Cooking rice

Former Member

I keep trying to cook basmatic rice and it constantly keeps going wrong. I am just cooking for me. I am washing the rice with cold water in the sieve to begin with followed by adding it to the pan of boiling water. After cooking it for 15minutes (or whatever the specified time is) I am then putting it back in the sieve and washing it again with boiling water. Once ive done that i try to put it on the plate but it sticks and comes out of the sieve in a well formed half circle, like a brick.

No matter how many times I try to stop the rice sticking or going to fluffy it just gets worse... please help!!:banghead:

Former Member

check it after about 6 minutes and eat a bit. if its not done shouldnt take long after that.

Former Member

minimi38 wrote:

check it after about 6 minutes and eat a bit. if its not done shouldnt take long after that.

Will it not be undercooked though, wouldn't that be dodgy? Rice can give you food poisoning easily

Former Member

you will know if its undercooked because it will be hard or crunchy when you try it, perhaps 8-10 minutes, it doesnt take long at all.

i think rice is dangerous when you store it to eat later. ive never ill from it and i eat it almost daily.

Skive

minimi38 wrote:

you will know if its undercooked because it will be hard or crunchy when you try it, perhaps 8-10 minutes, it doesnt take long at all.

i think rice is dangerous when you store it to eat later. ive never ill from it and i eat it almost daily.

:yes:

Former Member

You don't really need to wash basmati, i never do. The trick seems to be plenty of boiling water and just one stir when it goes into the pan. Stirring too much causes the grains to break and release starch hence stick together. I don't rinse my rice either. I just go in with a fork a seperate it out a bit in the colander before serving.

Former Member

Failing that buy easy cook rice, it's foolproof.

Former Member

Miffy wrote:

Failing that buy easy cook rice, it's foolproof.

Isn't that the stuff that's bleached to buggery, like Uncke Ben's ?

Former Member

rice is horrid

Former Member

mrbox99 wrote:

I am washing the rice with cold water in the sieve to begin with followed by adding it to the pan of boiling water.

I never rinse the rice in water to begin with. I add the rice to the boiling water, wait for it to come back to the boil and then turn down the heat and put a lid on. I then leave it for 10minutes or whatever it says on the packet and don't bother stirring it at all! I always rinse with boiling water and plenty of it and the rice always comes out lovely!

Former Member

.

Former Member

I cook rice differently

first I put oil in the pot. About 2 millimetres in height. Then I take a cup of rice (which is already a LLLOT for one person) and add about 2x - 2,5x the amount of water.

Then I peel an onion and stick cloves in it. and put it into the water as well. Add half an teaspoon up to one ts of salt to it and turn it on. First on high heat until it the water boils and then on small heat until most/all of the water is evaporated.

Then I remove the onion with the cloves (into the bin) and presto.

Former Member

RubberSkin wrote:

Isn't that the stuff that's bleached to buggery, like Uncke Ben's ?

No, it's pre-steamed. How this makes it guaranteed not to stick I don't know, but apparently it does. It also takes a little longer to cook.

Former Member

I would also cook rice with oil first. A bit of oil in the pan, get it hot, then put the rice in, stir around with a wooden spoon, for a few minutes.

Boil the water in the kettle. For every cup of rice use 2 cups of boiling water. Then turn the heat down so it's only just bubbling, add salt, cover firmly and leave for at least 10 minutes.

It's nice with blanched almonds, sultanas and cardamom seeds. Mmmmmm.

Former Member

katralla wrote:

rice is horrid

I used to think that but I've recently started cooking and have developed a taste for paella (long grain rice) and risotto (arborio rice).

I've never cooked basmati though and from what people have said, the way you cook this is completely different to what I do. I'd go with Uncle Ben's boil in the bag or something - it's gotta be easier.

Former Member

PussyKatty wrote:

I would also cook rice with oil first. A bit of oil in the pan, get it hot, then put the rice in, stir around with a wooden spoon, for a few minutes.

Boil the water in the kettle. For every cup of rice use 2 cups of boiling water. Then turn the heat down so it's only just bubbling, add salt, cover firmly and leave for at least 10 minutes.

Yeah i think this works best. Or failing that you could always get the ones which you put in the microwave

Former Member

Loopi wrote:

I used to think that but I've recently started cooking and have developed a taste for paella (long grain rice) and risotto (arborio rice).

I sometimes eat rice that's ok, but I think because my parents did rice overkill when I was growing up, I'll always 'think' that I don't like it.

Former Member

I have this problem, its impossible. Cook with brown rice cos it doesn't stick, or boil in the bag

Former Member

i stick with boiling it in that bag thingy
and then add whatever i want to it, either say or duck sauce, or cheese. or put it in a bowl of milk and sugar.

highly recomend the milk/sugar combo.

Former Member

Erm, I just get 3/4 a cup a rice (i eat a lot ), put it in the pan, put the kettle on, then 10 mins before everything is finished I put the water in the pan and keep it on a high heat boiling (tasting after 5 mins to check) then when it's soft enough (if you like it with a bit of crunch take it out before).

I don't know if it's easy cook or not, I just know I bought 2kilos of the stuff from Aldi for £2 . I have it with most meals as a staple. Also I add a pinch of salt, for some reason. Apparently cooking it the way I do gets rid of all the goodness. Oh well!

And my chinese friend just has a little boiler thing he puts the rice in and turns it on then takes the rice out after a few minutes and it's done!

Former Member

katralla wrote:

I sometimes eat rice that's ok, but I think because my parents did rice overkill when I was growing up, I'll always 'think' that I don't like it.

Fair enough. I completely understand. As I didn't eat pasta until I was 21 and rice until well, now, I've got a lot of making up time. Not bad considering I was veggie from the age of 14-24ish.

Former Member

lol, so what did you eat then, a lot of potatoes?

Heyoke: the milk sugar thing sounds vile...