For many people, cooking rice can be a bit of a challenge. From knowing the ratios to cooking times, sticky, congealed rice is a common problem for many. But Good Food has shared a simple guide to follow, which involves two simple rules in order to get the best results.
The experts said: “Rice is cooked in millions of households every day, and it’s one of the world’s staple foods, but it’s a dish that some people think they’re incapable of cooking correctly. Cooking rice is easy, provided you follow a few simple rules and choose the right method for your rice.
“Do this and we guarantee that you’ll never make a clumpy, sticky or glutinous mess again.”
The experts said there are two simple rules to follow in order to achieve the best rice.
They said: “Firstly, measuring rice by volume makes it easier to judge how much water to add. Secondly, never stir rice as it cooks, or it will break up and turn sticky.
“In some recipes, a knob of butter or a spoonful of oil is often added at the start to help separate the grains before they cook.”
As well as using these tips, the experts recommended rinsing certain types of rice before cooking it, including basmati.
They added: “Basmati needs to be rinsed before cooking to get rid of any excess starch and then boiled or cooked by the absorption method. Brown rice needs more water than white rice to cook and takes longer.
“Soaking it in cold water for at least 30 minutes and up to several hours will help cut the cooking time.”
For basmati and all kinds of white rice, the experts recommended a ratio of 1:2 when cooking on the stove. So this would mean for every cup of rice, you add two cups of water.
This quantity can easily be doubled or tripled for larger portions; just make sure you’re using a big enough pot.
If you’re cooking white rice on the stove, it will take 20 minutes from start to finish, but basmati cooks best if soaked for 20 minutes before.
If you’re making brown rice, it can take longer compared to white rice, so allow 30 to 40 minutes.
You can also cook rice in the oven, which will take around 35 minutes.
