How do you cook rice?

[Jellychat]

Is it easy? Does it work?

I have set myself a 2022 target of learning how to cook rice, but I find it totally overwhelming?

How do you do it?

Rice Cooker.

Sushi Rice - rinse in bowl three times, add water to halfway up my fingers as my hand is flat on the rice, put in rice cooker, select shortgrain rice, hit start, walk away until it beeps.

Long grain Rice - rinse in bowl once, add water to mark on the bowl, put in the rice cooker, select long grain rice, hit start, walk away until it beeps.

Whole grain rice - quick rinse, add extra water (about an inch over the top of the rice), put into rice cooker, select wholegrain rice, hit start, walk away until it beeps.

I think my current rice cooker cost about £50 - I've had the two very basic types over the years and they were fine when rice wasn't the main part of my diet (they're great for steaming potatoes and boiling pasta as well), but when we have rice almost every day, the slightly more expensive type was worthwhile, as it automatically adds in resting time at the start of the process. And there are other settings for quinoa and other grains, along with making cakes and bread - although I've never tried the last two.

That's the key in my opinion - rinsing the rice and letting it rest for about 20 minutes before it starts cooking.

I use a rice cooker. If I use brown Basmati rice I up the measure to three of water to one of rice. White rice is two to one as already stated.

This. Microwave rice cooker never fails (other brands are available).

I bloody hate rice, it's my nemesis.

I have an instant pot though now, so it is better.....use the rice button! It's decent enough, but can be a little over.

OR the best way in the instant pot is PIP, which is pot in pot. I only do it when I do
this butter chicken recipe
On a trivet, in a pyrex bowl, 1 cup of rice, 1.5 water, and then it cooks over the curry and is always just perfect.
Actually I should maybe try it in the dish, on the trivet, without the curry...I don't know why that's never occurred to me before.

Rice cooker. Basmati rice. Perfect every time, no burnt pans.

Electric rice cooker. I love rice, it's my favourite carb. I was really rubbish at cooking it before though, & DH wouldn't eat it at all. Now it never gets burnt or underdone, & even fussy DH & DD happily eat it. I have a mini 2-3 portion model as there are only 3 of us & often we're only making a single portion.

I use Basmati. Bring water to boiling (about twice water to rice) and put measured portion of rice in, simmer for 12 minutes. During this time do not stir, prod or touch the rice at all. At 12 minutes try a few grains and if cooked to your liking pour into a sieve over a sink, fluff up with a fork and serve. I also recently decided to face my rice cooking demons after years of microwave rice pouches. They are very convenient but also pricy and bring more plastic.

Yup. Easiest foolproof method is double water to rice (however you measure it - mug, cup, jug etc). Then slow simmer.

Microwave rice or boil in the bag rice

The first thing I ever cooked by myself was rice. I added beans to it -without soaking them or cooking them first- needless be saying it took FOREVER to cook and it still tasted not-so-good!
This is how I do it and I've explained it as I would to my very clueless teenage self so just ignore what you already know:

1. boil water - twice the amount of rice in volume (so for 1 person I use 1 espresso cup of rice and 2 of water)
2. slice and dice an onion, fry it in a bit of olive oil (extra virgin oil is for salads, cheaper olive oil is for cooking, when you extra virgin it tastes like it was burnt to a crisp) - you can skip this part but I thinks it tastes better this way.
3. when the onion turns gold add the rice, stir a bit and then add the water (set the stove to high and then lower it when it starts boiling if you added cold water), add a Knorr (chicken's my personal favourite; half a Knorr per cup of espresso for me but this is a persnal choice; add salt instead of Knorr).
4. set stove timer to 10 minutes, check water is ok, add water if needed.

Tips:
i) Steamed (or vaporised in some countries) rice is the most foolproof. It always tastes nice even if you get distracted talking on the phone. It doesn't turn to moosh when you cook it too much.
ii) Add hot water to the rice, not cold.
iii) Some people measure rice using "spoons" but if you're getting started it's best to pick an espresso cup (less room to add more/ less than you should).
iv) When you add the water you can add veggies/eggs/etc, just a pinch more water and you've got yourself a super cheap and easy meal.
v) Add diced tomatoes to the onion or tomato pulp to the water.
vi) Add canned tuna to the onion.
vii) Adding spices to the water (rosemary, thyme, etc) can hide a multitude of sins.
viii) rice "grows" so that little espresso cup is actually a full plate of rice. Avoid the temptation to add more because "surely that isn't enough and I'll be hungry".

Thank you so much, everybody!

I suppose I should go and make some rice, then…

I might try each method from each post and then feedback over the course of the year.

I am surprised that no one mentioned oven cooking in a roasting dish. Gousto made me do that once and I genuinely started to wonder if that was how you are supposed to cook rice.

Absorption method on hob

just enough water to all go when cooked

generally lightest fluffiest outcome ime

All these are way more complicated than my approach (which works for basmati or wholegrain rice - it might not for easy cook...)

Weigh rice (120-140g for 2 of us), add to a saucepan of boiling water (LOTS of water). Bring back to boil, stir so the rice doesn't stick together. Then leave for approx 7 mins (basmati) or 22 mins (wholegrain), keeping it at a decent boil (not mad boiling, but more than a simmer). Test to see if it's done (ie - if it's soft enough), then drain well and serve. Perfect rice every time - no sticking together or stodginess.

I do the absorption method if I'm making pilau and want to add flavour to it, but 99% of the time I simply boil it. I'm baffled whenever anyone says they can't cook rice - to me it's no different from cooking pasta.

I like to soak my rice first for a bit in water (so I measure 1 coffee cup of rice and slack in cold water for half and hour or so)

then I rinse the rice

put it in a pan with 2 coffee cups of cold water

lid on

cook with lid on till you can see little holes in the rice and no water is above the rice (about 10 mins)

turn off heat and leave for 10 mins (must leave lid on)

put some salt and butter on it and it will be lovely

Put in boiling water, cook for 5 minutes from when it starts dancing around in the pan. Drain in a sieve, (reserving the water), put water back into the pan, put the sieve over the pan, cover in foil and leave to steam for about 10-12 minutes.

Seconded! I could never get it right on the hob and had a cheaper microwave rice cooker that used to leave slime all over the microwave. The Joseph Joseph one gives me perfect rice every time, and no slime/sludge to clean out of the microwave afterwards.

The absolute best way to cook rice (imo) is in the oven!

Oven 180.
Put 1 cup basmati rice in an oven dish
Mix 575ml boiling water with a pinch of salt and a TSP oil.
Pour water over rice in oven dish.
Bake for 25 mins.

It's foolproof.

I love that you leave the rice to come to terms with itself.
That made me snort with laughter.
Maybe that is why my rice is always shite - not enough therapy time before serving!!!

That will definitely be it. Rice is very highly strung. It needs some quiet time to compose itself before it can appear in public for dinner. 🤣

I cook rice in the oven. Preheat to 200c. Spray a non stick baking tray/dish (high sided) with oil. Rinse rice in sieve until water runs clear. One part rice to two parts boiling water. Add salt. Seal with foil so it steams while it cooks. Oven for 30 mins. Take out, use spatula to get all the delicious crispy bits off the edges.

if I’m making loads for the freezer, one part rice to two parts boiling water, salt. Tight fitting lid on large saucepan. Half an hour in oven. Remove lid, put tea towel over, replace lid. Leave for ten minutes.

have just bought an air fryer, so trying to not use the oven for one portion of rice… am currently perfecting the art of air fried rice… wish me luck!

Depends on the type of rice. I use a rice cooker which is the only way for the Chinese rice we eat. I can use a pan if necessary. Measure rice and water carefully. Water should be just about 1 finger tip above the rice. Bring to the boil, put the lid on and turn the heat down to the lowest setting. After about 15 minutes the rice is cooked, fluffy and no water to drain.
My rice cooker is about 40 years old and practically a family heirloom.
I believe that baking is the correct way for basmati rice.
Soaking then rice cooker for Japanese rice.
I personally wouldn't eat any other sort of rice apart from those 3.

Always wash rice in 6 lots of water before cooking. Especially if you buy it by the sack.

Microwave it - two cups rice three cups water. 10mins - fluffy rice every time.

I have Sistema microwave rice cooker which helps.

I always use basmati and soak my rice first and for as long as possible, I then rinse until the water runs clear.

I add rice to the sistema (it’s less than a tenner I think) pour boiling water to roughly 2 inches above the level of the rice. I then microwave it for 13 minutes, leave it a further 5 minutes before lifting the lid. Always had perfect rice this way, it’s also easy to add flavouring to the rice if you wish.