How to cook rice so that it is. Rice: secrets of proper cooking. How to cook rice in a saucepan using water

How to cook rice so that it turns out fluffy? With the right recipe, even a child can achieve the “grain-to-grain” effect. Today we will talk about 3 ways to cook rice. Click on the one you need to go straight to reading the method you are interested in. Or continue reading in order.

No more browned crust, sticky cereal or undercooked grains. Only tasty and fluffy rice! Just relax and follow our step by step instructions.

Method 1. Basic

This method is suitable for cooking regular long and medium grain rice. Our “formula” is a little different from most recipes on the Internet, but trust me, it really works if you follow all the directions exactly.

So, for example, we cooked the cheapest long grain rice we could find in the store and used a regular aluminum pan with a thin bottom. The result turned out great!

You will need (for 3 servings): 1 cup rice, 1.5 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a piece of butter.

While the water is heating, rinse the rice with cold running water, stirring it with your hands for about 10-15 minutes, i.e. until the water becomes clear. This will remove the starch, which turns the side dish into rice porridge.

As soon as the water in the pan boils, transfer the washed rice into it, smoothing it with a spoon, and add salt. Next, reduce the heat to very low (!) and cover the pan with a lid. How long should you cook rice? No more than 18-20 minutes, that is, until the water has completely evaporated.

While cooking rice, you DO NOT need to: a) stir it and b) open the lid of the pan.

Remove the rice from the heat and keep it in the pan with the lid closed for another 10 minutes.
Remove the lid, add a knob of butter to the rice, stir and serve. Bon appetit!

Notes:

Brown rice can be cooked in the same way, but increasing the cooking time to 35 minutes, and the “bath” time to 15 minutes. In this case, you need to take 2 times more water than cereal.
To cook the most capricious round rice, use the same method, but reduce the amount of water (for 1 cup of rice, take 1 full + another 1/3 cup of water) and reduce the cooking time to 15-16 minutes.
Steamed rice is the easiest to cook: it is enough to rinse it once and not waste time on the “bath” (stage 4). True, the taste of steamed rice is less expressive.
Instead of rinsing the rice under running water, you can soak it in a deep bowl in at least three waters, ideally 7 waters.

Method 2. With frying in oil (“pilaf method”)

Any type of rice cooked using this method is so tasty that it can be eaten without any additives! The recipe is especially suitable for cooking aromatic varieties - basmati and jasmine.

You will need: 1 cup rice, 0.5 tablespoons salt, 1 tbsp. l butter (butter, olive or vegetable), water.

Rinse the rice for 10-15 minutes under the tap or soak it in 7 waters to remove excess starch.

Bring water to a boil in an electric kettle or saucepan. How much water do you need? To prepare basmati, use 2 cups of water per 1 cup of cereal; for jasmine and regular medium- and long-grain varieties - 1.5 cups of water per 1 cup of cereal.
In a deep frying pan or heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat until lightly shimmering. Then add the rice, salt it and stir. Continue to fry the rice for about 2 minutes until the rinsing water has evaporated and dissolved in the oil and a starchy film appears on the bottom of the pan. Don't forget to stir the cereal constantly.

Carefully pour boiling water over the rice, cover the dish with a lid, and reduce the heat to low. The cooking time for rice should be 18-20 minutes (until the water is completely absorbed).

Remove the rice from the heat and leave it without opening the lid for another 10 minutes. Now all that remains is to stir the dish and serve.

Method 3. “Pasta Method” for Brown Rice

Brown rice can be cooked in the same way as described in method 1, but the easiest way to do this is using the “pasta method”.

Ingredients (for 3 servings): 1 cup rice, 8 cups water, ½ teaspoon salt and a knob of butter.

Bring water in a saucepan to a boil (with lid closed).

While the water is heating, rinse the rice with cold running water, stirring it with your hands for about 10 minutes, i.e. until the water becomes clear. This will remove the starch that causes the cereal to stick together during cooking.

Add the rice to the boiling water, stir it, and cook for 33 to 35 minutes WITHOUT a lid. If you like your rice softer, you can cook it a little longer.

Remove the pan from the heat and drain the water through a colander with a fine mesh as if you had just cooked pasta rather than rice.

After draining the water, immediately transfer the rice back into the hot pan, cover it with a lid and let the cereal “steam” for another 10 minutes.
Finally, salt the rice, add oil and stir. Ready!

If you want to cook fluffy rice, you need to rinse it under cold water before cooking. This way you will get rid of starch, which is responsible for stickiness. Rinse the rice about five times or more until the water runs clear. It is most convenient to perform this procedure using a fine sieve.

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Some dishes, such as, require sticky rice. In this case, there is no need to rinse it. As a last resort, you can limit yourself to one rinse to wash away all excess.

To make rice cook faster, you can soak it for 30–60 minutes. Then the cooking time will be reduced by almost half. However, in this case it is better to reduce the amount of water used for cooking.

Proportions

It is generally believed that you need twice as much water to cook rice. But this is an approximate proportion. It is better to measure the amount of water 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 wild - 1: 3.5.

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

Measure rice and water with a measuring cup - it’s much more convenient. A standard serving for one is 65 ml of dry rice.

Dishes

It is better to cook rice in a saucepan with a thick bottom: the temperature is distributed evenly in it. You can also cook the rice in a large frying pan. A cauldron is traditionally used for pilaf.

Cooking rules

If you cook rice in a saucepan, first bring 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 the 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 rice to be fluffy, do not stir it (except for the first time). Otherwise, the grains will break and release starch.

The average cooking time depending on the type is:

for white rice - 20 minutes;
for steamed rice - 30 minutes;
for brown rice - 40 minutes;
for wild rice - 40–60 minutes.

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

If you cook rice in a frying pan, use dishes with a diameter of 24 cm, high sides and a lid. Rice is cooked in it 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 as described above.

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Seasonings

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

saffron;
curry;
cardamom;
cumin;
caraway;
cinnamon;
carnation.

Spices are added to the water during cooking or to a ready-made dish.

Rice can also be supplemented with the taste of herbs, citrus zest, or cooked not in water, but in meat or chicken broth.

Bonus: How to Prepare Sushi Rice

Special Japanese rice is used to prepare sushi. You can replace it with regular round grain.
Before cooking, rice should be washed 5-7 times. It is better to discard the floating grains.
Pour washed rice with cold water in a ratio of 1: 1.5. You can add a piece of nori seaweed to the pan for flavor, but you need to remove it before boiling.
Cook the rice covered: before boiling - over medium heat, after - at minimum for about 15 minutes. Then you need to remove the rice from the stove and let it stand for another 15 minutes.
Ready rice must be seasoned with a special dressing. To prepare it, pour 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar into a separate pan, add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt and heat the mixture over medium heat until the bulk ingredients are completely dissolved.
Place the rice in a wide bowl, pour over the sauce and stir gently with a wooden spatula. After this, cool and start preparing sushi.

Do you know other ways to cook delicious rice? Share your secrets and recipes in the comments.

How to properly cook rice so that it is crumbly depends on the type of rice itself. Today there are more than 180 varieties, varieties, and trade names of this cereal.

In Southeast Asia, rice is such an important staple food that in many languages the traditional wish for bon appetit is literally translated as “help yourself to rice.”

In eastern culinary traditions, cooked rice is an independent dish; it is prepared without adding other products - meat, fish, sometimes adding a minimal amount of seasonings. The influence of cultural exchange with the West led to the emergence of dishes with the obligatory addition of seafood, poultry, and fish to rice. Properly boiled rice is placed in the center of the refectory table; its white color is a symbol of purity and family well-being.

In many eastern pre-monothetic religions, rice is called divine. Traces of the deification of rice can also be found in the languages of Central Asian peoples, where it is called shola (shawls). Shaly is actually the name of the wife of Dagon, the Sumerian god of agriculture.

Rice flakiness- this is also a sign of its proper preparation. And proper preparation of the grains of this cereal is a necessary condition for the preservation of the beneficial substances that make up its composition, a condition for the full manifestation of the medicinal properties of rice dishes.

Useful properties of rice

Rice as a side dish or main dish is present in culinary recipes of almost all peoples on all continents. The enormous popularity and demand of this cereal was contributed not only by its taste and, last but not least, by its beneficial properties, the low calorie content in 100 grams of grains is only 248 kilocalories.

At the same time, rice grains have a sufficient amount of proteins necessary for building body cells - in 100 grams of the product there are 7.3 grams of pure protein and only two grams of fat.

Rice is an excellent sorbent; it is used for poisoning, diarrhea, and strengthens the walls of the gastrointestinal tract.

The main value of rice grain proteins is that they are not allergic. Rice does not contain the protein gluten, which is practically the main cause of food allergies. The lecin protein content in grains is sufficient to ensure the normal functioning of brain cells, as well as the cardiovascular system.

In steamed rice, γ-amino-butyric acid is perfectly preserved in a biologically active form. This amino acid takes part in blood thinning processes, reduces and stabilizes blood pressure.

Rice contains B vitamins (B₁, B₂, B₃, B₆, B₉), antioxidant vitamins A, E, PP, H, and almost all the microelements a person needs.

Oligopeptides, which are included in the protein composition of rice, contribute to the processes of increasing immunity and reducing the risk of colds.

All the beneficial properties of the cereal are inherent only in those varieties in which the shell is not exfoliated. In Japan, after the World War, a general epidemic of a disease called “beriberi” broke out - people experienced degeneration of peripheral nerves, their legs became swollen... The cause turned out to be a change in the mode of rice consumption. The introduction of modern technology for producing polished rice, based on separating the grain shell, led to a catastrophic shortage of vitamin B₁, which the Japanese received exclusively from rice processed using traditional technology.

What varieties of rice are there?

Methods for boiling rice with a crumbly consistency largely depend on the type of rice itself.

The parameters by which rice is divided are varied. Grains of this sign are classified according to the length of the grain, processing methods to obtain edible rice, methods of cultivation, place of growth, and trade names.

By growing method

Rice growing technology requires a lot of water. The plant is of swamp origin, therefore, for successful yield it requires that during the growing season, flowering period, ovary formation and grain ripening, 1/3 of the entire plant is in water. Artificially, man has learned to grow rice with a minimum amount of water. Accordingly, they distinguish:

wet rice, grown using ancient technology in water;
dry rice, or upland rice, which can be grown in less water.

Rice is an excellent diuretic that helps with bladder and kidney diseases.

Dry rice varieties contain a slightly smaller amount of starch; accordingly, they are less boiled and the finished rice is more crumbly.

Classification by trade names

On sale you can find the following branding of rice:

Carolina, the standard of this rice is an oblong grain, white, fairly transparent, odorless;
Piedmontese rice- grains are more meek in shape and rounded at the edges, opaque and have a yellowish tint;
Indian, which has oblong grains with excellent transparency;
Japanese, has white but very small grains of good quality.

In summer, loose rice is an excellent remedy that helps reduce the feeling of thirst.

Methods for cooking rice

There are many recipes, culinary tips, recommendations, housewives’ secrets on how to cook fluffy rice. Unfortunately, almost all of them do not take into account such a feature of the grain of this cereal as the ability to absorb some harmful substances from the atmospheric air, in particular arsenic. Rice also has such a feature as intensive accumulation of pesticide residues in the grains that were used to treat the fields.

Research at Queens University Belfast, led by Professor Andy Merhag, has made it possible to offer scientifically based recommendations on methods of cooking rice in such a way as to most effectively extract arsenic and other substances unsafe for health from the grains, the accumulation of which in the body can cause diabetes, cancer, and vascular diseases. A practical panacea turned out to be increasing the amount of water in which rice was cooked. Currently, three methods are used:

increasing the amount of cooking water to a rice:water ratio of 1:3, this is the most ineffective method;
adding water to rice in a ratio of 5:1, this method reduces the content of harmful substances by 50%;
soaking rice grains for 12 hours before cooking - the content of harmful substances is reduced by 80%.

Naturally, if you cook soaked rice in such an amount of water, there is a high risk of the product turning into a sticky mass. To avoid such overcooking, you just need to strictly monitor the set cooking time, and then simply drain off the excess water and rinse the rice.

Rice decoctions are used to treat bronchitis - they have the ability to remove phlegm from the bronchi.

How to cook crumbly basmati

This variety of rice, which originates from India, is considered by chefs to be the most aromatic. To make it crumbly, you need to follow certain rules for its preparation. The entire cooking process can be divided into several stages.

Stage one - rice quality control

In order for the rice to turn out fluffy, it must be of good quality. When choosing this product when purchasing, you need to pay attention to the quality of the grains. They should all be whole, there should be no broken grains of rice in the product. Carrying out such control is usually not difficult. In stores, rice is sold both by weight and in packages made of transparent polymer films. If you buy rice in boxes or beautiful bags, you need to be sure of the integrity of the manufacturer.

Stage two - soaking and washing the rice

Basmati rice is soaked before cooking. This must be done observing certain proportions of the ratio of cereals and water. It is advisable to maintain the accuracy of the ratio 1: from 1.5 to 2, for example, one glass of rice to one and a half glasses of water. If one and a half glasses were poured into a bowl with a glass of rice, but the water did not completely cover it, then the amount of water is increased to 2 glasses. Let the rice and water sit for about fifteen minutes. Then the rice is thoroughly mixed - the water should become cloudy and acquire a whitish color due to excess starch being washed off from the grains. The cloudy white water is drained and new water is poured, mixed again and drained.

The process is repeated, achieving complete transparency after thorough vigorous stirring. The clarity of the water indicates that all excess starch has been removed. As a rule, this procedure will have to be repeated 4-5 times, and Japanese chefs wash local varieties of rice up to 12 times.

The washed rice should be filled with water again and then left in the water for half an hour. This is necessary so that the cooked rice fully reveals its special texture. During pre-soaking, water penetrates into the microcracks of the grains of rice, they slightly increase in volume.

Soaking has a positive effect on quality, since the water that has penetrated into the microcracks will heat up and cook the rice as if from the inside of the rice grain. This rice will not only be crumbly, but will also absorb sauces perfectly.

Basmati cooking stage

Pour water into the pan. The amount of water by volume should be twice the volume of prepared rice. If you add less water, the rice will turn out hard; if you add more, the rice of the finished product will be soft.

Place the pan on the fire and wait until it boils. Wait until large bubbles begin to form on the surface. Add salt to boiling water according to recipe. Salt is added not only to achieve the usual saltiness of the dish. The boiling point of ordinary water is 100˚C. Salted water under the same conditions boils at 102˚C. Thus, in salted water, rice will be cooked at a higher temperature, so the processes that occur during cooking with grains will proceed more fully.

When the salted water boils again and large bubbles appear again, add rice while stirring the water. The boiling stops immediately. There is no need to increase the heat. Constantly stirring the rice, it is recommended to use a wooden spoon for this, wait until it boils and then close the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to minimum.

Cook the rice for about fifteen minutes. Do not open the lid to prevent steam from escaping.

You should not stir the rice during cooking - it will turn out mushy.

The time it takes to cook basmati rice until it becomes fluffy depends on the variety. Whole grain varieties may take a little longer to cook.

After the cooking minutes have passed, turn off the heat, but do not remove the rice from the pan; let it cool slightly in the pan - five minutes will be enough.

Then remove the lid and stir the rice with a fork. During this process, the grains of rice are separated from one another and the rice turns out fluffy and at the same time fully reveals its texture and aroma.

Cooking crumbly basmati in the microwave

First of all, you need to prepare the rice as described above - rinse and soak.

Place the prepared rice in a cooking dish that can be used for cooking in microwave ovens and fill it with water. The volume of water that is poured into the rice depends on the volume of rice. It is necessary to maintain a ratio of 1:2 - 1 volume of rice to 2 volumes of water.

Place the dish in the microwave without covering the lid. Cooking time depends on the power of your particular microwave oven. If the microwave has a power of 750 W, then the time is set to six minutes. If the power of the kitchen appliance is 650 W, then the cooking timer is set to seven minutes.

After the timer signals the end of the cooking time, cover the pan with a lid so that holes are formed for steam to escape. There is no need to use lids that have holes in the top.

Thanks to its unique qualities, rice is an excellent remedy for the treatment of sore throats, pneumonia, influenza, acute respiratory infections, and is used as an antipyretic, diaphoretic, and antiseptic natural medicine.

The microwave power is reduced to 350 W and the timer is set for fifteen minutes.

After the cooking time has expired, keep the rice in the microwave for five minutes, then take it out and gently stir with a fork.

Preparing fluffy black rice

The grains of this type of rice are medium in size, they fully contain all the substances that make this cereal so healthy. After cooking, the product acquires a dark purple color and a pronounced soft nutty flavor.

It is used not only as a separate type of side dish. Many varieties of salads are prepared with it, added to the fillings of stuffed poultry, and various types of baked goods.

It is black rice that has all the beneficial substances characteristic of rice.

In order for black rice to be fluffy, it must first be soaked and washed thoroughly.

Black rice is poured with water in an amount twice as large as the volume of rice. Leave for fifteen minutes and then rinse. While washing, the rice should be rubbed with your hands. Do this again until the water is completely transparent. Thoroughly washed rice is poured with water again and left for eight hours. Then they start cooking.

Black rice can be boiled not only in water, but also in meat or vegetable broth to give it the appropriate taste and saltiness.

Without turning on the heat, place the rice in a saucepan with a thick bottom, pour in liquid in the usual proportion - two volumes of liquid for one volume of rice.

Light a strong fire and wait until the water boils. Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to low and continue the cooking process for fifteen minutes. During this time, the rice should absorb all the water. Turn off the heat and leave the rice in the pan without stirring for fifteen minutes. Then mix with a fork.

How to cook fluffy round rice

Almost all culinary manuals indicate that this type of rice makes excellent porridges and other dishes of similar consistency. But oriental cooks, who seem to know everything about rice, know how to cook this type of rice in crumbly form.

Professionals advise that in order for the rice to be crumbly, do not remove the rice from the container in which it was cooked immediately, but leave it under the lid for about fifteen minutes, then add a little vegetable or butter.

First of all - pre-processing. The rice is thoroughly washed, changing the water several times until the water is completely transparent. Then the rice is dried. Ideally, a special vessel called a wok is used for cooking. As a last resort, you can take an ordinary cast-iron frying pan with thick walls and a bottom.

Pour vegetable oil into the bottom of the frying pan or dissolve ghee in it and lightly fry the rice in a little oil with the addition of salt and spices and onions. Salt is added at the rate of one teaspoon per two hundred milliliters of water that will be added for cooking.

Water is added directly to the pan. Round rice absorbs moisture more than long grain varieties. Therefore, the proportion used when adding water is one to three. Heat the water over high heat until large bubbles begin to form, add salt, wait until it comes to a boil again, add rice and cover the pan with a lid. The fire is reduced to the smallest. Cook without stirring the lids without opening them for twenty minutes. The readiness of rice is determined simply - the cooked rice should be easy to bite with your teeth.

After cooking is finished, leave the rice in the container in which it was cooked for about fifteen minutes.

Japanese method of preparing fluffy rice

In Japanese cooking, rice has been cooked for centuries; it is not surprising that during this time, Japanese chefs have invented many ways to cook the grain in order to obtain a finished product of the desired consistency - sticky, as for rolls, medium degree of sticking of rice grains, as for rice balls (omusubi, onigiri) , crumbly, as for side dishes. At the same time, one of the basic principles of Japanese cuisine is observed - processing products in such a way that they retain their natural taste as much as possible and retain their beneficial properties as much as possible.

To prepare fluffy rice, Japanese cooks traditionally use slightly modified proportions of the volume ratio of cooked rice and water, as well as their own special method of cooking rice. As an example, we will give a recipe for the Japanese dish “Chahan”, for which crumbly rice is prepared. “Tyahan” is the general name of dishes that are prepared using a technology that ensures the rice is fluffy, and to indicate what products the dish is prepared with, the name of the ingredients used is added to the general name. For example, if shrimp are used - ebi chahan, if seafood is used - sifudo chahan. As an example, here is a recipe for tyahan with chicken - tori tyahan.

Ingredients:

Round rice - one glass

To prepare chahana, take Japanese round rice of the Nishiki variety, but you can also prepare this unique Japanese pilaf based on long-grain rice of the Jasmine and Basmati varieties.

Chicken meat - four hundred grams
Sweet pepper is not very big - one
Chicken egg - one
Soy sauce - one hundred milliliters
Ground red pepper - one quarter teaspoon
Two small cucumbers
Two small onions
Soy sauce - one hundred milliliters
Boiled pork meat - three hundred grams

Preparation:

Rinse the rice thoroughly until the water is clear;
Pour the washed rice with water and let it sit for two hours, then drain the water and wash the rice again until the water is clear;
Place the washed rice in a thick-walled pan with a thick bottom, add water in the proportion for one volume of rice - one and a half volumes of water;
Cook rice on three heat settings - first three minutes on very high heat, then seven minutes on medium heat, the final stage - two minutes on low heat;
After cooking, do not remove the lid and allow the cooked rice to “rest”;
In a separate bowl, beat two eggs with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce;
Heat a frying pan, preferably made of thick-walled cast iron, and fry egg pancakes in it - pour half of the egg-soy mixture into a very hot vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry for one minute on each side;
The cooled egg-soy pancakes are chopped into thin strips;
Chop the peeled peppers and onions as thinly as possible - the peppers into strips and the onions into half rings
Chicken meat is cut into long pieces;
In one frying pan, the prepared peppers and onions are fried in vegetable oil (until the onions are transparent), in the other - chicken meat (fry on both sides for about seven minutes), boiled rice is also fried along with the chicken;
Cut the cucumber into thin strips, and also chop the pre-boiled pork;
Mix all the prepared products, season with soy sauce, which remains after preparing the egg-soy pancakes, and pepper.

Some Japanese chefs do not mix the cucumber with the other ingredients, but sprinkle it on the finished tori chahan.

Fluffy rice cooked using a multicooker

It is easier to obtain rice with a crumbly consistency when cooking in a multicooker, not only due to the absence of the need for personal control over the cooking technology - the kitchen appliance will do everything itself - but also because the rice is not only boiled, but also steamed, which ensures that the grains of rice lag behind each other.

Before cooking, the rice is washed and slightly soaked.

Not only rice, but also a piece of butter is placed in the multicooker bowl. You can use vegetable oil, but the taste of rice is better if you use butter. Water is added to rice in a standard ratio of 1:2. Add salt, favorite seasonings, and spices.

They cook in the “Rice” mode; the time is not set, since it is already programmed for this mode.

In most models of multicookers, after the programmed cooking time has expired, heating is turned on automatically. For rice, such an improvement can result in overcooking the grains. Therefore, after the cooking time has expired, the multicooker must be turned off. The heat that the cooked rice retains in the multicooker bowl, which is similar to a thermos, is quite enough for the rice to “cook”.

The easiest way to cook fluffy rice

The easiest way to get fluffy rice is to cook it for folding pilaf. To do this, the rice is washed very well and placed in salted, rapidly boiling water (one volume of rice - six volumes of water). After boiling again, cook for 13-15 minutes on low heat, then the rice is washed with cold water and mixed with vegetable oil, which has no odor.

You can learn how to quickly cook fluffy rice from the video.

Rice is one of the most widespread crops on our planet. it is capable of instantly, like any carbohydrate, providing our body with energy, and also has a whole bunch of other irreplaceable beneficial qualities for our health. These include benefits for the intestines, normalization of blood sugar and slowing down the aging process, because rice is a product containing antioxidants.

It is a fundamental food in many cuisines around the world. It is prepared in dozens of different ways, but boiling is considered the most common. To serve a very tasty and crumbly dish that does not stick together into one big lump, you need to be able to work with it correctly.

Today we will learn how to cook rice correctly!

How to cook rice as a side dish at home

There are dozens of different types of rice. Each of them has its own cooking characteristics, and also differs in the recipes for the dishes in which it is used.

How to cook a large portion at home so that everything turns out perfect? Many people learn this through a lot of trial and error. It seems huge and very difficult when you first take it on.

If you like to eat rice as a side dish, then you should think about buying a good rice cooker or multicooker. But this does not mean that you should immediately run out and buy it. Learn how to cook on the stove first. This will give you invaluable experience.

How to properly cook steamed short grain rice

What is parboiled rice?

This is rice that has been pre-steamed. This is done in order, according to manufacturers, to transfer the benefits and nutrients from the shell into the grain itself, preserving the benefits of the final product. Plus it becomes more crumbly after cooking. This variety is perfect for eating side dishes, pilaf, but it is completely unsuitable for use in sushi and rolls!

Washing

The first and main rule. Always rinse the rice in water first. Just pour it into a sieve and rinse under running water until you get rid of most of the turbidity.

You won't be able to make it transparent, but you can easily get rid of most of it.

This is necessary to wash away unnecessary starch dust and various debris from the surface of the grain. Keep in mind that some varieties may have a fairly large amount of starch and you will have to spend some time and effort on this.

Water ratio

For most varieties, a 1:2 ratio is ideal, that is, one cup of rice to two cups of water. Measure out an average of half a cup of raw cereal per person.

Some varieties require a little more water, some less. It all depends on the variety. See the instructions on the package; the correct cooking time is always indicated there.

Wait until the water boils and pour the rice into it. You should take into account that at the end of cooking the volume will increase three times, so you should initially take a larger container.

Cooking process

Pour rice into boiling water and cook, covering with a lid. At the same time, reduce the heat to a minimum. Try not to simply remove the lid from the pan. Because of this, the necessary moisture will evaporate.
Look there after 15 minutes and assess his condition, how prepared he is. A medium portion requires proper cooking for about 15-20 minutes over low heat. In terms of consistency, it should not crunch on the teeth or be hard. At the same time, it should be crumbly and pleasant. If there is still water at the bottom, drain the rest. If the quantity is not very large, then cover with a lid and keep for a few minutes on the heat off. After this, you can remove the lid and wait until it stops steaming and the last of the moisture disappears.
Next, you can add, for example, a little butter to improve the taste.
If you have some left over after serving, that's not a problem. Boiled for several days.

How to properly cook rice for making rolls and sushi

In recent decades, Japanese cuisine has become widespread throughout the world. Our country is no exception. Nowadays, on almost every corner you can see an establishment or delivery service that offers sushi or rolls. They have become very popular here in Russia and this is not without reason, since this treat has an excellent taste and an unusual contrast and combination of products.

Cooking sushi rice correctly may seem very complicated, but in fact there is no huge difference from simply boiling it, except for adding rice vinegar at the very end.
Follow these simple recommendations and you will do great.

Right choice?

In fact, the Japanese came up with everything a long time ago and did it for us. Our task is to adopt this experience and follow the existing instructions.

To prepare sushi and rolls, a special variety called “Shari” is used. In our stores it is sold under the name “Sushi Rice”, so finding it is not a big problem. It has a round shape.

Rinse it under running water for several minutes to remove all the starch. Keep in mind that there is quite a lot of it in this variety. After this, pour into a saucepan and fill with water with a ratio of approximately 1:1.1 in favor of water.

The main thing is not to overdo it with liquid.

Preparation

From the very beginning, you need to turn on the heat to maximum, stirring constantly until the water boils. Once boiling, cover the pan with a lid and reduce heat to low.
After 6-10 minutes, check the remaining water level. If the water has boiled, turn off the heat; if not, check every minute. Here it is important not to miss the moment and not to burn the rice at the bottom, otherwise it will be completely saturated with the taste of burning. After cooking, let it sit for 5 minutes with the lid closed.
When you pour the cooked rice out of the pan, there are a few important things you should keep in mind. For example, use only a wooden spatula for this. A metal spoon will damage the grains, and I also don't think metal and vinegar are an ideal combination.
Second, do not scrape any remaining rice from the bottom of the pan. If he lags behind, great; if not, forget it. Dry and overcooked rice from the bottom will only spoil the entire delicate taste.

Vinegar dressing

As soon as you have cooked the rice, you should almost immediately season it with rice vinegar, the seasoning that gives rolls and sushi such an unusual taste.

For 3 cups of dry rice, use half a cup of rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 2 teaspoons of salt.

Use only rice vinegar! Mix over low heat with rice until the sugar and salt crystals dissolve.
Mix everything well, this will take no more than a few minutes. After this, let the sushi rice cool to room temperature. You shouldn’t put it in the refrigerator for this, you will only do harm.

Important! Some people prefer less spicy rice. It is also worth considering that different manufacturers of rice vinegar may have different concentrations. If you are cooking for the first time and are not sure, then use half of what we indicated. Trust your own taste and you yourself will feel the necessary concentration of the dressing.

How to cook long grain rice correctly

You must understand that long grain rice is treated the same way as brown rice.

Long grain rice is a crop whose grain length reaches more than 5 millimeters. We are now talking about polished rice, that is, a grain that has undergone processing, during which it has gotten rid of the shell, that is, the bran.

Personally, I believe that bran is the most important part, without which the use of this crop loses its meaning, since it contains all the minerals and vitamins, so I recommend using brown bran. However, polished long grain rice is also very popular. After cooking, it becomes very aromatic, tasty and crumbly.

Preparation

Like any rice, first of all you need to rinse it under cold running water. Pour it into a sieve or colander and rinse it in several waters to remove excess starch and various debris from its surface. Gently press it with your hand, without causing damage to the delicate grains.

Cooking process

Pour everything into the pan prepared for cooking and fill with cold water. Water should be poured at the rate of 1 glass of rice to one and a half glasses of water.
Pour in water, place the pan over high heat, cover with a lid and wait until the water boils. This takes on average up to five minutes.
After this, reduce the heat and cook your long grain rice for about fifteen minutes. At the end of this time, open the lid and see how things are with the water. If the rice begins to fry at the bottom of the pan, making a characteristic clicking sound, then this means that you need to add a little more water.
If everything is in order, then turn off the heat, cover with a lid and wait another five minutes for it to brew.
This is all there is to it! Your rice is ready to be served as a side dish or main dish!

How to cook properly

Of all the varieties - this is my favorite type of rice. In terms of usefulness, it puts all other types on par.

According to nutritionists, you should eat some kind of whole grain every day, which includes brown rice. The main difference from white is that the bran and shell are not removed during processing. Bran and germ are rich sources of fiber, minerals and vitamins.

How to cook it?

Important! Don't skip washing the brown rice thoroughly. It can have a fairly high concentration of arsenic in its composition, and thorough washing removes up to a quarter of this harmful substance. Also, the concentration of arsenic in the finished dish is reduced by cooking rice in a large amount of water, approximately 1:5, although this way you will lose most of the vitamins and minerals in the process.

Preparation

Place the long grain rice in a colander and rinse the grains with cold water under the tap for a few minutes. After this, drain off the excess residue, pour the rice into the pan and pour in water at the rate of 2 cups of water per 1 cup of brown rice. Add a large pinch of salt for taste.

Cooking process

Wait until the water boils, then stir the rice to bring down the temperature and cover with a lid, keeping the heat low. This type of rice takes about 40 minutes to cook. If you notice that the water begins to boil away too quickly before the rice has time to cook, add a little more.

Once everything is ready, turn off the gas and let the rice stand covered for a few minutes.
Take into account the proportions during cooking, the correct ones - from 1 cup of brown or brown rice, you get 3 cups of the finished product.

You can prepare a dressing in the form of fried onions and garlic, herbs or grated cheese. This rice goes well with these kinds of additions. If you want to use this rice instead of white rice in any recipe, then pre-cook it for about 15-20 minutes. This is necessary in order to reduce the cooking time. After that, feel free to use it as plain white rice in a recipe.

General questions about how to cook rice

Many people are surprised at people who still cook it the old fashioned way in a simple saucepan. You can buy a multicooker or rice cooker for quite a bit of money. To be honest, I’m not a fan of this technique, plus it takes up a lot of space in my kitchen. Cooking classically hones your cooking skills, which ultimately affects your overall skill level.

Note: The directions below apply to milled rice.

Do I need to rinse rice before cooking?

Certainly! First, you will wash away starch dust and various debris, including insects, that may be in your rice. Even considering that you wash away the beneficial substances, the losses are minimal. Removing starch from the grains will prevent the rice from sticking together and cooking in clumps. This will give a delicate taste and consistency.

When washing rice, should you wait until the water becomes clear?

No, you will do this for ages and still the water will never become completely clear. The most you can achieve is to make it less cloudy than at the very beginning.

Your goal is to achieve the highest possible purity.

Can you cook rice with the lid open?

Of course! This will not affect the rice in the end. You can lift the lid as many times as you like without any problems, especially the first time when you don't have enough experience.

Why did I say that you shouldn’t do this at the beginning of the article? Just so that you do not release excess moisture, which may cause you to have unnecessary troubles adding water. I love it when the process is fine-tuned to the smallest detail. We poured water, poured it in, turned on the heat, 15 minutes, removed it, ready).

What kind of pan should it be and how much water do you need?

Quite large in size. This applies to all varieties of rice. Just imagine that at the end of cooking, the volume of the finished product will be increased by at least 2.5 times.

As for water, you must understand that it is different for each rice. There are no clear and strict rules. For white varieties, use an average combination of one to one and a half, for brown or brown rice one to two, as it needs more time. Take these proportions into account at the beginning and over time you will learn to see immediately by eye.

You must understand that it is difficult to immediately account for the exact amount of water, because even the moisture content in the rice itself may vary. Rice from a recent harvest may contain much more moisture than rice that has been sitting in storage.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and then you will achieve great success and learn how to properly cook any type of rice!

Should you salt rice?

And this is a matter of taste. Many people like rice unleavened, eating it as a side dish. Unleavened rice perfectly complements spicy, spicy and salty foods. Others, on the contrary, like to make the rice itself salty. Try different options and come up with your own. There are no clear rules that would prohibit salting rice.

Rice is one of the most common foods. It is used in the preparation of many dishes. The most popular culinary creation using this grain is pilaf. Very often it is necessary to boil rice so that it is crumbly and tasty. Despite its simplicity, this is not so easy to do. It all depends on several conditions, from the choice of grains to the cooking technology. How to cook rice so that it is crumbly? Let's talk about this.

Choice

One of the most important rules for preparing fluffy rice is the choice of the starting product. There are many varieties of cereals that differ from each other and are intended for specific dishes.

If you choose the wrong variety, then boiled rice will not turn out fluffy in any case, despite your excellent culinary abilities. Some types of this cereal cook well, having increased stickiness. They will not make a crumbly side dish. Therefore, this fact is worth paying attention to.

Varieties

Let's look at a few of the most popular varieties that are most often found in our kitchens. Traditional short-grain rice is a classic among cereals. In earlier times, housewives, not spoiled by great abundance, used only it. This variety absorbs water well and sticks together well. It will not make fluffy rice, the recipe for which we will consider further.

The medium-grain variety should also not be chosen if you want a good side dish that won't clump. It can be used to make risotto or added to soup. It also absorbs water well and does not clump. The best option for preparing a crumbly side dish is long-grain cereal. It does not boil soft and does not absorb water as quickly as previous varieties.

A few tricks

In addition to choosing the most suitable variety, you also need to know a few subtleties of preparation. The first is pre-washing the cereal. This must be done several times until the drained water becomes clear. This will rid the cereal of excess starch and stickiness. An even better idea is to soak the rice in cold water a few hours before cooking. Water should be poured twice as much as the volume of cereal. Rice is placed only in boiling water. After boiling, cover the pan with a lid and do not open until the end of cooking.

Cooking time is usually about 12 minutes. We keep the heat to a minimum so that the cereal simmers and steams. Turn off the finished rice and leave it in the pan for another 10-15 minutes so that the dish, as they say, finishes cooking. You can then supplement it with other ingredients and seasonings. If you don't know how to cook rice so that it is fluffy, then use these tips.

Selection of cookware

Another important point is the choice of dishes. At first glance it may seem that this is not the main thing. Of course, you can cook rice in any container, but there is still a difference. It is better to take a pan with a thick bottom and walls for cooking. Cast iron containers are ideal for this.

Rice should not stick to the bottom or walls. The lid of the pan should fit tightly and not allow steam to escape. Rice is not just boiled, but steamed. Many modern housewives use the help of miracle technology. This is also a quick cooking option. But still, the old method, in our opinion, is the best.

Classic recipe

How to cook fluffy rice? Here is the simplest recipe. Take a glass of rice, two glasses of water, two tablespoons of vegetable oil and salt. Before boiling rice, it must be thoroughly washed or soaked in water in advance. Boil water separately. Choose a suitable container, preferably with a thick bottom. Place the pan on the fire and pour oil into it.

Then put the rice there and fry it for about 3 minutes. This will give it a golden color. After this, pour boiling water into the pan and add salt. Mix everything, close the lid and cook the rice until cooked. The fire should be minimal. When the water is absorbed, the delicious fluffy rice will be ready.

Another easy way

If you need cereal without adding other ingredients, then cook it according to the following recipe. Before cooking fluffy rice, rinse it thoroughly. Then fill with water so that there is about two fingers more of the cereal. Now set it aside for one and a half to two hours. During this time, the rice will swell and absorb almost all the moisture. Next, add a little water, about one finger's worth, and let the cereal cook. Make the fire small. After 10 minutes, all the liquid will evaporate and you will be left with crumbly rice.

Fragrant dish

The fluffy rice, the recipe for which is given in this article, should also be tasty. This is especially true when making a side dish. Let's prepare it in the following way. First, fill the cereal with water and set it aside for about 15 minutes. Then you need to put the rice on a sieve and let all the liquid drain. It should stay dry. Take a large frying pan, heat it up and put rice on it. Dry the cereal, stirring constantly. It should dry completely. In a separate pan, boil water, the volume of which is twice the volume of rice. Then add salt and all the necessary spices (herbs and seasonings that will add aroma and taste to the dish).

Next, add the rice to the water and bring to a boil. After this, reduce the heat to low and close the lid. In 10 minutes the dish will be ready. If you don’t know how to cook rice so that it is crumbly and at the same time tasty and aromatic, then use this recipe. Surely it will be a discovery for you.

Simple and tasty

This is another way to prepare crumbly cereal. Before boiling rice, it must be washed. This rule remains the same for any cooking method. Then put it in boiling water and wait for it to boil again. Next, place the cereal on a sieve and rinse. Now you need to pour cold water into the pan and place the rice in it. It will be ready in 7-10 minutes. The side dish turns out tasty and crumbly. At the end of cooking, you can flavor it with butter and sprinkle with herbs.

Rice with vegetable broth

To make the rice more flavorful, you can use meat or vegetable broth instead of water. First, wash the cereal and fill it with water. Then put a pan of water on the fire and put vegetables in it (carrots, onions, various roots, etc.). When the broth is cooked, it must be strained. Place the rice in a colander and fill it with broth. Let it cook for ten to twelve minutes. The pan should be tightly closed with a lid. Don't forget to add salt to taste. This can be done at the end of cooking.

You can also cook fluffy rice using modern technology. This will take less time, but the result will be almost the same. To prepare, take two cups of rice, salt to taste, a little garlic, a little olive oil and 4 cups of water.

You almost always get fluffy rice in a slow cooker. As usual, rinse the cereal until the water is clear. Then put it in the multicooker bowl, add chopped garlic, water and salt. We set the buckwheat cooking mode and wait for the process to complete. At the end, add olive oil and mix everything. It turns out fluffy rice in a slow cooker is delicious.

Conclusion

Using all the above tips and recommendations, you can prepare exactly the dish you had in mind. Choose the right variety of rice, the right utensils and follow the technology, then the process of creating a culinary masterpiece will not be difficult.

Now you know how to cook rice so that it is fluffy. Wash the grains well, soak them if you have time, and use seasonings to add flavor to the dish. Use these recipes to prepare side dishes and they will decorate any dish of meat, vegetables or fish.