Perfect Rice Every Time (White and Brown) – and Feeding my Appetite for Knowledge

How to Cook Rice Perfectly, without a rice cooker – instructions in post

It’s 2013, and I don’t know about you but I’m excited! I’ll be making a few changes to the blog, and with the start of the new year I’m finally ready to share those changes and bring them into fruition.

Looking around, I’ve noticed a trend of 2012 recaps, and reflections on the past year… but while everyone else is looking back, I’ve been narrowing my gaze on the year ahead. I’ve been so focused on what the future will hold, I’ve hardly slowed down to remember all the good’s and bad’s of the last twelve months!

Last year I…

Discovered how much I enjoy baking, not just cooking. I made big changes to my home, repairing the walls, installing new flooring, and making the house more livable. I recovered from being sick for a very long time. I injured my knee, and haven’t been able to run like I used to. The Boyfriend became The Fiancé, and our dog passed away, leaving us a little empty-hearted. I got another year older, and a little bit wiser, and a whole lot stronger… and it’s only the beginning.

Brown Rice

I’m not a huge fan of making New Year’s Resolutions… they’re always so well-intentioned, but tend to be impractical and disappointing. Instead, I like to map out the things that went well (or not so well) in the previous year, and where I would like to see myself going in the  months ahead. It helps me get a better idea of where I should focus my energy, and allows me to see where my interests really lie. For instance, I can look back at last year‘s goals and see if I met them or let them slip away, and why. Do I still care about the same things I did then? Did my focus change because I got distracted, or did I decide something else was more important? Better yet, what do I think is most important to work on this year, where do I want to go, and what do I hope to achieve?

I find questions like these help me to see myself a little more clearly.

I bring this up because what I’d like to gain from this year has a lot to do with what you’re reading right now – my blog! One of my goals for 2013 is to focus more on my education. That means learning as much as I can about cooking, baking, candy-making, nutrition, photography, blogging, entertaining, life, and anything else that catches my fancy.

 

When I found out that the baking/pastry classes I was interested in were completely filled, including waiting lists, I went out and bought some of the required reading instead. I grew up being homeschooled, and have always been in charge of my own education, so teaching myself is nothing new. I have books on baking, cooking, and other more specialized culinary techniques, as well as the library and the internet at my disposal… the only thing I’m lacking is someone standing over my shoulder to demonstrate, correct, and evaluate me. I think I’m okay with that, at least for now.

So how does that affect Will Cook For Friends? Well, first off, you’ll probably be seeing a little more baking than before… but don’t worry, there will still be plenty of recipes, of all kinds, like always. In addition to that, once a week you’ll be treated to something a little more informative. I plan to make an “educational” post every Friday. It may be a how-to or photo-tutorial, a recipe designed to demonstrate a particular technique, a tip or trick I find useful, or even just a discussion of something I’m learning about at the time. It may be new knowledge to me, or something I’ve known for a long time… whatever I feel like exploring!

And since today is the first Friday of the year, that brings us to this rice…

Formula for White Rice

Notes: Depending on how long or short your grain is, the amount of water necessary may vary slightly. This is the basic guideline I’ve always used, and has worked for me every time. If you aren’t sure, always err on the side of caution and add a splash more water – you don’t want the rice to dry out or burn!

Some people like to rinse their rice thoroughly, until the water runs clear, prior to cooking. This can remove unsavory things like dirt or debris from the outside of the rice, but can also rinse away some of the nutrients and starches. Rinsing, for the most part, is optional, and entirely up to you. For some types of rice, rinsing is important to remove the dirt and starches, but for most varieties I don’t find it necessary. If you aren’t sure, go ahead and rinse the rice.

1 cup of dry rice makes approximately 3 cups cooked. Cooked rice can be stored in the fridge for up to a week or so, and is great for adding to any meal.

Update: As a reader mentioned in the comments, the amount of water necessary will vary depending on the amount of rice you’re making. For 1 cup of white rice I use 2 cups of water, but if I were to cook 3 or 4 cups of white rice all in one batch, the amount of the water necessary is actually less than double that of the rice. I haven’t experimented with cooking anything more than a couple of cups at a time, so if you need a lot of rice use your judgement, or split them into smaller batches.

Method for white rice:
1.    Add 1 cup white rice and 2 cups cold tap water to a medium pot, with a well-fitted lid.
2.    Place the pot over medium-high heat, and bring the water to a boil. Do not stir the rice! Let the rice cook, uncovered, until small craters form on the surface – it will look like someone took a pencil and stabbed the rice all over. Watch for the water to boil off enough that it goes just below the level of rice in the pot. You will still see small bubbles around the edges, but the surface of the rice should not be covered. Again, do not stir or you’ll miss these signs!
3.    Once you see lots of holes in the rice, cover the pot and turn off the heat. This is an important step, and allows the rice to finish steaming under a small amount of pressure created by the sealed pot. Let the rice steam, without removing the lid, for 20-25 minutes. I usually take this time to wander off, pay some bills, or get started cooking the rest of my meal. When the time is up, remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork – it is ready to serve!

Method for brown rice:
1.    Add 1 cup of brown rice and 2 1/2 cups cold water to a medium pot, with a well-fitted lid.
2.    Place the pot over medium-high heat, and bring the water to a boil, just like with the white rice. Do not stir! Let the rice cook, uncovered, until small craters form on the surface. Watch for the water to boil off enough that it goes just below the level of rice in the pot. Again, do not stir or you’ll miss these signs!
3.    Once you see lots of holes in the rice, cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let the rice cook for 5-7 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it rest, still covered, for another 20-25 minutes. Do not remove the lid until the time is up! Leave the kitchen, read book, or move on to making the rest of your meal. When the timer goes off, remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork – it is ready to serve!