Rice is the number one product in many countries of the world. For centuries, this is not only food, but also part of the culture. Once they were even paid for work and goods. He is a symbol of life, a gift of heaven. Hindus love long-grain rice, in dishes it should only be crumbly. The Japanese, on the contrary, prefer round. A large amount of starch makes the grains stick together, making them ideal as a basis for making sushi and rolls.
Whatever type you choose, it does not hurt to know a few secrets how to cook rice so that it is fragrant, tasty. And most importantly, as indicated in the recipe.
How to cook friable rice
- Rice variety matters. So that it does not turn into porridge, it is better to use a long-grain type of basmati or jasmine. They contain less starch than round starch. Steamed rice is also suitable. Special processing does not allow such rice to boil.
- Before cooking rice, it is washed many times with cold water. This helps get rid of starch. For convenience, you can use a fine sieve.
- Although there are exceptions. For example, glutinous rice is important for cooking dishes such as risotto and sushi . It is enough to rinse only once to wash off all unnecessary.
- Calculate the exact amount of water so as not to top it up during cooking. So you can spoil the quality of the dish.
- During cooking, rice cannot be mixed, otherwise the grain structure is broken, starch is released - and the rice sticks together. One time at first is enough.
- To reduce the cooking time by almost half, you need to pre-soak it for an hour and a half. It is better to use hot water for this. But then you need to reduce its amount for cooking.
These are just a few secrets of how to cook rice so that the grains do not stick together.
Grain to Grain
For many of us, it remains a mystery how to cook rice so that it is crumbly. And what if there is no basmati and jasmine. There is always a way out! Even inexpensive round rice, which many turn into porridge, can be cooked perfectly, as they say, a grain to a grain.
We offer several ways to prepare tasty and fragrant rice that never sticks together. For each, you will need 1 cup of rice and 2 cups of water.
How to cook rice in a pan
We rinse it in running water 5 to 10 times until it becomes transparent. We pour it into a pan with a thick bottom, fill it with cold water and set it on maximum heat. When the water boils in half (it should remain about 1 finger above the rice level), you need to remove the dishes from the heat, cover with a lid, towel and set aside for about twenty minutes. So rice absorbs excess water and becomes friable.
Steam rice
To begin, soak the cereal for a couple of hours in hot water. This will reduce cooking time. Then in the pan you need to boil water (it is not necessary to use thick-walled, any one will do, you can use a regular ladle). Place a sieve on top so that it does not touch the water. Pour rice into it, cover and cook over high heat for 20 minutes.
In the pan
It is better to use dishes with high sides and a thick bottom. First, grits should be fried in a spoon of olive oil until transparent, stirring continuously. Oil envelops rice, after which it does not boil, it becomes friable.
Then pour hot water (note that the proportion changes - not 1: 2, but 1: 1.5), salt, spices to taste. Do not cover with a lid; water should evaporate. Cook over low heat.
When the top layer becomes dry, cover with a lid and turn off the fire. Let him stand for another 15 minutes. Olive oil does not allow grains to stick together, gives a delicate aroma and improves taste. Try it, perhaps this particular option will become your signature dish.
All three methods ultimately produce perfectly cooked rice, rather than a sticky, sticky mass. Add a side dish to it, brew fresh green tea - and a healthy and tasty dinner is ready.
Cold or hot?
Please note that cold water was used for cooking. Many housewives do not agree with this. They believe that this way rice will stick together. Only boiling water should be used. Well, this opinion also has a right to exist.
We offer another way how to cook rice in hot water. Preparation, as in previous cases.
- Rinse thoroughly, pour into a saucepan, pour hot water, add salt. Mix only once (this is important!) - at the beginning of cooking.
- Turn on the fire to maximum and cook for 7 minutes.
- When it begins to seethe, reduce the flame to a minimum and cover with a lid. Rice languishes for another 15 minutes. Do not remove the cover.
- When the rice is ready, add 1.5 tbsp. butter and cover again. He should insist a little. About 20 minutes. During this time, it absorbs excess fluid, becomes fragrant and crumbly.
- You do not need to rinse it.
- If it is used for salad, it needs to be cooled.
Proportions
Before cooking rice, you need to correctly calculate the required volume of water. If it is not enough, you will have to add water during cooking. If you take more, the grains absorb excess moisture. And in fact, and in another rice sticks together, will not be friable.
It is generally accepted that for boiling rice water should be taken at a rate of 1: 2. But it is not so. The volume of water depends on the type of rice. Clarify the specified proportion:
- long grain - 1: 1.5-2;
- medium grain - 1: 2-2.5;
- round grain - 1: 2.5-3;
- steamed - 1: 2;
- brown - 1: 2.5-3;
- wild - 1: 3,5.
Pay attention to the packaging. The manufacturer always indicates the required amount of ingredients and cooking time. This will greatly facilitate the task.
Not to be mistaken with the quantity will help a regular measuring cup. Use it for all the ingredients of a future dish. The standard rate of dry rice cereal per person is 65-70 grams.
When to salt?
There are two options. For many oriental dishes, which include spices, rice should be neutral in taste. If we cook rice for a side dish, then it is better to salt immediately.
Tableware
How to cook rice so that it does not burn and boil? A pot or pan with a thick bottom, a cauldron, in which pilaf is usually cooked, is suitable. In such dishes, the temperature is distributed evenly, the grains do not stick and do not stick together. Although the latter is a moot point. To do this, you need to know the cooking technology. More about this later in the article.
How long does it take?
It all depends on the variety and processing method. For example,
- white will take 20 minutes;
- steamed - 30;
- brown - 40;
- wild - 40-60 minutes.
Ready to be removed from the heat and allowed to stand for a while, 10 minutes under a closed lid. Excess water needs to be drained or covered with a dry towel, it absorbs moisture.
Perfect white
To whiten rice grains a little, you can add a little apple cider vinegar to the cooking water. It has a neutral taste; it is not felt in the finished dish. For a pound of rice - 1 tsp. vinegar. You will be surprised - the rice turns snow-white.
What seasonings to use
The taste of rice, if desired, can be changed by adding seasonings to it. Curry, saffron, cardamom, caraway, cumin, cinnamon, cloves are great. Perfectly complement the taste of citrus zest, spicy herbs. You can use not water, but meat broth.
Rice in a slow cooker
Many housewives wonder how to cook crumbly rice. Even if you follow the recipe, it often sticks together, boils, instead of individual grains, a sticky mass is obtained. In this case, the multicooker often helps out. Many hostesses love her because she saves time, you do not need to be at the stove constantly, mix and add water, and most importantly, the cereals in it turn out to be friable and unusually tasty. Consider how to cook rice in a slow cooker. The cooking technology is simple.
You will need:
- rice - 1 cup;
- water - 2 glasses;
- oil - 1 tablespoon (there are no clear restrictions. You can use both butter and any vegetable oil. The hostess has the right to an experiment);
- salt, spices.
Cooking:
- Rinse thoroughly and pour into a bowl.
- Add salt, spices, oil.
- Turn on the “Pilaf” or “Rice” mode (some also use “Normal cooking” or “Buckwheat” - it all depends on the model of technology) and leave to prepare until the sound signal about the completion of the process.
- Cooking will take about half an hour (for white rice) and about an hour (for wild, brown).
Sushi base
In this case, we again use the multicooker. This is the easiest way to cook. Take:
- Japanese rice - 2 tbsp .;
- water - 2.5 tbsp .;
- salt.
Refueling:
- rice vinegar - 2 tbsp .;
- sugar - 1 tsp;
- soy sauce - 1 tsp
How to cook?
- We rinse and pour the rice into the bowl, pour cold water, add a pinch of salt.
- We select the "Rice" mode ("Buckwheat". You can also try the 2nd method: the "Baking" mode - for 10 minutes, then the "Stew" - for 20 minutes).
- Cooking rice dressing: mix rice vinegar, sugar and soy sauce, heat it a little and add to the finished rice, mix and wait until it cools. Now you can start making sushi.
- If you do not get Japanese rice, you can use the usual round. Of course, this will affect the taste of the finished dish. Though…
Chicken bags with rice
Each cuisine of the world has its own traditions. Recipes on how to cook rice, a great variety. This is a traditional oriental pilaf, and Japanese sushi, and risotto in Italy, and rice donuts, and all kinds of desserts, casseroles, kvass and other drinks, but you can’t list them all. One thing is good: if you learn how to cook rice properly, your family will be provided with tasty and healthy food for a long time. And most importantly, there are so many dishes that you can not repeat yourself, offering each time something new.
Introducing a simple and affordable recipe with an unusual serving. Ready-made bags look very appetizing! Chicken meat is a diet dish, easy to digest, recommended for use even during a diet. Rice is revealed in a new way, absorbs the aroma of meat and spices, it turns out unusually tender, crumbly.
Take 4 servings:
- rice - 180 g;
- chicken legs - 4 pcs.;
- onion;
- garlic - 2 cloves;
- fat cream - 60 ml;
- ground nutmeg - 2 g;
- parsley;
- salt - 20 g;
- paprika - 8 g;
- pepper - 8 g;
- olive oil (or any vegetable) - 40 ml.
Procedure:
- Rinse thoroughly, pour into a pan with a thick bottom, pour water (2 cups), cover. Cook for 15 minutes.
- Heat the pan, pour in vegetable oil.
- Finely chop the onion and garlic and fry for 3 minutes until transparent.
- Ready rice should cool.
- Pour it into a deep bowl, add onion and garlic.
- To make the filling more fragrant, use chopped parsley.
- Still need half a teaspoon of salt, a quarter - ground pepper and the same amount of nutmeg.
- For the juiciness of rice, add cream, mix gently.
- Preheat the oven (180 ° C).
- We take out the bones from the legs, the meat needs to be beaten off a bit.
- For taste, rub it with salt, pepper and paprika (2 grams each).
- In the center of each piece we lay out the filling (2 tbsp with a slide), raise the edges and tie with culinary thread. We form 4 bags.
- We wrap each in foil and put it in a refractory form.
- We send to the oven for half an hour.
- For a beautiful golden crust, 10 minutes before the end, the foil must be opened and baked in this form.
- We take out the finished bags from the foil, put them on a dish, remove the culinary thread, instead they can be decorated with an onion feather.
- The aroma is just magical. Meat - with a golden crust. Rice keeps its shape well, the filling is juicy, with a piquant taste. Just imagine how delicious it is!
In a word, rice is an ideal option. Just start cooking it right - and you will be happy!