkers are the shit. The ones at our office are too generous, they bring in food for everyone a few times a year, home cooked rice and chana (the curried chickpea dish), butter chicken, all the fixings, unreal samosas from the secret bakery only they know about. It's heaven.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

https://i.imgur.com/h6dWx53.png

Tear bag, 90 seconds in the microwave. Done and done :tup:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I tear the corner of the bag then microwave it for 2 minutes :ok:

Haha I didn't see this post when I made mine the other day

:agreed:

[Hal-9000]

The thread is about cooking rice in a pot [-(

[Teh One Who Knocks]

The thread is about cooking rice in a pot [-(

:-s

Thread title: Best Way to Cook Rice?

I see nothing specifying the manor of cooking said rice, just the best way to do it. :hand:

[Hal-9000]

:-s

Thread title: Best Way to Cook Rice?

I see nothing specifying the manor of cooking said rice, just the best way to do it. :hand:

I outlined in the opening post I'm not talking about instant rice and/or using a rice cooker.

If I wanted advice on instant rice I'd call up Uncle Ben :hand:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

That package I posted is Ready Rice, not instant rice [-(

[Hal-9000]

Don't sass me boy. I have a physical this morning and am arguing with my brother through email.

Like the monkey, you won't win :x

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Don't sass me boy. I have a physical this morning and am arguing with my brother through email.

Like the monkey, you won't win :x

https://i.imgur.com/cA50fKG.jpg