Cooking rice: basic rules and cooking tips

Today in the modern world there is a huge variety of cereals that our body needs. They are saturated with useful substances, so they must be included in the diet of your diet. Cereals are sold in various stores. The price for them is quite affordable for all citizens.

Rice is one of the most common cereals around the world. For many people, it is associated with Asian countries, especially Japan, because there cereal is a kind of substitute for bread, it is eaten with almost all products. In reality, rice is an integral component of the gastronomy of many countries. For example, in Italy aranchini and risotto are prepared from it, in Spain - paella, in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and, of course, in Russia - pilaf and kutya, in China and Korea fried rice with vegetables or seafood is very popular, but in the Country of the rising sun, this cereal is the main ingredient of not only main dishes, but also appetizers, and even desserts.

There are many ways to cook rice, the choice of which depends on the specific dish you plan to cook. For example, for pilaf, cereal should be crumbly, and for land, on the contrary, more sticky so that the rolls do not break up. Therefore, in order to achieve the perfect result, rice must be cooked in compliance with certain cooking technologies. We will discuss them further.

A few words about the ratio of ingredients

This is one of the fundamental points. The correct ratio of rice and water during cooking is a key factor on which the quality and taste of the finished dish depends, so the proportions should be observed without fail. The same goes for the cooking process. But how much cereal and water do you need to cook perfect rice?

In the following table you will find the answer to this question:

How long will it take? It is worth noting that the state of cereals before the start of the cooking process is of great importance. Some housewives soak rice for 1 hour to speed up cooking time. Having absorbed the liquid, the cereal is much better amenable to heat treatment. However, it is also worth considering that grains will significantly increase in size, so less cereals will be needed.

In the cooking process, not only the ratio of rice and water during cooking, but also the duration of the heat treatment is of great importance. If you don’t finish the porridge or, on the contrary, overexpose it, then the taste can be very different. In addition, if you want to cook, for example, sushi, then raw or overexposed cereal will not be suitable for this. Therefore, you should take the cooking process very seriously.

Depending on the variety, the rice cooking time may be:

• long grain - 15-20 minutes;
• round - 15-20 minutes;
• steamed - 20-30 minutes;
• brown - 30-40 minutes;
• wild - 40-60 minutes.

It is worth noting that this data is only true if you are cooking in a saucepan. When cooking, for example, in a slow cooker or in a pan, the time can be very different. Some people even use a microwave to cook.

When using various kitchen utensils, the cooking time for rice can be as follows:

• pan - 15-20 minutes;
• double boiler - 30 minutes;
• slow cooker - 20-30 minutes;
• microwave oven - 20 minutes.

Before starting to cook rice porridge, it is necessary to take into account all the above nuances. Only having done everything correctly and in full accordance with the cooking technology, you can count on a good result. If at least some mistakes are made, then the product will simply be spoiled and not suitable for cooking.

Instant Packaged Rice

What is so special about it? An innovation in the food market are instant cereals. They are sold in small bags that are designed for a single meal.

Among the main advantages of these products are the following:

1. Easy to prepare. Many people are interested in the question of whether to wash rice before cooking. The answer is quite simple: the usual yes, to remove excess starch, and bagged can be prepared immediately, since it is washed at the factory before packaging.
2. The packaging is made of environmentally friendly and safe materials, thereby achieving a long shelf life of cereal crops.
3. Instant cereals are already fried and steamed, so their cooking takes much less time.
4. The products contain only natural ingredients. Manufacturers do not use any artificial and potentially dangerous food additives, flavor enhancers, or preservatives.
5. Porridge turns out perfectly crumbly. It is very difficult to achieve such a consistency on your own when cooking ordinary cereals.

Cooking steamed rice takes a little time, however, specific numbers depend on a particular variety of cereal crops. For example, long grain and round will be ready in about 14 minutes, and brown in almost half an hour.

How to cook instant cereals?

Cooking rice in bags is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. A package of cereal is placed in a pan and filled with cold water so that it floats in it.
2. The liquid is brought to a boil over high heat.
3. We add water to taste.
4. Reduce the heat to a minimum level, cover with a lid and continue to cook until the cereal is ready.
5. We take the bag of porridge out of the water, wait until the liquid has completely drained, and cut it.

That, in fact, is all, the cereal is ready, it can be eaten or used to prepare the planned dishes. Here, many may wonder whether rice should be washed after cooking. If you cooked porridge in the classical way in a pan, the answer is yes, because otherwise it will stick together. As for instant cereals, they turn out perfectly crumbly and no washing is required.

Secrets of Skillful Cookers

Today it is not difficult to find them. Recipes for cooking rice can be found in almost every cookbook, of which there are simply a huge number. One of the most famous is the work of William Culinard, who devoted his life to the study of the gastronomic art of various countries of the world.

Her rice cooking is described as follows:

1. We prepare the necessary ingredients. To make porridge, you need 3 parts of water and 2 cereals.
2. We take a pan with a thickened bottom and a well-closing lid that does not let out steam. This is very important, because here lies the whole secret of cooking.
3. Pour the necessary amount of water into the dishes, set fire to the gas and wait until it boils.
4. Pour the cereal, cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes.
5. After the allotted time has passed, turn off the flame and, without opening the lid, wait another 12 minutes. Only after that the rice will be ready.

This cooking method is one of the best, since the porridge is very crumbly. Should rice be washed after cooking with this method? No, because the grains will not stick to each other. Just add the butter, salt, season with your favorite herbs and enjoy the divine taste of the best cereal in the world.

Cooking rice in a pan

So, what are the features of this process? No matter how strange it sounds, rice can be cooked not only in a pan, but also in a pan. It can be assumed that this method came to our country from China or some other Asian country, since it is there that they prefer to use woks for preparing the vast majority of dishes.

The recipe requires the following ingredients:

• rice - 500 g;
• table salt - 10 g;
• butter - 100 g;
• water - 750 ml.

When everything you need is at hand, we prepare in the following order:

1. We take a frying pan with high sides and heat it on fire.
2. We put the butter, wait until it melts, pour the cereals and fry for about three minutes, stirring constantly so that the grains do not burn.
3. Salt to taste and pour water.
4. Reduce the heat to a minimum, cover with a tight lid and cook for about half an hour. It is forbidden to lift the lid during this time, because this way you can ruin everything.
5. At the end of cooking, open the pan and mix porridge well.

How much does rice increase when cooking in a pan? About twice, so you have enough to feed a large family and still leave for breakfast. However, porridge turns out to be so friable, fragrant and tasty that hardly anything will remain of it.

The traditional way of making cereals

The classic method is to cook loose rice in a pan. It has been used for many centuries by our ancestors for cooking. To cook cereals you need to take water and porridge in a ratio of 2 to 1, as well as a little salt to give it a taste. Not sure when to salt the rice when cooking? It does not matter, as this will be described later.

So, we proceed directly to the cooking process. The first step is to rinse the cereal. Simply pour it into a colander and rinse thoroughly under running water until a clear liquid begins to flow.

Then pour the rice into the pan and pour it with the required amount of water. We set fire to gas and set the flame level to maximum. Immediately add salt to taste and optionally a little olive oil. As soon as the water begins to boil, the fire is reduced to a minimum, and the pan is covered with a lid.

Cooking rice for a side dish takes about 15-20 minutes. As in previous cases, it is forbidden to lift the lid until the end of cooking. After this time, the fire turns off, and the rice is left for another 10 minutes, after which it can be laid out on plates and served.

How to cook a round type of cereal?

We already know if rice is soaked before cooking. This is necessary in cases where you are waiting for guests and there is no time for cooking. Rinse the cereal and fill it with cold water for half an hour. As for the proportions, you can use those that were described above. Then drain the water, rinse the cereal again, pour the cereal into a clean bowl, pour boiling water and simmer over low heat. Immediately add salt and a little butter to enhance the taste of future porridge. When all the water has completely evaporated, the dish is ready and it can be removed from the stove. To prevent rice from being digested and not burnt, use a glass lid that allows you to control the cooking process.

Cooking a side dish in a multicooker

Features of this process. The invention of such a household appliance as a crock-pot has greatly simplified the life of housewives, since it cooks food almost independently. Human participation remains minimal. All that is required of you is to put the necessary ingredients in it and choose the appropriate regimen.

Cooking rice in a slow cooker occurs in the following order:

• cereal is washed;
• rice is poured into a bowl and filled with water in a ratio of 1 to 2;
• salt is added to taste;
• porridge seasoned with herbs;
• the "Porridge" mode is set.

On this your participation in the cooking process ends. After you press the Start button, the grits will start to cook. When the porridge is ready, the multicooker will turn off and will notify you with a sound notification about the end of cooking. Everything is very fast, simple and convenient. Similarly, cooking rice for pilaf can also occur. You buy all the ingredients that are listed in the recipe for this dish, put them in the multicooker bowl, start the “Pilaf” mode and after a while you will get hot. Incredibly tasty and aromatic dish.

How to cook rice for sushi?

The method of cooking cereals for cooking rolls is different from all the methods described earlier in this article. The thing is that rice should not be friable, but, on the contrary, stick together, therefore, the method of heat treatment is used differently. Immediately it is worth noting that not any cereal is suitable, but a special Japanese one, which can be purchased in many Russian stores. It contains an increased amount of gluten, so that the grains stick together.

In addition to the cereal itself, the following components will also be required:

• water;
• rice vinegar;
• sugar;
• salt.

When you buy everything you need, you can start cooking. The process occurs as follows:

1. Rinse the rice very thoroughly. This is one of the most important aspects when cooking it for sushi.
2. Take a pan with a thick bottom and pour cereal into it.
3. Pour in water so that it completely covers the cereal.
4. Cover and simmer until all the water has completely evaporated.
5. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand for about 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, pour rice vinegar into a deep plate and add a little salt and sugar.
7. Pour the prepared solution into a pan with rice and mix well.

After all the procedures done, the cereal will be well molded and keep in shape, so you can please your loved ones with excellent homemade sushi.

General tips and tricks

Rice porridge is a very healthy and dietary dish, so you can quickly satisfy your hunger, without harming your own figure. Therefore, any woman should be able to properly cook this grits.

If you have not learned how to do this, then the following tips and tricks will help you:

1. It is best to cook any cereals, including rice, in dishes with thick walls and a thickened bottom. This is necessary so that the porridge is cooked more evenly both from below and from above. If you use pans with a thin bottom, then you have to constantly interfere with the porridge throughout the preparation. In addition, it will not be crumbly, but simply stick together in a single lump.
2. No matter what cooking method you use, strict proportions are mandatory.
3. Before cooking, the rice must be washed in order to get rid of excess starch, which, by the way, in this cereal contains a fairly large amount.
4. During the heat treatment, adhere to the temperature regime. This cereal can withstand high degrees only at the very beginning of cooking, so after boiling water, the fire must be reduced to a minimum. If this is not done, then you will not get a tasty porridge, but some obscure sticky mass, unsuitable for eating.
5. During cooking, periodically taste the rice to taste. He must be fully prepared. If, when cracking grains, you find a solid center, then the cereal is not ready yet - it needs to be added. And if they are soft, then you can remove from the heat, but you need to let the porridge stand with the lid closed for about 10 minutes. During this time, she will reach full readiness.

That, in fact, is all. On this topic proper rice cooking in compliance with all cooking technologies is fully disclosed. If you strictly follow all the tips and recommendations that were given in this article, then you will certainly be able to cook incredibly tasty rice served in the best metropolitan restaurants. To make the cereal tasty, do not forget about when to salt the rice when cooking.

Remember that cereals must be included in the diet of each person, as they contain a huge amount of nutrients.