January 10, 2005
How to make perfect steamed rice
Article Summary: How to make perfect steamed rice
Here's how to make steamed rice that's fluffy, soft, and separate without using any oil.Rice... that wonderful grain. The foundation of Asian cuisine. The neutral agent with which all flavours meld. What would we do without it?
Steamed rice is pretty simple to make. But it surprised me when I was teaching a cookery class a couple of months back and some people asked me how to make rice that wasn't sticky or overcooked or undercooked. Then I got a few queries on email about the same thing. And of course I promised in my article on fried rice that I would write a piece on how to steam rice properly. So here it is: the simple oil-free way to get nice, fragrant, separate rice that's perfectly cooked. All you need is rice, water, and a thick heavy-gauge pan with a tight-fitting lid.
(Image courtesy stock.xchng - the free photo site)
What you need
Long-grain rice - 1 cup
Water - 1.5 cups
How to make it
First, you need to wash off the excess starch from the rice. This will prevent it from making a sticky mess. Put the rice in a deep bowl, and in your sink, run cold tap water over it. Once the bowl is full of water, use your fingers to swish the rice around. The water will start getting murky. Now gently pour this water out. Repeat this process till the water is mostly clear. This will take at least 4-5 washes.
Now fill it up one last time. Don't wash the rice again. Just leave it in there, covered with water, for about 30 minutes or so. Why am I doing this? I freely admit I'm still trying to figure out the science behind it, but it results in a much fuller, softer grain. After the soaking, you will notice that the rice grains have turned a nice milky white.
OK, let's drain the water out carefully again. Try and get as much water out of the bowl as you can without pouring out the rice grains as well. This takes patience.
(All this isn't as complicated as it's beginning to sound. I just like to ensure I've covered everything.)
On to cooking the rice...
Put the rice in a heavy-gauge pan that has a flat bottom. This bit is important. If your pan is made out of some thin flimsy metal, your rice will get nicely burnt at the bottom while the grains at the top may not cook properly. You also need one with a tight lid, or else the precious steam will leak and your rice won't cook right. Many Indian homes have vessels that have a concave bottom. These will just not work. The flat bottom is required.
Now put in the water. Normally, a long-grain rice recipe calls for twice the amount of water as rice. Why then are we using only 1.5 cups of water? Because our rice has already been sitting in some water for a while, and has absorbed a bit of it. Moreoever, there is still some leftover water after you drained it, because no one can drain it absolutely dry.
I like to add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the rice, but most Asian recipes don't salt the rice. This is your choice.
Put the pan on medium high heat. Wait till the water boils and starts bubbling. Now turn the heat down as low as you can, cover with the tight lid, and let it just sit there for about 15-20 minutes. Resist the urge to lift the lid and peek at the rice. No, I'm sorry, you can't have even one peek! If you do that, I will rap you on the knuckles with a cane, you hear?
After the 15-20 minutes is up, turn off the heat. No, you still can't lift the lid. Now you have to let it "stand" for another 10 minutes or so. This will help the rice to "settle" so you don't have dry grains on top and wet grains at the bottom.
After 10 minutes, lift the lid, admire the rice (yes, it will look that good), take a fork and fluff the rice. You will have nice separate grains without having used any oil, butter, or other fat in the cooking process.
Your rice is ready to serve with whatever you choose. I recommend a nice Thai red curry with chicken and some stir-fried veggies.
This method of cooking rice is known as the "absorption method".
Chef's notes
I also like to add a bruised stick of lemon grass to the rice while it's cooking. The subtle fragrance and flavour are amazing. Take the bottom piece (the last 6 inches) of a lemongrass stalk, bruise it with a heavy object (I use my stone pestle) and add it with the water.
Cooked rice will increase in volume by 300% of the original raw rice. So if you're cooking one cup of rice, make sure that your pot can hold at least four cups, preferably five. Otherwise you could end up with a mess as the water spills all over the kitchen top.
Did I mention how important that tight lid is? I did? Well, I'll say it again.
Leftover rice can be put in the fridge, and it will make splendid fried rice the next day.
(If you liked this article, please do visit Shiok, my restaurant in Bangalore or recommend it to a friend.)
80 comments
Yes, Tarique, your mum is right. However, since I specified long grain rice, I thought that fixed the problem. The age of the rice is also important, but this is very much a "chef's instinct" adjustment. I couldn't possibly list all variations. This is just a guide.
Posted by Madhu (Ze Chef) on January 10, 2005 02:28 PM http://shiokfood.com/notes
You'll hate me for this, but we cook rice in the microwave to lessen the amount of pain. Any tips for that?
Posted by Sampada on January 10, 2005 10:28 PM
What a great post! It's so easy to be lazy about the rice, but a little extra preparation makes it so much better. I dated an Iranian girl for several years who taught me to make basmati rice in the exact same method, sometimes she would even soak it for hours. I'm curious about something. Sometimes she would turn the heat up a little at the end, just for a minute or so, so that the rice on the bottom formed a lightly crispy crust that they call "tadik." It has a wonderful flavor. To your knowledge is there anything similar to this in Indian cuisine, or even far eastern cuisine?
Oh, and thanks for the tip on using chicken stock to finish off the gyoza. And I didn't think they could get any better!
Posted by Kitchen Monkey on January 11, 2005 06:00 AM http://kitchenmonkey.blogspot.com
Hey, if you want to submit a recipe to the Carnival, check out Beth's site for all pertinent information:
http://www.thedonovan.com/beth
Posted by physics geek on January 12, 2005 08:38 PM http://physicsgeek.mu.nu
Hi Madhu,
I use an Aroma rice cooker for cooking rice. Are there any suggestions for making steamed rice in one of these contraptions? Or is it better to use a pan? Should I change the amount of water? And what about Basmati rice? Can the same recipe for steamed rice be followed for cooking Basmati? By the way, your recipe for fried rice was awesome! My girlfriend couldn't stop praising it! Unfortunately I have to do all the cooking from now on!
Posted by Anir on January 13, 2005 01:44 AM
OK, for cooking rice in the microwave, follow your microwave's manual. :)
(But you can still wash and soak the rice as I have described.)
Anir, if you have a rice cooker, you can let it do everything for you. It works fine for busy people. If you're not going to wash the rice, increase the amount of water to a 2:1 ratio.
And yes, this method works fine for Basmati. I cook Basmati all the time like this.
Posted by Madhu (Ze Chef) on January 13, 2005 02:22 AM http://shiokfood.com/notes
Good stuff, but the real secret to perfect rice is just to get a rice cooker. Oh, and maybe use rice from north India. I have to be honest, one of the greatest disappointments we initially faced was that most Indian rice, at least from the south, just does not 'stand' up to scrutiny, particularly for those used to a primarily East Asian diet. It tastes dry and gritty, and of course, is so loose that you can forget about chopsticks.
We found a suitable alternative at a Chennai Korean grocery that sells a rice from one of the northern states: almost as good as the real thing, but still quite expensive at 40 INR per kg. It's the closest we've found to East Asian rice in India, though, and worth every rupee.
Posted by Prince Roy on January 13, 2005 10:39 PM http://www.princeroy.org
Hey there,
Sorry for the off-topic comment, but happened to glance at your photoblog and been salivating since then.. I was particularly intrigued by the "cabbages" image. What have you been doing to cabbage to make it look so appetising? Waiting for the recipe, along with some more like Mee Goreng and Nasi Goreng.
Thanks!!
Posted by Jahnvi on January 14, 2005 03:57 PM http://absolutelyanonymous.blogspot.com
Jahnvi, I just stir-fried the cabbage with some chillies, garlic, tomato, etc. ;)
Posted by Madhu (Ze Chef) on January 14, 2005 04:02 PM http://shiokfood.com/notes
Then I must say your photographic skills are amazing, much like your writing!!
Posted by Jahnvi on January 14, 2005 04:44 PM http://absolutelyanonymous.blogspot.com
Wow, thanks for this detailed article. I never used to get my rice right. Will try your technique.
Posted by Neil Edwards on January 20, 2005 01:42 AM
Here are my 2 cents...If you are in the US, what you need to do is go buy a Zojirushi rice cooker. This always cooks rice thats not sticky...in fact, once a while, i cook rice over the stove to get it mushy...Also, BTW, mushy rice=50%starch in rice+50% technique. Dont expect to cook fluffy risoto or sushi rice...its not meant to eat it that way..
Posted by Jake on January 22, 2005 12:51 AM http://www.8thcross.com
A method I learned for determining the correct amount of water for rice is to place your palm flat against the rice and add water until it reaches the first knuckle on your index finger. It works pretty well.
Posted by Guanyao Cheng on January 24, 2005 07:47 PM
Congratulations on being the "Best Topical IndiBlog"
Posted by SV on January 28, 2005 03:11 AM http://sv.typepad.com/forsv/
Thanks man. Thanks a lot!
Posted by suman on January 28, 2005 12:01 PM http://sumankumar.com
Great recipes and great pictures!!
You sure shall see more of me here! :)Please some more veggie recipes..thanks.
And I'm linking to your page..if its okay.
Posted by Nupur on January 29, 2005 08:28 AM http://nupur-gupta.blogspot.com
Hey Chef,
This is my recipe. I make it the same way everytime...ha ha. I like your site though. Very useful for someone living outside India like me...yohooooooooooo...
Ricky.
Posted by Ricky on January 31, 2005 03:26 AM http://seventeentomatoes.rediffblogs.com
Thanks for those tips Madhu.
Here's what I've found from my (amateur) experience with trying to cook perfect rice in the microwave:
--Basmati cooks better in the microwave than normal South Indian rice (ponni or whatever)
-- I always add a bit more water when cooking in the microwave. My rice-cooker water to rice ratio is 2 to 1, so for the microwave I use something like 2.5 to 1...not mathematical, I know, but it works well. Soaking also works wonders.
-- The top layer of rice is *not* a good indicator of how well it is cooked. The rice on the top layer always looks dry and uncooked, but the rice underneath will be better.
-- Never overcook the rice in a microwave i.e. do not cook it when all the water is gone. It can become very dry and lifeless.
--Remember that microwaved rice cooks a little bit even after standing, so it will become a little bit more mushy when left.
--An uncovered bowl is easier to manage if you're cooking lots of rice, as the water needs space to bubble up.
And lastly, my #1 tip for reheating old,gritty rice in the microwave--add a little milk to it! If you add just the right amount to cook it in, it won't show up in the flavour--trust me!
Posted by suchi on February 8, 2005 04:27 AM
Hi Madhu,
Now that you have made cooking steamed rice almost akin to rocket science (LOL), can we have a new recipe please? Pretty please?
Posted by Jahnvi on February 8, 2005 08:21 AM
No updates from a long long time .... Please update Chef ...
Posted by roshni on February 25, 2005 12:31 AM
Awesome detail on rice cooking - and a great site too!
Posted by tool on March 9, 2005 06:57 AM
Nice site.
Posted by hewwo on March 20, 2005 01:14 AM
Posted by Navneet on April 20, 2005 07:23 PM http://drive.blogs.com
Wonderful exotic site! And nice article on rice.
Posted by Reader on April 29, 2005 12:21 PM
Why do you need to drain the rice before putting it in in a heavy gauge pan? And then adding the drained water. Couldn't you just put the rice with the water into the pan at once?
Posted by Mukesh on May 7, 2005 07:52 PM
Madhu, such a beautiful explanation of making something so complicated as rice! It always is the simple things in life which are always are challenge to get right!
Posted by Alvin Narsey on June 29, 2005 02:03 PM http://indiancurryrecipes.blogspot.com
A faster (by 2-8 mins!!) variation of Madhus Rice Cooking technique:
Do the 4-5 washes - soak for 15-20 mins.
Then to get the water out- empty the rice into a large SS Mesh Strainer- (sieve) - let it drain. In the meanwhile bring to boil exactly double the amount of water ie. for 2 cups of rice 4 cups of water. (Since NONE of my dishes have TIGHT LIDS - I add 1/2 - 1 cup of water extra for spillage during the boiling over!!)
When the water is boiling full tilt - add the drained rice into it & put on the lid with a heavy weignt on top (I use the hand grinding stone) leave on Full HEAT for 6mins. and then for 2mins. lower heat & as the Iranian girl said - full heat for the last 1min. DONT OPEN FOR AT LEAST 6-8 mins after switching off. Total cooking time once rice is in- is exactly like pasta - 8 mins. If you prefer rice slightly more cooked you can increase the low heat cook time of 2 mins to 3mins but the last 1min on high heat is a MUST!!
As madhu said - NO PEEKING - even though by my method it allows even excess water to boil out of loose lids etc. your rice will not catch - be assured. Also if you wish to check for catching etc. smell the aroma of the steam coming out from under lid - DONT PUT YOUR NOSE DIRECTLY INTO THE STEAM YOU WILL BURN YOUR FACE!! Use a small pan lid to fan the steam towards you - believe me if the rice is burning/catching you will get a distinctive smell.
Another tip for regular rice eaters - always use the same measure for rice measuring & water - keep one mug etc. aside for just this purpose so that you will soon be able to adjust your individual quantities & timings as per the type of rice you use and the amount of cooking you prefer.
I also must say that this technique works even with the THIN GAUGE aluminium cooking vessels generally available here. BTW DONT ever try rice in those fancy SS cook & serve dishes unless they are copper bottomed etc. Good old Al. "dekchis" are best!! I have had no problems even with the concave "handi" variety!!
Lastly if your rice ever catches a wee bit usually at the bottom- just serve only the top part. Most people will never know what's left in the cooking pot!!
Posted by gurudev on August 31, 2005 05:54 PM
Just discovered your site and reading the blog on cooking rice was great. Absolutely clear instructions. I never soak rice unless it is brown or black but I'm going to try it for my basmati right now!
Posted by deccanheffalump on September 18, 2005 09:14 PM http://thecookscottage.typepad.com
hi there,
could you give me some ideas with my steamed rice i would like to give it flavours rather than have it plain could you tell me the best spices or herbs to add to the rice for flavour
thanks
msproule
Posted by m sproule on October 8, 2005 08:52 PM
kathryn:
The 'gauge' goes with 'heavy', not with 'pan', as, 'heavy-gauge pan.'
'Heavy gauge' means made of thick material. You need a sturdy, thick pan to help hold and evenly distribute the heat.
Posted by spinhead on October 22, 2005 06:31 AM http://KnowYourMusic.com/
Hi Madhu,
I've heard so much about you from my dear friend Lavannya and her blog....was glad to find your blog today.
Was even more thrilled to find out that we use the exact same method to make 'perfect' rice :)
Strange as it may seem, I eveolved this method sort of on my own over time...didnt really read a 'recipe' for it until I came across yours....but its reassuring to know that I'm doing atleast something right in life :)
All the best, and happy cooking and eating.
Indu
Posted by AA on November 4, 2005 12:05 PM http://aspiringannapoorna.blogspot.com
thanks it was great....
rose :)
Posted by rose on December 22, 2005 03:13 PM
Thank you so much for the rice instructions. I have been struggling on how to make the perfect rice. My rice was always so strarchy, sticky and mushy. I followed your instructions and the rice turned out beautiful..nice long seperated grains and fluffy. There was a little water at the bottom but nothing to go crazy about! Thank you again.
Posted by MN on January 24, 2006 06:59 PM
Dear Madhu,
thanks for the great way to cook rice, we do cook rice the way you mentioned, except that we use double the quantity of water and drain off the water when the rice is soft and the put it on low flame with a tight lid.
your comments please
sudhir
Posted by SUDHIR KUMAR on February 17, 2006 11:46 AM
I am using a rice cooker and i never know how much water to add for ever 1 cup of rice. I usually only cook 1 cup because that is more then enough for myself, but how much water do I add?
Is it ok to do the process you described above when using a rice cooker?
Thank You!
Posted by Tim on April 26, 2006 01:47 AM
hehe I was just wondering something.... does rice right after you cook it have a flavour?
thanks
Posted by maycko on April 27, 2006 08:03 PM
I've tried this and it came out just perfect but i was wondering how would i go about doubling the portions? would i have to double the cooking time as well because when i did try the method with normal cooking time my rice came out very mushy and im guessing it wasnt finished cooking. So can someone tell me how i would go about cooking maybe 2 cups of rice or even 3?
Posted by Sammy on June 16, 2006 02:45 AM
wow nice said even i triend but its looking so nice in snap and its test more when you will eat
Posted by Sarika on July 5, 2006 11:07 AM http://forum.funmirchi.com
Thank you. I finally made great rice after reading this.
Posted by Alex Collins on August 15, 2006 12:06 AM
Thanks for your steemed rice recipe. I have tried it this evening, it came out PERFECT!. I have followed each step, waited every minute, even laugh when I resisted to lift the lid thinking about your warning and the cane. Next time I'll try the fried version. I'll not change anything. Thanks again.
Posted by yadi on August 24, 2006 08:46 AM
the art of rice...maybe this time around I will get it
Posted by nona on January 30, 2007 05:30 AM
Fed up with the rather conventional way of cooking rice in a cooker (cruel!) and the resulting sticky rice lumps, we tried this method word for word.
Presto, the results are just amazing! You end up with separate grains of perfectly cooked non-sticky rice! Fit for a Queen if I am say ;)
Thanks for sharing this method!
Posted by Nitin Koshy on February 11, 2007 11:23 PM
Thanks! Rice turned out great.
Posted by Shelbie on March 5, 2007 07:37 AM
Yesterday, thanks to you, I cooked the best Basmati rice I have ever had.
Thank you.
Posted by Darminator on April 3, 2007 10:07 PM
Absolutely fascinating. I just finished reading a piece from John Thorne on making rice and was itching to try my hand on it (next stop, to the grocery store to get different types to try) when your great instructions caught my eye. I will bookmark and will try. Thanks.
Cheers!
Posted by almost vegetarian on April 12, 2007 05:23 AM http://almostvegetarian.blogspot.com
Great Post! I lived in Singapore for a few years and I miss the "Shiok" food after moving to Sydney. One quick question for you, Can you suggest some good rice brands to make Chinese Style fried rice [the short grain variety] that is not glutinous? I might try looking for those brand at our local Asian grocers. Is it "jasmine rice" that one has to use?
Posted by Snehal on May 16, 2007 09:05 AM http://www.gelskitchen.com
hi there
i always use a rice cooker i bought in japan and usually don't have any problems. i've cooked japn rice, jasmine rice and long grain before but the long grain rice i bought at a chinese store recently is giving me huge problems. if i measure 2 scoops of rice, i usually fill the water to the "2" line, with no problems. however, with this rice, it turns out quite hard. so i tried scooping 2 and filling to the 2.5 line and it would be bit better but still kinda hard in the middle of the grains and a bit mushy at the same time. i just don't understand what i'm doing wrong. could it be this certain brand of rice?? can anyone help? i'm ready to throw out the rest of a huge bag of rice!
Posted by am on May 29, 2007 08:06 AM
Has anyone replaced the water with Chicken Broth? I am now cooking my own dog food since the recalls and want to add a bit of flavor to the rice I feed her. I have heard an equal amount of broth to water works well. Any thoughts?
Posted by Jeff on May 29, 2007 08:51 AM
Alright, I was skeptical, but I decided I'd try it. Now I can't type a full sentence because I have to stop and take a bite. I have never been able to make rice that wasn't sticky or burned or underdone, and this came out perfect. Thank you.
Posted by Dana on June 18, 2007 11:46 AM
One note on the procedure. "After the 15-20 minutes is up, turn off the heat. No, you still can't lift the lid. Now you have to let it "stand" for another 10 minutes or so"..... At this point take the pot OFF of the heat, don't just turn off the heat. On some cookers, e.g. with ceramic tops, the rice will continue to cook as there is still plenty of heat radiating from the cooker, resulting in overcooked rice.
Posted by Brian on July 13, 2007 11:36 PM
What a load of rubbish. You spend 5 minuts reading how to get perfect STEAMED rice only to find that it a recipe for ABSORPTION METHOD rice which is available on every packet of Basmati rice in the Supermarket. (Except for putting 1/4 of the water into the rice by steeping it first). Actually doing it a la packet makes better rice!
Posted by Liam McElhinney on July 18, 2007 01:10 PM
This recipe works, although I did not think that it would work for me, as I have no cooking skills. For years I have been making sticky, bland rice.
Using this recipe, and the same (well-known brand) of long-grain rice, that I have always used, the result was amazing!!
I did also read the additional comments, and I added the lemon grass (what a wonderful taste!) and also cooked the rice on a high heat for the last minute of cooking (to my surprise, it did not burn!)
I wish that 25 years ago, I had spent 10 minutes reading this recipe!
Many thanks
JohnD
Posted by John Dedman on August 7, 2007 03:23 AM
Thanks for the first succesful batch of rice! you are amazing!
Posted by Krista on August 17, 2007 03:07 AM
i was wondering if anyone else is cooking on a electric range??
i did exactly as you instructed, including resisting the urge of lifting the lid, and after turning off the heat and letting it settle, i found my rice to still be hard in the middle and a little bit of water in the bottom of the pan.. i then had to put it back on the heat and add a little bit more water to help finish it cook. im not sure if it mattered that i was on an electric stove or not but i love my rice. any comments:)
Posted by sheree on October 12, 2007 01:29 AM http://shiokfood.com/notes/archives/000022.html
how to steam pre-soaked jasmine and glutinuous rice without water in the steamer?
Posted by janelle on October 24, 2007 05:17 PM
If you do burn your rice just take a couple of slices of bread and lay on top of the rice and put the lid back on and let it set, at least 15 to 20 minutes. The burnt taste will be gone. And be sure to throw the bread away. My wife learned this from her mother. Believe me it works, I came home to many a pots of rice with bread.
Posted by Wayne on November 21, 2007 10:58 PM
I am using a rice cooker but I do like my rice to stick together, like the asian rice does. I eat it with chopsticks so if it's not sticky, it's a little difficult to eat. Should I still use the 2:1 ratio for the water?
Posted by Missy on December 29, 2007 05:38 AM
Bravo, first try amazing success!
Posted by Mariana on February 6, 2008 12:33 AM
OMG.. thank you so much! I just messed up my rice horribly, but at least I know that the next time will be MUCH BETTER! Thank youuu..
Posted by Tanya on March 1, 2008 11:37 AM
nice information about recipe I really enjoyed while cooking this so i came here to say thanks
Posted by Sharlin Kaur on March 29, 2008 12:21 PM http://www.indiancolor.info
"Tadik" may be a separate topic but WOW! The tah-ah-dich (as I remember the pronounciation) was made with egg yolks and yogurt mixed with some of the rice and put in pot first. The crusty end product is traditionally served in a generous portion to a guest in the homes of Iranians. Also, i vaguely remember Mohammed putting a cotton towl over the pot lid for the last several minutes of higher heating to brown the tadik?
Posted by Jim Hill on April 3, 2008 11:27 PM
Thanks for your detailed guide. And thankyou to others for further improvements on the technique. After 6 washes, and a 25min soak my rice ended up significantly less sticky and clumpy, via the absorption method in a stovetop pot (with loose fitting lid). Although on the 6th wash the water was still fairly cloudy with starch. I can only guess that, the origin of the rice as others have pointed out, and possibly the water 'hardness'/'softness' also has a big effect on the end result. My rice was a bulk imported basmati variety, from a supermarket chain, with unknown country of origin.
Kind Regards, Cameron (New Zealand)
Posted by Cameron on April 22, 2008 07:32 AM
hi
i would like to serve rice in the shape of cups. will that be possible to do? i am having a party and i want to serve rice on a plate, all different colours, yellow, white, brown and red. so i want to make them into cup shapes with fried potato in the middle.. please can u tell me if i will be able to do it.
thanks
Posted by rekha on May 13, 2008 02:41 AM
I am doing the exact steps for your "How to make perfect steamed rice" receipt and do you boil the water first then add the rice to it? and do u start to boil the water as the rice is sitting in the water for about the last ten minutes? or wait 30 min take the rice out then start to boil your water?
Posted by Yesenia on June 1, 2008 08:03 AM
Hi. Great article and comments.
I always soak my rice evern if for half an hour. I rinse with hot water as I find it gets more of the startch off. I then just boil my rice for 10 to 15 mins with some salt and butter.
I then drain and wash with cold water and let it dry a bit. This can then be stored in the fridge as I do enough for four or five meals. You can then just steam straight from the fridge. I then steam the rice with butter and tumeric in the bottom of the pan. I might add some pilau spices or saffron and steam for an hour.
I used to boil the water away and steam straight away but now I don't.
However sometimes i work lates and might get an hour break. Can I just steam the already boiled rice in a rice cooker or is it best to use a steamer.
What is the difference between the two. I've been looking at the net and can't find any practicle information. I haven't purchased a rice cooker as of yet. I will make sure I have delayed timer function.
Any help will be appreciated. Madhu?
Posted by Amir Aleseyed on June 1, 2008 08:47 PM
Thanks, the rice turned out great !
Posted by Loubenia on June 14, 2008 01:47 AM
The picture is really impressive but now days you have option to go for rice cooker which cook steamed rice what you say
Posted by sharlin kaur on June 16, 2008 04:44 PM http://www.spideronweb.com
I received rice soup from this method *thumbs down*
Posted by Charles on June 26, 2008 04:01 AM
Here is my technique for making perfect rice. You got to try this - it will seriously blow any other method away. First you bring water to rolling boil. If you add the rice to boiling water as opposed to adding the rice into cold water and bringing it to a boil you will make sure rice does not stick to bottom of pan. Now you boil the rice for ten minutes. Then you drain the rice in a colander - rinsing all the starches away. In the meantime, line a steamer with cheesecloth or what I discovered that works perfectly - a large size coffee filter. Now put the rinse, par-boiled rice into the steamer and steam away for fifteen minutes. Note - As an Asian I personally use a bamboo steamer to subtlety infuse each and every grain with a bamboo scent but most people don't have one so a steel steamer will work just fine. From not only a culinary standpoint but from a scientific standpoint this is the best way for making rice because most other methods over boil the grains rather than steam and frankly steaming is what separates the grains. And even of more importance is to have a indirect water source to steam each grain.
Posted by Tim Liao on July 5, 2008 10:23 PM
Hey, I just want to say thanks for your rice post. I've cooked rice twice with this method and it turns out great. i don't have a steamer and I have to admit my dried rice was in the fridge for >6 months. I am so happy that I found this blog. BTW your food looks great and you're cute too. ;)
Posted by Valencia on July 8, 2008 10:53 AM
Thanks for the tip on soaking the rice longer, I have used the same method ( minus soaking the rice) and have been very happy with it. I will definitely add the soaking. However to wash off the starch I use a metal strainer and swish and flip it much like you would a stir fry, until the water is clear, just thought you might want to try it. thanks again.
Posted by mike on July 15, 2008 11:45 PM
I didn't have great expectations for the rice but when I lifted the lid at the end the first words that unintentionally came out of my mouth were "Oh my god!!" Thank you, thank you, thank you! =)
Posted by Christie on July 23, 2008 05:48 AM
This recipe was fabulous. I was trying to make a rice that my more fair skinned friends would like and they absolutely loved it and as a Puerto Rican, SO DID I!
Posted by Fernando B. on November 4, 2008 04:15 PM
I love rice!!! tried the first recipe and followed to every word. Cooked in flat bottomed cast iron enamel clad pan with a very tight fitting lid, I was so excited because everyone has given such good responses, when I took off the lid, I had a mushy mess, looked like mashed potatoes, tasted to salty. I have never made rice this bad. I don't know Whether to cut the water, or if it was the pan being to heavy and lid to tight. HELP!!
Posted by Jeanie on November 18, 2008 08:51 AM
Really very nice resource for Recipe. I really liked and even print for my reference. Thank you for sharing
Posted by Sharlin kaur on November 24, 2008 05:44 PM http://www.spideronweb.com
very nice thing to share. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful blog
Posted by Sharlin kaur on December 3, 2008 03:32 PM http://www.spideronweb.com
It's an authentic recipe. Well done. Incidentally, my Chinese girlfriend tells me to wash seven times and not bother soaking. Alos, the rice stuck to the bottom peels off in one section without being burned if cooked right. The Chinese call this Chinese bread, the Vietnamese, Vietmanese bread etc etc etc.
Posted by AndieRae on January 16, 2009 12:06 AM
well, it must be starving to wait for rice get soften in water then cook. Here is the recipe I learned from experienced cooker. I have try it on electronic cooktop/stove and a regular medium pan. I start the rice before prepare meal and it done by the time I start cooking meal so I assum it about 15 min or so.
1. wash your rice, 3x is average. more will reduce the protein in rice.
2. water should be 1/2" - 3/4" above rice level. i normally make to serve 2-12. if you make more then that should add more water. if you cook less then 1cup of rice then add less water. if you really need to serve more then 6 then use larger pan (i use 6" pan to cook for 2-4)and use same way to measure water. keep in mind there different kind of rice and crop. they all need different water level. this method can be use for all white/clear rice. I have not try it on wild rice and red rice.
3. optional 1 teaspoon olive oil and little of salt. dont feel bad on this as matter of fact I got from person that sale steam rice many years. you may decrease the amount but don't put too much over. as I know some ppl also add broth to give rice better flavor so some herb will not damage your rice, you can try different herb in your next cooking.
4. close lid bring to boil at high heat.
ajair lid after water boil to let steam out, this prevent over flow and over cook. turn heat to medium and let steam come out.
5. when water evaporate to rice level. use chopstick to stir them evently in circle motion. (folk can mash your rice and damage nonstick pan)
close the lid tight and put on low heat (up to # 2 heat is good) for another 5min-10min. this is soften stage of the rice so keep lid close.
Rice should be cooked and soft, if not keep lid close for another few minute then turn off heat. you can add few more drops-few teaspoons of water if rice too dry.
its lot easier if you have pan with glass lid so you can monitor while prepare food. gas stove need more attention on control the flame. cast ion pan is not recomment for rice.
p.s., i'm vietnamese and my bf is white american who love to cook as well. so far he love the way I make steam rice.
I got lousy writing so forget about my gramma plz. lolz enjoyed!
Posted by John on January 19, 2009 10:58 PM
Followed the directions... step by step... The rice, for lack of better terminology, sucked. I'm not saying that it was the directions. I truly believe it's ALL me. I mean, my breads, rolls, and pastry are a landscaper's delight. So rice, must be another one of my weaknesses. Oh well, Minute-Rice it is...
Posted by CAA on June 4, 2009 04:08 AM
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Here is some interesting trivia from http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/DOCREP/006/Y4751E/y4751e05.htm
Losses from washing and cooking methods used in India were calculated as follows: protein (10%); iron (75%); and calcium and phosphorus (50%) (Grist, 1986). Cooking in excess water that is discarded can lead to losses of thiamine (30-50%); riboflavin (25-35%); and niacin (25-50%) (Saunders, 1979). High temperature frying can destroy up to 70 percent of thiamine (Saunders, 1979).
Also, my mum always use to say that the amount of water used for cooking rice varies according to the variety of rice used and also how old the is.... So is there a firm bottomline on that? IME it is not
Posted by Tarique on January 10, 2005 02:21 PM http://tariquesani.net