If you cook rice the 'Asian' way, how do you stop it boiling over?

[sladtheinkaler]

(If you boil unwashed Uncle Bens in too much water and then drain and fluff it, this thread is not for you).

I rinse the rice a few times. I put water to my first knuckle. I put it on a lowish heat with the lid on and leave it alone. When I see pits / mini-craters in the rice I turn off the heat and leave it, lid on, for 10 mins and then it's perfect.

The only problem is that it does boil over when it first reaches the boil and I have to lift the lid to let out some steam a few times until it settles down.

Too high heat?
Pan too small?

The Asian way is using a rice cooker 😉

This. I'm from an asian country where we eat rice a lot. Everyone has a rice cooker. Some people don't even have an oven or toaster, they'll still have a rice cooker. It's the most essential thing in the kitchen! I took one to uni age 18.

If I have to cook rice and I don't have access to a rice cooker, I have to get my dh to do it

I only put the lid on when the surface water has evaporated and turn it off when it starts to make ‘popping’ noises.

My guess from watching my dh do it is that you needed to turn the heat down. He has it on a high heat for a bit and then low heat and then off. And yes, never drains it after, he measures out the ratios (through some arcane formula).

Get a rice cooker honestly, you won't regret it. You can make congee. Use it as a slow cooker. Even make Japanese sponge cake

Mine always boils over too! I’ve just accepted it now.
@rileybelle so you only add the lid towards the end?

I would like a rice cooker but can’t justify the counter space as we don’t eat it every day.

You turn the heat up to bring it almost to the boil then turn it down, lid on and leave it . You probably know however that there is huge debate about rice cooking ! I agree with a PP though, the Asian families I grew up with all had rice cookers

Just call it the absorption method OP. That will save arguments.

It sounds like it’s on too high.

I’d say a bigger pan. I’ve found using a big cast iron pot better. I think it retains heat more but bring it to the boil (lid off) heat down heat lid on. Turn it off and just let it finish off for fifteen minutes.

High heat until you see bubbles, then lower the heat immediately.

Just to anyone it may help - Sistema does a “rice cooker” that goes in the microwave, at about £9 on Amazon, and less space than a kettle, which can do eight generous portions of rice at a time. It has made a huge difference here.

Yes, okay, fair point, but in the absence of a rice cooker?! 😄

I think I'm going to try a lower heat.

Many years ago a Sri Lankan flatmate taught me how to make good rice and she had the lid on throughout. She used to leave it soaking in water for 10 minutes before rinsing too.

I use a rice cooker/pressure cooker. If I have to use a pan, use a heavy bottomed pan that retains lots of heat, I bring to boil, simmer for 10 mins then turn off heat for 15 minutes for white basmati, double the cook time for brown. But buy a rice cooker, genuinely my favourite thing in my kitchen (mines a combi one that also slow cooks, pressure cooker etc)

I do this method and have the lid on throughout. I have it on high heat and watch it like a ninja. As soon as I see any sign of bubbling I turn it down really low and leave it till all the water is absorbed. It used to boil over before my ninja watching!

I've seen so many ways but my method is always too much water, drain when just cooked BUT then put a clean tea towel on with the lid so that it absorbs the steam rather than dripping back down onto the rice, creating mire liquid.
I hope that made sense!

But most rice cookers have that coated pan that inevitably flakes after a while.

So I use a Pyrex jug I’m the microwave. Same Proportions as the pan method, no cover, tall jug. Ten minutes then stand.

Tea towel under the lid.

Asian people use a rice cooker. You can’t get bad rice if you use a rice cooker. I love mine. Cost about £25 from eBay.

Of course it doesn't make sense! I don't know what mire liquid is!

*more

Correct any other errors in your own time.

Very few SE Asians use a rice cooker, in fact I don't know any that do. You need to make sure the pot you use has at least 4 knuckles between the level of uncooked rice and the rim of the pot. I bring mine to the boil with lid off, or half on, then turn down to lowest heat and put lid on. There is always the risk it will initially boil over, so don't go too far from it!

You use a rice cooker. You also have to rinse your rice repeatedly to wash it.

I love my rice cooker. Rice is perfect every time.

Bigger pan - I use an induction hob and have it on 6 from cold water to switching off. It never boils over but the pan is quite big proportionately to the amount of rice I usually make. I just have a normal nonstick cheap pan too as I can’t see the craters through the lid of a cast iron one.

You can buy a replacement inner pan for your rice cooker periodically. I'm still using my rice cooker I mentioned upthread, got it when I was 18 so it's almost 20 years old, still going strong after multiple replacement inner pans (my mum does keep suggesting buying me a new one though haha).

The cost per meal must be in fractions of a penny by now.

I just use those microwave packs for rice and they’re always really nice. Even drowning uncle Ben’s In too much water is too much effort. 😁

Love this.

Eldest dd is moving into a flat with friends early next year and her Christmas present this year is definitely a rice cooker.

Thinking of maybe getting her a multi-pot thing that is a rice cooker and a slow cooker and a pressure cooker.

After searching for a rice cooker with a stainless steel inner, I ended up with an instant pot. Absolutely brilliant.
I still do rice in the microwave as washing up is easier, but the IP is awesome for other things!