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 in various ways, but the most common is cooking. To serve very tasty and crumbly dish, which 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 different types 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 subjected to pre-treatment ferry. 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. 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, it is always indicated there right time preparations.
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 food 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 perhaps adding rice vinegar at the very end.
Stick to 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 level of the remaining water. 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 get enough sleep boiled rice from the pan, you still need to consider a few important points. 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's 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. Still polished long grain rice 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 a thorough rinse brown rice. 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 ready dish Cooking rice in a large amount of water reduces it, approximately 1:5, although 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 finished cooking, 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 the 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 don't release excess moisture, which can cause you to develop extra hassle by 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 it various options and come to your own. There are no clear rules that would prohibit salting rice.
How to cook rice correctly. Sushi and roll rice, brown rice, fluffy rice (in the oven, steamer and slow cooker) - the secrets of cooking different types of rice.
Rice has long been cultivated on different continents. For the inhabitants of our planet, this cereal has been one of the staple foods for thousands of years. It is not surprising that rice is so popular, because it is an excellent side dish for fish, meat and vegetables. Rice is used to prepare soups, cereals, puddings, desserts and casseroles. But for all these dishes to turn out tasty and appetizing, you need to be able to cook rice correctly. And even skilled chefs do not always manage to achieve perfection in this skill.
How to cook rice - general rules
There is not just one the right way cook rice The cooking technology depends on the result you want to achieve: rice for pudding should be soft and tender, for sushi and desserts – sticky, for salads and side dishes – crumbly. White polished grains are cooked for 10-15 minutes, steamed ones - 20-25 minutes, and brown and wild rice require at least half an hour to soften.
What type of rice to choose
Long grain rice is ideal for side dishes, soups and pilaf: it does not stick together when cooked. Basmati turns out perfectly crumbly. This is the most elite variety rice, it is valued for refined taste and rich aroma. But in soups and risotto it is better to use medium-grain rice: after boiling it turns out soft, but sticks a little. Cooks value this type of rice for its ability to infuse the flavors of other components of the dish. Rice with round grains is ideal for desserts, puddings and casseroles: it cooks well, acquiring a creamy consistency, and sticks together easily. But even the most skilled cook cannot make such cereal crumbly. Very good and at the same time affordable option– this is steamed rice: when cooked, the grains do not stick together, and gentle processing allows them to be preserved optimal quantity useful components.
Rice tricks
1. First, bring the rice to a boil over maximum heat, then reduce the heat to minimum power and cook under a tightly closed lid until cooked. You cannot stir the rice while cooking; you can only do this once - immediately after you have poured the liquid over the cereal.
2. For cooking rice, you need to take a thick-walled vessel - glass, Teflon or stainless steel. It is better if it is not a high, but a wide pan. Perfect option for fluffy rice - a frying pan with a lid. And pilaf is perfectly prepared in a cauldron.
3. Before cooking, it is recommended to soak the rice for at least an hour (even jasmine and basmati varieties), and then rinse it many times (7-10 times) to completely free the grains from the sticky substance. Then the rice will boil faster and turn out more crumbly.
4. Pre-frying the grains in oil (vegetable or melted butter) will also help reduce the amount of fiber in rice. But you can do it another way: just put a piece of butter in a pan with rice at the end of cooking, without frying.
5. Salt is added at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 150 ml of cereal. It is better to pour rice with already salted water or broth. And to make the grains dazzling white, you need to add a couple of drops of natural vinegar to the saucepan.
6. If you want to enrich your rice with new flavors, you can add any spices to your taste, aromatic herbs, fried vegetables, and use broth - vegetable, meat or fish - together with water. You can add candied fruits, dried fruits, fresh fruits, berries, honey.
7. There are several ways to check if the rice is ready. The first is to carefully tilt the lid: if liquid collects around the edges, it means the grains are not yet cooked. The second way is to try the rice on your teeth.
Ideal for sushi and rolls round rice. Attempts to use long-grain varieties, such as basmati or jasmine, are doomed to failure: they do not soften when cooked. You can use special sushi-meshi rice - Japanese fine-grained: it is round and small (much shorter than the oblong grains we are used to), and is characterized by increased stickiness, which is exactly what is needed for sushi: it is very convenient to make balls from such rice. In Japan, sushi is made from nishiki, a special type of rice that turns into a mushy mass after cooking. Less common varieties are fushigon and okomesan.
It is very important to rinse the rice well before cooking, stirring vigorously and rubbing the grains with your hands. Experienced sushi masters recommend changing the water at least 7 times until it becomes completely clear. To ensure that the rice turns out moist and fluffy, it is very important to maintain the correct proportions of liquid and grain: 1.25 cups of water to 1 cup of rice (as indicated in the recipe below). The container in which rice is cooked must be covered with a lid, and under no circumstances should it be opened during the cooking process. Do not remove the lid even after turning off the heat: you need to let the rice simmer in the pan for another 10-20 minutes.
Rice for sushi and rolls: recipe
You will need: 1 cup rice (about 180 g), 1.25 cups water (250 ml), 1 sheet of nori (optional), 0.5 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, enamel pan or stainless steel cookware with a tight lid.
Rinse the rice in cold water several times to completely remove any starch dust covering the grains. After washing, let the rice “rest” for 45 minutes, leaving it lying without water on a fine sieve: thanks to this, the grains will absorb the remaining moisture and swell. After the specified time has passed, pour water over the rice, place on the stove and let it boil. Remove the nori sheet. Cook the rice over low heat for about 10 minutes, then cover the pan with a towel and let stand for another 10 minutes. Heat the rice vinegar a little, dissolve salt and sugar in it (it is better to use sea salt and cane sugar) and add to the cooked rice. Mix everything thoroughly and leave to “dry”: this way the rice will be saturated with vinegar, thanks to which it will be filled with a special aroma and will be able to easily take and maintain the required shape.
This is interesting!
In the old days, rice was “dried” in wooden tubs. Many Japanese chefs still recommend combining sushi meshi with vinegar in a wooden bowl, and using a wooden spatula to mix the grains.
How to cook brown rice
You will need: 2.5 cups of water, 1 cup of unpolished brown rice.
Rinse the rice well and transfer to a sieve. In a small thick-walled bowl with a tight-fitting lid, boil water, put the cereal in it, and when it boils, skim off the foam, reduce the heat to minimum power, cover tightly and cook for 40 minutes. You cannot stir rice during cooking, and you cannot rinse the finished cereal. Before serving, you can fluff the grains a little with a fork and add a piece of butter to the pan. Unrefined brown rice contains more calcium, potassium, iron, B vitamins, valuable fiber and other useful components compared to white refined rice. It cooks on average for up to 40 minutes, since the grains of this variety are the hardest.
How to cook fluffy rice
This question - how to cook fluffy rice - is asked very often. experienced cooks. The main thing is to choose the “right” rice (it is better to take basmati, jasmine or other varieties with long and thin grains) and rinse it thoroughly in plenty of cold water.
To make the rice even more crumbly, you can add a little oil (olive or butter) to it after cooking and mix well so that all the grains are evenly coated with fat. But if rice is served with meat or fish dishes, With vegetable sauce, then there is no need to fill it with oil.
How to cook fluffy rice: recipe
You will need: 1.25 cups of water, 0.5 teaspoon of coarse salt (preferably sea salt), 1 cup of rice.
Rinse the cereal thoroughly in plenty of cold water (drain until clear) and place in a colander. When the rice has dried a little, place it in a saucepan, pour in water, add salt, let it boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan and cook for 20 minutes. After this, you don’t need to open the lid and stir the rice, just leave it on the stove, covering the dishes with a towel, so that the remaining moisture is absorbed and the rice reaches full readiness, became dry and crumbly. Before serving, lightly fluff the grains with a fork; if there are any stuck together grains, carefully separate them. If you do everything correctly, you will get a beautiful crumbly cereal, grain by grain: it can be served as a side dish for absolutely any dish.
Recipe 2. Puffy rice in the oven
You will need: a cauldron with a lid, 2 glasses of water, 1 onion, 1 glass of rice, 50 g each of butter and vegetable oil, salt to taste.
Rice cooked in the oven, in a casserole with a lid, turns out beautiful and crumbly. A piece of butter added to the cereal at the beginning of cooking will produce a beautiful crumbly mass.
Finely chop the onion and fry until transparent in refined oil. Place the rice washed in 7-8 waters in a cauldron, pour boiling water over it, add salt, put a piece of butter on top, sauteed onion and, stirring lightly, bring to a boil. After this, cover the cauldron with a lid and place in the oven for half an hour. Bake at 180º. Turn off the oven, but do not take out the rice, let it simmer a little more, like in the oven. This little trick will add a special touch to an ordinary dish.
Recipe 3. Fluffy rice in a slow cooker
You will need: 2 multi-cups of steamed rice, salt, water (about 3 multi-cups), 1 tablespoon of vegetable or butter, pepper and other spices (optional).
Rice in a slow cooker turns out crumbly, soft and healthy: this method of cooking allows you to preserve all the valuable substances in the grains, and adding various spices to rice cereals allows you to get different tastes and beautiful colors. For example, with curry, rice takes on a pleasant golden hue. So, first rinse the rice several times, place it in a slow cooker bowl and pour hot water(so that it covers the grains to the thickness of one and a half fingers). Then add salt and vegetable oil and spices (optional). Mix everything, cover with a lid and cook the rice in the multicooker in the “buckwheat” mode. If this mode is not available, select the “rice”, “pilaf” or “normal cooking” mode. If you use the “pilaf” mode, then in the last 7-8 minutes before the end of the program you need to turn off the multicooker and switch to the “warm” mode, otherwise the bottom layer of rice will fry.
Recipe 4. Fluffy rice in a double boiler
You will need: rice, steamer, rice container, salt, spices and water.
A regular steamer is easy to use and the most versatile for cooking rice.
Rice in a steamer turns out to be crumbly, soft, appetizing, much more delicate in taste than in a regular saucepan, and this kind of rice healthier than cereal, welded in the usual way. Almost all modern steamers are equipped with a special container for boiling rice: thoroughly washed cereals are poured into it. White polished rice is cooked in a double boiler for an average of 10-15 minutes, and brown unpolished and wild rice - 25-30 minutes.
Rinse the rice thoroughly in cold water until it is completely clean. This way you will wash away all the dirt and excess starch from the grains, and the rice in the steamer will turn out not sticky, not overcooked, but beautifully crumbly. Fill the base of the steamer with cold water (no need to add salt, spices, or vinegar!). Place the rice in a special container (it should be included with the device), place it in the steamer and turn it on for 5-6 minutes to steam the grains without water. Then add cold water to the container with rice (in a 1:1 ratio), salt and season with spices as desired. Set the timer for 30-40 minutes.
There are so many types and varieties of rice that you cannot tell about all the methods and secrets of its preparation in one article. The main thing is to hold general recommendations, how to cook rice correctly, and not be afraid of experiments in the kitchen, then any, even the simplest dish will pleasantly surprise both household members and guests. Have delicious rice!
Rice is one of the most popular cereals. Why is it useful? rice cereal? How to cook rice so that it always turns out tasty and crumbly? How long should you cook rice? From this article you will learn about the features of rice and the secrets of its preparation.
Rice is rich in healthy carbohydrates, it contains quite a lot of protein, vitamins (E, H, group B) and minerals (magnesium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, calcium, iodine). The composition of different varieties of rice, of course, differs, but these basic components are always contained in it.
Due to its enveloping effect, rice is useful for gastrointestinal diseases. Unlike other grains, rice does not contain gluten, which can cause allergies, so rice is often used for baby and diet food.
The average calorie content of rice is 300 Kcal per 100 g, but rice grains are successfully used for weight loss and fasting days due to the fact that it removes excess sodium from the body (we get it with salt), and along with it water is also removed, which is good for metabolism .
Many people are interested in questions about how to cook rice, how long to cook rice, how to cook rice to be crumbly or how to cook rice to be soggy and squishy. To properly cook rice, you must first understand that recipes for properly cooking rice depend on the type of rice. That is, for a particular dish you must first choose the right rice, and then cook it correctly.
There are a lot types of rice– let's talk about the most popular of them.
Long grain rice– long, thin and transparent, does not contain many adhesive substances, so it does not boil or stick together. It is ideal for preparing side dishes and pilaf. This rice is grown mainly in Asia. The most popular varieties are Basmati and Jasmine.
Medium grain rice shorter, slightly thicker and less transparent than long grain. It sticks a little when cooked because it contains more starch. Its distinctive feature is its ability to absorb aromas and tastes. This rice is perfect for making soups and risotto. Medium grain rice is grown in Spain, Italy, and Australia. The most popular variety is Arborio.
Short grain rice It has oval shape and is practically opaque due to its high starch content. This type of rice has the highest calorie content. When cooked, it absorbs a large amount of water and sticks together. It is great for making porridges, casseroles, and sushi. This type of rice is grown in many countries around the world. The most popular variety is Camolino.
Unpolished (brown) rice contains a lot useful substances and fiber thanks to the shell, which is preserved during processing. This type of rice takes longer to cook and does not have the same delicate taste, like polished rice, but the protein in such rice is no less than in meat. Before cooking, brown rice should be soaked, preferably overnight.
Parboiled rice It is considered healthier than ground grain because the steaming process absorbs most of the vitamins and minerals into the grain rather than being ground together with the shell. This rice does not stick together.
Separately, it is worth noting the Uzbek Devzira rice. Unlike other varieties of rice, it absorbs much more fat and spices, making it ideal for preparing pilaf.
Wild rice(Tsitsaniya aquatica) is an unrefined product, due to which it contains a lot of protein and nutrients. Wild rice has a sweetish taste and a slight nutty aroma. Cook for 30-40 minutes. Used primarily for side dishes, it is often mixed with white polished rice. It is grown only in North America, which explains its cost.
The aroma and taste of rice largely depends on where it is grown. Don't rush to buy imported rice. Although it appears to be of higher quality, this is not necessarily the case. In some Asian countries (Thailand, India), for example, there is a state reserve of rice. It is pre-canned. And after a couple of years, after it has lost most of its useful substances, it is exported. While in Russia and Ukraine, rice is a seasonal product, because it is grown as much as is needed for the year. True, not all varieties of rice can be grown in our conditions. We mainly grow short-grain rice.
When choosing rice, pay attention to the grains: they should be the same color and size, without debris or pieces. If this is not the case, then you have a low-quality mixture of different varieties.
How to cook rice correctly so that it turns out tasty and healthy? There are some rules and secrets for this:
Use dishes with thick walls and bottom (so the heat will be distributed gradually and evenly). It can be cast iron, glass or Teflon cookware, but not enamel - the rice will burn in it;
To cook rice, use a large diameter container: the thinner the layer of rice, the more evenly it will cook. If the rice layer is too thick, the top grains may turn out dry;
During cooking, rice can be stirred only once - immediately after the water boils. After this, you should not stir the rice;
If the rice sticks together, you can rinse it with cold water, close the lid, wrap it in a towel and leave for 15-20 minutes. But in this case it is very important to let the water drain well, otherwise the rice will turn out watery;
If the rice has absorbed all the water but remains undercooked, remove it from the heat and leave it covered for 20 minutes.
Fluffy short grain rice that always works
A simple way to cook rice, following which you can make even short-grain rice very tasty and fluffy.
Ingredients:
Short grain rice – 100 g
Water – 150 g
Vegetable oil – 1.5 tsp.
Preparation of short grain rice:
To make short grain rice crumbly, it is important to follow the proportions exactly. With this cooking method, use 3 parts water for 2 parts rice.
1. Before cooking rice, it must be thoroughly but gently washed to get rid of excess starch, which makes our rice sticky. Rinse the rice with cold water at least five times until the water becomes clear.
2. Then you need to dry the rice. To do this, pour the rice into a fine-mesh sieve and leave for an hour. We do all this in order to reduce the stickiness of rice.
3. If you don’t want to wait a long time, you can spread the rice on a paper towel in an even layer and leave to dry for 15-20 minutes. To further speed up the drying process of the rice, you can pat it dry with another paper towel.
4. After the rice has dried, place a saucepan or frying pan over high heat. Be sure to take dishes with a thick bottom, as it distributes and retains heat better. Moreover, it is advisable to take dishes with as large a diameter as possible, because the thinner the layer of rice, the more evenly it will heat up and the more crumbly it will turn out. If you are cooking a small amount of rice, then a thick-bottomed saucepan is sufficient.
5. When the saucepan is well heated, add vegetable oil (it can be sunflower, olive, sesame or any other oil you like). Lightly grease the sides of the saucepan with oil.
6. Pour rice into vegetable oil and fry over high heat for 2-3 minutes until translucent, stirring constantly. You will understand that the rice has already been sufficiently fried by pleasant aroma. If the aroma is unpleasant, then you overdid it.
7. Then very carefully pour in the water and wait until it boils. Cover tightly, reduce heat to low and cook rice for 7 minutes. Then, without opening the lid, remove the rice from the heat, wrap it and leave for another 10 minutes.
8. Rice should not be salted so as not to increase the stickiness of the grains. Add spices to rice only at the very end of cooking. If desired, you can add butter to the finished rice.
If you remember how to cook rice in this way, and your short-grain rice turns out tasty and fluffy, then you won’t be afraid of any other rice!
An easy way to cook fluffy long grain rice
This is perhaps the simplest and quick way cooking long grain rice. The rice turns out very tender and crumbly.
Ingredients:
Long grain rice – 100 g
Water – 200 g
Cooking Long Grain Rice:
1. Rinse the rice with cold water until the water becomes clear (at least 5 times). We do this carefully so as not to damage the grains. This procedure is necessary in order to remove excess starch from the rice, which will stick it together.
2. Then pour the washed rice into a bowl with a thick bottom (this can be a saucepan, cauldron, stewpan or frying pan). The thinner the layer of rice, the more crumbly it will be, so it is advisable to take a container of large diameter.
3. Immediately pour cold water over the rice, cover with a lid and place on high heat. It is advisable that the lid be transparent, so we can observe how the rice is cooking and adjust the temperature in time.
4. After the rice boils, reduce the heat by half (slightly less than medium) and open the lid. We leave the rice to cook until the amount of water is reduced by three times (for example: if the water was two fingers above the rice, then wait until its level is slightly less than one finger). For those who like slightly undercooked rice (“al dente”, as they say in Italy), wait until the water is halved.
5. Then remove the rice from the heat, close the lid tightly, wrap it in a towel and let stand for 20 minutes. During this time, the rice will absorb all the remaining water. Don't be tempted to leave the rice on the fire until the water has completely evaporated, otherwise it may burn.
6. After 20 minutes, you can add, for example, 20 g of butter to the finished rice and enjoy delicious crumbly rice!
Rice for sushi
This rice is suitable for preparing rolls, nigiri or other Japanese dishes.
Ingredients:
Sushi rice (round grain) – 1 cup (200 ml)
Water – 1 glass (200 ml)
Kombu seaweed (optional)
For refueling:
Rice vinegar – 35 g
Sugar – 25 g
Salt – 6 g
Preparing sushi rice:
In order to prepare sushi rice, we need high-quality short-grain rice. It is best to use special Japanese sushi rice.
Cook sushi rice in the ratio of 1 cup rice to 1 cup water. It is worth noting that it is the volume of rice that is taken into account, not its weight.
1. The first thing to do before cooking sushi rice is to thoroughly rinse the rice with cold water at least 7 times until the water runs clear. This must be done carefully; in no case should you rub the rice with your hands, so as not to damage the grains.
2. Then pour the rice into a sieve and leave for an hour to allow the water to drain. You can spread the washed rice on a paper towel, then it will take much less time to dry (about 20 minutes).
3. After the rice has dried, pour it into the pan. It is better to take a pan with a thick bottom. Then the heat will be distributed more evenly.
Tip: to prevent the rice from burning to the bottom of the pan, you can use special kombu seaweed (not to be confused with nori sheets). Leave one such sheet in cold water for 15 minutes to soften it. Then remove the kombu from the water and line the bottom of the pan with this sheet. Pour the rice directly onto the kombu sheet. Algae will not only prevent our rice from burning, but will also give it its aroma.
4. Pour cold water over the rice, cover with a lid and place on high heat. From this moment on, we do not open the lid until the very end of cooking, even if we really want to see how our rice is doing.
5. Cook sushi rice over high heat until the water boils (7-10 minutes). After the water boils, reduce the heat to low and cook the rice for another 10 minutes (until the water is absorbed). After this time, turn off the heat and leave the rice for 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing for the rice. The amount of dressing should be approximately 1/6 of the amount of rice. That is, if we have 200 g of rice, then the amount of vinegar will be about 35 g. The amount of sugar is 2/3 of the amount of vinegar, the amount of salt is 1/4 of the amount of sugar.
Mix rice vinegar, sugar and salt and place the dressing over medium heat. Stirring constantly, heat the dressing until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved (3-5 minutes). At the same time, under no circumstances let the rice dressing boil!
7. Now remove the rice from the pan. We do this carefully so as not to damage the grains. Use a wooden spatula to separate the rice from the sides of the pan, pour the rice onto a wide plate and carefully distribute it in an even layer. There is no need to scrape burnt rice from the bottom of the pan: dried grains will only spoil our dish.
8. Now pour the dressing over the sushi rice. We try to do this carefully and evenly. Carefully mix the rice with the dressing, doing this carefully so as not to damage the rice grains. Let the rice cool for 10 minutes.
9. After 10 minutes, stir the rice again. We do this with “digging” movements: we place a spatula under the rice and carefully turn it over. This is necessary so that the dressing, which has flowed to the bottom, repeats its “heroic path” again and so that every grain is covered with dressing. Leave the rice for another 10 minutes
10. That's it, the sushi rice is ready. Make sushi from rice at room temperature, lightly wetting your hands in warm water.
Knowing how to cook sushi rice will give you rice that easily takes the shape you give it, but at the same time crumbles easily rather than clumps.
Basmati rice
Bright and aromatic basmati rice with turmeric.
Ingredients:
Basmati rice – 100 g (0.5 cups)
Water – 200 g (1 glass)
Vegetable oil or butter - 1 tbsp. spoon
Turmeric – 0.25 teaspoon
Cooking Basmati Rice:
The peculiarity of basmati rice is in its indescribable aroma, as well as in the way the rice is cooked: when cooked, its grains increase not in thickness, but in length by 3-4 times.
1. Gently rinse the rice with cold water until the water runs clear.
2. Heat vegetable oil (or melt butter) in a frying pan or thick-bottomed saucepan.
3. Add turmeric to the oil and stir. Do not overdo it with turmeric, its task is to give the dish a beautiful sunny color and highlight the aroma of rice, but not change its taste!
4. Pour the rice into the pan and fry, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes until a pleasant aroma appears.
5. Pour cold water over the rice in a ratio of 1:2, cover with a lid and let it boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cook the rice for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave the rice for another 20 minutes.
Bon appetit!
Rice has rightfully always been considered and will continue to be considered the most popular cereal crop on the planet. The main type of rice that is eaten is boiled. , our ancestors knew in ancient times, because this is a very ancient culture, with a centuries-old history and traditions. Its roots, in the figurative sense of the word, lead to China. More than six thousand years ago, people already knew about the existence of rice; the remains of rice in pottery, which archaeologists find during excavations, tell us about this; there is evidence of this in the manuscripts of Ancient India and Ancient China. It is well known that this product is a kind of chameleon, which, adapting to different conditions, becomes similar to them. Rice fits perfectly and is therefore widely used as a side dish for many, sometimes completely different dishes- vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish.
Value in every grain
In Ancient Asia, rice was the main product for culinary delights, and even became a truly important part of the traditions of culinary specialists in these countries. Did you know that this unique and irreplaceable cereal appeared in Russia not so long ago, just about three hundred years ago. However, it immediately, very successfully and therefore forever became a component of Russian culinary customs. Nowadays, everyone knows that rice is great for using it in preparing first courses, all kinds of side dishes, pilaf, as an integral part of salads, and, of course, as independent dish. In addition, rice is extremely healthy; it contains many microelements, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, but there is practically no fat in it.
Rice has a simply unique ability not only to supply our body with a lot of useful substances, but also to remove harmful components from it. This property makes rice a godsend for those who want to lose weight and go on a diet!
How to cook rice
How to cook rice correctly? To learn how to cook this, at first glance, simple dish, it will be useful to know that there are several varieties of this grain product, and the recipe for its preparation depends on what kind of rice you decide to use for your dish.
- Long grain rice. Its grains are thin, pearlescent, very beautiful and appetizing. The most popular. "Why?" - you ask? The answer is simple: when cooked, it has the property of not sticking together, which is why it is the best side dish for meat and fish dishes.
- Medium grain rice. The grains are oval, matte. This dullness indicates that it contains a lot of starch, so this type of rice is able to absorb water more than long-grain rice. It is ideal for preparing risotto, soups, paella, and has a unique, unique viscosity in the finished dish.
- Round grain rice. Rice of the British and Japanese. The British - because it is widely used to prepare traditional English puddings, the Japanese - because it is the basis for sushi. Since short grain rice sticks together well, it is also great for casseroles and desserts.
The taste and culinary qualities of rice also depend on its color. What does the color of a grain of rice tell us?
- White rice – polished. During grinding, it lost almost all the fiber so necessary for our body, a very large part of its beneficial qualities. Now you can buy yellowish parboiled rice, which has preserved many beneficial features, however, not everyone likes it to taste.
- Brown rice Preserves those shells that contain many useful substances. Elderly people and children should definitely eat it.
- Wild black rice Have you noticed black grains in packages along with long grain white rice? This is a very healthy wild rice, with a lot of minerals and vitamins. This rice contains a lot of fiber and will be an excellent side dish for fish.
How to cook rice correctly
There are no general rules that must be followed when cooking any type of rice. Each type of rice requires a separate recipe, separate techniques and tricks. As you already know, oval and round rice absorb a lot of water and are sticky when cooked, which means they require more water to cook. Next, there is such a technique as washing the rice after cooking, but this is not used for all dishes.
1. First of all, the rice must be thoroughly cleaned of possible debris, then rinsed. This must be done at least five times, making sure that the water becomes clear. Use only cold water and rinse the entire rice mixture, stirring occasionally.
2. While the rice is being washed, put the water to boil. Use a pan for this purpose, which should be of such a size that after cooking the rice, having increased in volume, does not “climb” to the surface. Use a water ratio of one part rice and two parts water. Add some salt.
3. Add rice, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low. Cover the pan with a lid.
4. Cook for 12 minutes. If the proportions of rice and water are met, then the rice will not burn or boil over.
5. After this, remove the pan from the heat, do not open the lid and let it sit for another 10-12 minutes. Now you can remove the lid, add oil and spices to taste.
How to cook rice for rolls
For rolls - a type of Japanese sushi - you need to take rice with round grains, and since it absorbs more water than regular rice, for cooking we will take not two glasses, but three.
This rice should be cooked until cooked, usually until all the water has been absorbed. If, after it seems to you, readiness has been achieved, and there is still water, it needs to be drained. After cooling a little, special rice vinegar is added to the rice, thoroughly mixing the rice mass.
Kutya – traditional Russian dish, which has been prepared for funeral and ritual tables since ancient times. To prepare it you can take different kinds cereals, it can be wheat, oats, and barley. But rice kutia is most widespread, perhaps due to its ease of preparation and variety of recipes. The basis for kutya is boiled rice, which is brought to a boil and immediately washed with cold water. Then the rice is poured with the same cold water and only now is cooked until tender.
Its name depends on what additive you want to add to your kutya recipe - “With almonds and honey”, “With dried apricots and nuts” and so on, it all depends on your taste and capabilities.
How to cook rice in a double boiler
Many housewives, appreciating the achievements of scientific and technological progress in the kitchen, have quite successfully adapted to cooking rice in a double boiler. In general, you need to use a double boiler as often as possible - products cooked in it retain their beneficial components, vitamins are not destroyed, and the taste is softer and more pleasant.
How to cook rice in a double boiler? You need to pour water into the lower container, then place thoroughly washed rice and water in a one to one ratio into a special container (which will then be at the top). You can immediately add spices, oil - everything to taste. Add salt to taste. Set the timer to 30 minutes. After the allotted time has passed, carefully try, if necessary, add a little time.
How long to cook rice
When preparing boiled rice, remember one simple rule - the cooking time of rice depends on the quality of the water. The cooking time of the food depends on how susceptible the water is to alkaline treatment in your area. Therefore, cook the rice, constantly tasting it and determining the degree of readiness. This can be 15 or 20 minutes, as needed.
Also, the time for cooking rice depends on your taste preferences; there are cases when someone liked rice undercooked, and found a special charm in its crunch.
Bon appetit!
This ancient cereal, also known as Saracen grain, is the most important food product in many countries. It is nutritious, healthy and quite unpretentious to prepare, but only if you follow some simple secrets. It’s not difficult to guess that we are talking about rice, and in this article we will try to figure out how to properly cook rice (in particular long-grain polished rice) for a particular dish.
Depending on the variety, rice is cooked in a saucepan for 15-25 minutes.
In a slow cooker, polished rice will be ready in 20-30 minutes.
In a double boiler, rice is cooked for 35-40 minutes.
Secrets of making fluffy rice
The first and most important thing in order to cook rice fluffy is right choice varieties.
Remember! Round varieties of rice are almost impossible to cook crumbly garnish, they are intended for other purposes. The ideal rice for this is long, with thin grains.
The best varieties for cooking:
- Basmati;
- Jasmine;
- Thai;
- Domsia;
- Caroline;
- and some other long-grain varieties that are extremely rare in our country.
The main secrets of preparing the most delicious fluffy rice:
- Rinse the cereal thoroughly in cold water. You need a lot of water and the more thoroughly the top starchy coating is washed off, the better the result will be. Rinse for a long time and thoroughly in running water or repeatedly (at least 10 times) changing the water in the bowl;
- accurately calculate the proportion of cereal and water. On many packages there is a recommendation to cook rice with water in a ratio of 1:2, but it is better to slightly reduce the amount of liquid, to about 1:1.5/1.7;
- The main process of cooking rice should take place over minimal heat. High heat is only needed during the boiling stage;
- The size and type of dishes plays a huge role. The pan should be spacious and at least 3-4 times the volume of rice and water. It is advisable to use dishes with a good coating (to which nothing sticks) and a thick bottom.
If you are unsure about the coating of your dishes or have a history of sticking, you can line the bottom with parchment paper. This will not affect the quality of the finished product in any way, but it will definitely not stick to the pan.
Video on how to cook rice for a side dish
How to cook rice in a saucepan
We have already revealed the main secrets of how to cook long polished rice into crumbs. Now we will describe the cooking process step by step.
1
Rinse the rice thoroughly until the water becomes completely clear.
2
Place the washed rice in a colander and let drain well (at least 20 minutes).
3
Place the rice in a saucepan, add water at the rate of 1 part rice to 1.5 water.
4
Add a little salt.
5
Bring rice to a boil over high heat.
6
Reduce heat to low, cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes. After this time, turn off the heat, but do not open the lid for another 15-20 minutes.
7
Open the lid and “comb” it a little with a fork.
After this, you can serve the finished side dish to the table.
How to cook basmati rice in a saucepan
This Indian variety has an incredibly delicate aroma and taste, which can only be preserved and revealed by following the correct cooking technology. To properly cook basmati in a pan so that it is crumbly and tasty, you need:
- place it in a wide, deep bowl, fill it with water and begin to gently rub it between your palms; this procedure with changing the water must be carried out at least 10 times so that the water becomes completely clear;
- pour cold water over the rice in a 1:2 ratio to soak and leave for 30 minutes;
- drain the water, place the rice in a sieve or colander and let drain for 10-12 minutes;
- transfer the cereal to the pan;
- fill with water in a ratio of 1:1.25;
- add salt to taste;
- place over high heat until it boils;
- reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 17-20 minutes;
- Remove the pan from the heat, carefully stir the rice and close the lid for another 5-7 minutes.
Delicious aromatic rice is ready, now it can be used for its intended purpose.
How to cook jasmine rice in a saucepan
This species, originally from Thailand, is distinguished by the subtle, subtle aroma of blooming jasmine, which is why it got its name.
It is believed that jasmine rice sticks together less than other varieties, but under the condition proper preparation. It requires a minimum of water compared to other varieties. It should be steamed, rather than boiled violently.
To properly cook jasmine rice you need:
- rinse the rice thoroughly with water, changing the water at least 7-10 times;
- If desired, soak the rice in water for 20-30 minutes;
- let drain well and transfer to a saucepan, add water in a ratio of 1:1 (maximum 1:1.25), salt;
- put on high heat and bring to a boil;
- reduce the heat to low, close the lid and cook for 10 minutes (if you didn’t soak it first, then 17-18 minutes);
- remove from heat and stir very carefully, or rather fluff the grains of rice with a fork;
- close the lid and let the rice sit for another 10-12 minutes.
Now this aromatic side dish can be served.
How to cook rice in a slow cooker
This kitchen gadget is famous for its ability to cook grains. Moreover, almost all models of multicookers already have a standard Rice/Grains mode. In many European countries, this gadget is called a rice cooker. It doesn’t matter what model of multicooker you have, more expensive - Redmond, Philips or simpler - Polaris, Saturn, the result will always be good, naturally, provided that everything is done correctly. How many minutes to cook rice in a multicooker depends on the type of rice, multicooker model and the desired end result. But basically, the built-in mode produces cereal of excellent consistency.
To cook delicious fluffy long rice in a slow cooker, you need:
1
Wash the rice very thoroughly in several waters until it becomes transparent.
2
Let drain well.
3
Place the cereal in the multicooker bowl and smooth it out. Pour salted boiling water in a 1:2 ratio, where you need one part rice and two parts water.
4
Set the Rice/Grains program and start the cooking cycle. In some models it may be called Buckwheat or Express. If there is no special mode, then the Cooking mode will do, only the time in it will have to be adjusted experimentally, depending on the model, in the range of 20-35 minutes.
5
After the cooking cycle is complete, open the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork. Ready rice can be seasoned with oil or sauce to taste.
How to cook basmati rice in a slow cooker
In a slow cooker, basmati turns out very tasty and crumbly. Cooking it is not that difficult. To do this you need:
- rinse the rice until the water runs clear;
- pour in warm water(40-50°C) and let stand for 10 minutes;
- place on a sieve and let drain well;
- move the cereal into the multicooker bowl and level it;
- pour water in a ratio of 1:1.75;
- add salt to taste;
- close the multicooker lid and set the Rice/Grains/Express mode;
- At the end of the program, open the lid, fluff the rice with a fork and close for another 10 minutes.
After that delicious side dish ready with the finest aroma. To taste it can be seasoned with melted or simply butter.
How to cook jasmine rice in a slow cooker
Jasmine is quite whimsical in preparation. To preserve the flavor as much as possible, it is advisable to steam it. Multicookers of almost all models are equipped with a Steam/Steam mode, but the difficulty is that the steaming tray has too large holes. But this problem can be solved, and we will explain in detail below how exactly.
To cook jasmine in a slow cooker you need:
- rinse the rice thoroughly until clean;
- pour the cereal with water at room temperature for 1-2 hours;
- rinse again and let drain well;
- line the multi-cooker tray-steamer with food foil or parchment paper, use an awl or a thick needle to make small holes in it;
- spread out the rice and smooth it out;
- sprinkle with salt to taste;
- pour water into the multicooker bowl according to the model instructions;
- turn on the Steam/Steam mode for 30 minutes. Important! If your multicooker counts from turning on, and not from the moment the water boils, then increase the cooking time by 10 minutes;
- After completing the cooking cycle, leave the lid closed for another 5-7 minutes.
The delicious crumbly side dish is ready. Season it to taste with butter or other dressings.
How to cook rice in a steamer
It is believed that it is the easiest way to cook rice in a double boiler. It is guaranteed to work even for those who are far from culinary skills and cooking in particular. The process looks like this: