This Is The Best Way How To Cook Rice
Inside: Are you wondering how to cook rice that comes out perfect all the time. Find out what steps you need to take to say goodbye to mushy or clumpy rice, and hello to fluffy and perfect every time.
How to cook rice is up there with “how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop ®”.
I look at cooking rice the same way I look at bowling. Bowling’s easy, right? I mean all you have to do is roll a ball down the ally and knock down the pins. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Well, the same should hold true for cooking rice.
In reality, both are very easy; however, you can’t blame the bowling ball for ending up in the gutter and you can’t blame the rice for being mushy and clumpy.
Unfortunately, it’s always a user error.
The great thing about user error is, we can fix it. Once you know what you’re doing, everything else seems to fall into place. You then look back and realize you are stressed over nothing.
With that said, let’s get on to learning how to cook rice.
When it comes to cooking the best rice, if you’re looking for the easy way out, stop reading, and buy yourself a rice cooker. Amazon has a slew of them to choose from.
If you’re up to the challenge of kicking butt and making the best darn fluffy rice you’ve ever eaten (which I know you are), you’ll want to continue reading.
What’s the best way to cook rice?
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There are many different ways to cook rice. If you want the easiest way to cook rice, you’ll want to invest in a rice cooker. Amazon has a ton of them. If you’re more of the “I don’t need no stinking rice cooker to cook my rice” type of gal, then the best way to cook rice would be on the stove.
The key to cooking perfect rice is the ratio of water to rice
Before we begin, not all rice is created equally. Always refer to the package instructions, and follow the rice to water ratio denoted on the package.
If the package says 1 part rice to 1.5 or 2 parts water, in layman’s terms that means:
Either ½ cup rice to 1 cup water or 1 cup rice to 2 cups water, etc..
For the example below, I will be using the 1-to-2 ratio.
This is how you cook rice on the stove
How To Cook Perfect Rice On The Stove
- 1 cup of rice
- 2 cups of water
- Boil 2 cups of water. Bring it to a rolling boil.
- Place 1 cup of rice in the saucepan
- Cover with the lid and turn the heat down to simmer for 15 minutes. No peeking, no stirring. Put the lid on, set your timer, and move on.
- After 15 minutes, remove it from the heat and let it sit for an additional 5 minutes.
- When the 5 minutes are up, you can peek, stir, and enjoy your delicious rice.
This is how you cook rice in the microwave
Before I explain how to cook rice in the microwave, you’ll want to make sure your microwavable bowl is deep and pretty large. The rice will expand and the water will boil over in the microwave. If the bowls are too small, mushy rice will be the least of your problems.
Have you ever cleaned up rice water? It’s gross. It’s thick. It’s starchy. It’s a pain to clean, so make sure your bowl is of adequate size.
How To Cook Perfect Rice In The Microwave
- 1 cup of rice
- 2 cups of water
- Boil 2 cups of water
- Place 1 cup of rice and all of the boiled water into a deep microwave-safe dish.
- Leave the dish uncovered
- Microwave on high for 12 minutes (this figure is for microwave ovens that are 1100 watts)
- Remove from the microwave and let it sit for 5 minutes.
The time it takes for rice to cook depends on the rice
On average, the time it takes for rice to cook is between 15 and 25 minutes. Some types of rice will take longer. Long grain rice can take anywhere from 30 minutes to close to an hour.
Do you cook rice on high or low?
When you’re cooking rice, you’ll want to boil the water on high, then reduce the heat to simmer. If your stove’s dial doesn’t have the word “simmer”, you can always set your stove to “warm” or the lowest number setting on the dial.
How do you make rice not sticky and fluffy?
Technically, rice is supposed to be a little sticky. The reason rice is sticky is due to the starch.
When the water flows through the grain of rice it releases the starch, making the rice sticky. The shorter the grain, the more starch it releases; hence, making your rice sticky.
This is why short-grain rice is used in Sushi.
How do you cook rice so it’s not mushy?
The best way how to cook rice where it won’t come out looking like mushy oatmeal is to rinse the rice first.
To do this, simply put your uncooked rice in a large bowl. Fill it with cold water and swish the rice around in the water. You can use either your hands or a spoon.
How to fix your rice if it comes out too mushy?
Here are three ways to salvage your mushy rice.
One. Take the rice and place it on a microwave-safe plate or baking dish. Set the microwave on high for 2 minutes. Do not place a moist paper towel or anything over the rice.
Two. Drain the excess water from your rice. Place it back on the stove with no lid. Place the heat on low. You’ll want to keep tabs on the rice. This works, but it’s more time-consuming, and there’s a possibility you’ll forget about it and burn the rice and your pot.
Three. Fill a small bowl with salt. Place the bowl in the pot you cooked the rice. Leave it there for around 15-20 minutes. The salt should absorb the excess water.
The last thing you need to know about how to cook rice is to stop worrying so much if it turns out a little mushy or sticky. You can always turn it into yummy rice pudding.
Your turn
What issues have you encountered when cooking your rice? Share in a comment.
Stay Peachy!
