AIBU to think I can't cook :-(

[namechangeagaimm]

So, I cooked up some rice, overcooked it as I always do, then when it was cold (and stodgy/wet) I added chopped tomatoes, cucumber and challots. I then cooked 2 cajun turkey steaks, chopped into chunks and added this to the rice. Was intending to serve it cold. It's disgusting and now I've got a massive pot of not very nice rice that I'd rather not waste, as being on a tight budget.
AIBU to be upset that I have so many kitchen disasters? any ideas how I can rectify my mistake?
:-(

[carabos]

Use recipes and follow them religiously. Lots available on t'interweb.

[formerbabe]

I am a very good cook in my own humble opinion!! However, I can't cook rice! I have tried many different methods but it is never right. I buy the sachets of pre cooked rice now!

[Radiatorvalves]

Follow a simple recipe? Once you have a few basics you can then improvise...

[Gdydgkyk]

Agree use recipes and follow them to the letter. Use recipes on line

[Wolfiefan]

I suck at cooking rice! Get a couple of good books. (Library?) Cook from scratch and following recipes exactly.

[RonaldosAbs]

Just use recipes. All my family and friends think I'm a wonderful cook, I take the credit, but it's all Jamie and Nigella. I don't think I've ever cooked anything beyond beans on toast kind of things without a recipe. I print them out and keep them in a folder.


As for the rice? It's just timing, stand nearby and test it periodically.

[haveabreakhaveakitkat]

Use the 'easy cook' rice. I think it's parboiled or something. It's really hard to go wrong with that if you cook it to time.

[viva100]

Yup, that's how I learnt how to cook too - bbc good food, followed to the letter except that in the beginning I would make sure all veggies/meat were chopped/weighed/ready etc so that when it all went on the stove I didn't have to keep an eye on the rice while also chopping. Nowadays I don't need to do that anymore but it helped in the first year or two. It's very easy to burn/overcook stuff if you have to chop loads in the meantime if you're a beginner.

[Scholes34]

Use Jamie's recipe for cooking rice - boil for 7 minutes, strain and then steam for 7 minutes. Never fails.

[PtolemysNeedle]

You need to follow recipes, and don't deviate from the recipe until you have followed enough of them to pretty much know what's going to happen.

And don't worry about rice, rice is hard! Use the easy cook stuff.

[IAmAShitHotLawyer]

If you can read you can cook. Read it - do it.

[namechangeagaimm]

Been sitting here racking my brains and I've come up with something that might work...I'm going to stuff the rice inside tortilla wraps then cover it in cheese, maybe tomato sauce, then bake the fuckers! Cheese will save the day! (hopefully)

[namechangeagaimm]

Oh yeah, and also never cook rice again /follow a recipe!

[whatsthatcomingoverthehill]

If I'm doing cold rice (or fried) I do it in lots of boiling water for 9 minutes so slight bite to it still then strain it and rinse with cold water and straight into the fridge. (Then after an hour can fry it with an egg if you want).

Much easy than using twice as much water and trying to judge it exactly right.

[purplemurple1]

Did you cook the toms cucumber and shallots before adding them?

If not I'd try making it into egg fried rice.

If you did I'd add some tinned chopped tomatoes and chilli powder (what ever herbs you have) and make a heavy soup.

I chuck stuff together and eat the consequences luckily my OH and kids aren't too fussy.

[EuphemiaCoxton]

I only use recipes and still balls up nearly everything

[ClaireFontaine]

One part rice one and a half part cold water. Bring to boil then simmer with lid on. Never fails

[ClaireFontaine]

Ps make rice pudding with the buggered up rice

[MrsTerryPratchett]

I am a fantastic cook. I own a rice cooker and will never cook rice without it.

Cheese does save everything. As does sour cream.

[Magicalmrmistofeles]

I consider myself a pretty good cook, however I am nearly 40 and have only just learnt how to cook rice.

1 cup water, 1 cup rice (or 2 or 3 or however much you need as long as volume is the same), get it up to boiling, lid on, heat right down and leave for 12 mins. Turn off heat and leave with lid on for 10 mins. Perfect rice, every time.

I am still baffled it took me so long to figure this out!

[LadyCuntingtonThe3rd]

I cook rice in steamcooker. As for cheese - I wouldn't do it. Rice and cheese don't go together in my opinion.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

Lady please never say that anything doesn't go with cheese. EVERYTHING goes with cheese. Except seafood pasta.

[x2boys]

the precooked rice is pretty good i l also like the boil in the bag rice i boil untill its all nice and fluffy plus they have holes in the bag to let the starch out.

[passthewineplz]

It probably tastes rank as you've got no seasoning in it. If you add a veg or chicken stock cube to the water, you get flavoured rice. Then you could chop things like peppers into the rice, along with the chicken to make it savoury.

Try adding a bit of chicken stock if you've got some, then you could stuff some peppers with the rice and cover in cheese

[keeptothewhiteline]

With the the stodgy stuff you have left over I would form into small balls, coat in beaten egg then breadcrumbs and deep or shallow fry.
Serve with salsa or garlic mayonnaise.