How to cook rice for perfect

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

We will tell you how to cook cereals in a saucepan, frying pan, slow cooker and microwave.

How to prepare rice

If you want to boil loose rice, rinse it under cold water before cooking. This will remove the starch that is responsible for stickiness. Rinse the rice about five times or more until the water runs clear. The most convenient way to perform this procedure is with a fine sieve.

Some dishes, such as risotto, require glutinous rice to cook. In this case, it is not worth rinsing it. Or, you can limit yourself to one rinse to wash off all excess.

To cook the rice faster, you can soak it for 30-60 minutes. Then the cooking time will be almost halved. However, it is better to reduce the amount of water used for cooking.

How much water to take for cooking rice

It is generally believed that this cereal requires twice as much water to cook. But this is an approximate proportion. It is better to measure the volume of liquid based on the type of rice:

• for long grain - 1: 1, 5–2;
• for medium grain - 1: 2–2, 5;
• for round grain - 1: 2, 5–3;
• for steamed - 1: 2;
• for brown - 1: 2, 5–3;
• for the wild - 1: 3, 5.

Be sure to read the instructions on the packaging. The manufacturer knows exactly what processing the rice has undergone, and suggests the optimal amount of water for cereals.

Measure out rice and water with a measuring cup - this is much more convenient. The standard portion for one is 65 ml of dry grains.

What to add to rice

You will definitely need salt. For 1 cup of grains, ¹⁄₂ teaspoon is enough. Although it is better to adjust the amount according to your preferences.

The good thing about rice is that you can always change its taste a little. For example, using the following seasonings:

• saffron;
• curry;
• cardamom;
• zira;
• caraway;
• cinnamon;
• Carnation.

Spices are added to water during cooking or to an already prepared dish.

Also, rice can be supplemented with herbs, citrus zest, or cooked not in water, but in meat or chicken broth.

How much to cook rice

It depends on the cooking method and the type of rice. Therefore, the cooking time can vary from 20 to 60 minutes. Below you will find all the details.

How to cook rice in a saucepan

It is better to use pans with a thick bottom: the temperature is evenly distributed in it.

First, bring the salted water to a boil, and then pour the cereal into it. Stir the rice once to prevent the grains from sticking to the bottom. Then wait until the dish begins to boil, reduce heat to low and cover the pan with a lid.

Do not lift the lid during cooking, otherwise the rice will take longer to cook. If you want the cereal to be crumbly, do not stir it (except for the first time). Otherwise, the grains will break and release starch.

The average cooking time after re-boiling, depending on the type of rice, is:

• for white - 20 minutes;
• for steamed - 30 minutes;
• for brown - 40 minutes;
• for the wild - 40-60 minutes.

When the rice is cooked, remove it from heat and let stand for 10-15 minutes, covered. If there is still water in the finished porridge, drain it or cover the pan with a dry towel: it will absorb excess moisture.

How to cook rice in a pan

Use a pan with a diameter of 24 cm or more, with high sides and a lid.

Rice is cooked in it in almost the same way as in a saucepan, with the exception of one nuance: the grains must first be quickly fried in vegetable oil. Do this for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, so that the grains are covered with oil, then the rice will be crumbly. Then you need to pour boiling water over it and cook in the same way as in the method above.

How to cook rice in a slow cooker

Place the rice in a multicooker bowl. Add water and spices you want. Close the lid and set the mode to "Groats", "Rice", "Pilaf" or "Buckwheat". The approximate cooking time for rice is:

• for white - 30 minutes;
• for steamed - 30-40 minutes;
• for brown - 50 minutes;
• for the wild - 50-60 minutes.

How to cook rice in the microwave

Place the rice in a microwave safe container. It is advisable that the cereal does not take up more than ¹⁄₃ of the dish's volume. Add water and spices.

Cook white and parboiled rice for 15-20 minutes at full power. Then stir, cover and leave in a closed microwave oven for 5-10 minutes.

Cook the brown and wild rice first for 5 minutes at full power. Then stir, set to medium power and cook for another 20-25 minutes. Leave covered in a covered microwave for 10-15 minutes.

If the beans are still hard, continue to cook, checking every 1–2 minutes and adding water if necessary.

Bonus: how to cook sushi rice

1. For the preparation of sushi, special Japanese rice is used. You can replace it with ordinary round grain.
2. Before cooking, the cereals need to be washed 5-7 times. It is better to discard floating grains.
3. Pour the washed rice with cold water in a ratio of 1: 1, 5. You can add a piece of nori seaweed to the pan for taste, but remove them before boiling.
4. Rice is cooked under a lid: before boiling - over medium heat, after - for a minimum of about 15 minutes. After that, you need to remove the cereal from the stove and let it stand for another 15 minutes.
5. Seasoned rice with a special dressing. To prepare it, pour 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar into a separate saucepan, add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt and heat the mixture over medium heat until the bulk ingredients are completely dissolved.
6. Transfer the rice to a wide bowl, pour over the sauce and stir gently with a wooden spatula. Then cool it down and start making sushi.

This material was first published in January 2017. In September 2020, we updated the text.