I’m always up for learning new cooking methods and techniques…and my friend Sally from New Jersey has taught me an amazing trick to ensure that I cook perfect rice…every time.
I’ve never been happy with any method I’ve tried. The rice always came out overcooked, gummy, and totally unappetizing. Then Sally told me how to make sure my rice comes out perfect. Separate grains…with no gummy chunk of white starch stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Now I’ll admit I’ve even “tweaked” Sally’s method just a smidge. So here’s how I do it.
Usually, the recipe on the bag of long grain white rice says to use one part rice and two parts water…but not me. I do one part rice, and about 1/4 cup LESS LIQUID than the two parts recommended. (For example, I would use one cup of raw rice and 1 3/4 cups of liquid.) And if I’m making a savory dish I almost always use broth, stock, or bouillon instead of plain water as the cooking liquid. More flavor equals better rice as a side dish. (I use beef, chicken or veggie stock…depending on what I’m serving with the rice…and I always throw in some chopped fresh herbs if I have some on hand…or even some dried herbs will work in a pinch.)
I cook the rice tightly covered for about ten minutes. Then I remove the pan from the heat and fluff the rice with a fork…and here’s the COOL part that Sally taught me: Fold two or three layers of paper towels and place them under the lid of the pan. Replace the lid…and let that fluffed, almost-cooked rice sit covered with the paper towel liner and tight fitting lid for about ten minutes.
That folded paper towel absorbs all the extra moisture that usually falls back down into the pan and makes the rice clumpy and overcooked. It’s like magic! Then all you have to do is fluff again with a fork…and serve! And be sure to check out this recipe for Sally’s Rice Pilaf when you’re looking for an alternative to plain rice or potatoes. You’ll LOVE it! (I know I do!)
So if making that pot of perfect rice has been a challenge for you as it has for me…try Sally’s trick.
And you’ll soon be adding Perfect Rice to your arsenal of Perfect Recipes!
i am definitely going to try this one!!- Thanks to Sally too!
Thanks Linda…I think you’ll like it!
Great! Thanks Linda!
Funny, I’m just now getting to this blog. I’ve been on a Fried Rice Kick for the past week or two for some reason. I use the rice cooker my Daughter gave me many years ago and have had good luck with it. I think she bought it for me when we were living in Indonesia and I used it a lot and then put it away and forgot about it most of the time. I too, have learned to use less water and what I do is fluff the rice after the auto switch goes off and then I just leave the lid completely off and let it finish air drying, but that’s because I’ve so far used it for rice I will be putting in fridge for the next day or so for Fried Rice. I had my ginger paste (out of the new squeeze tubes I now buy for spices), garlic, etc. whatever I’m using for seasoning. Works great, but if I want hot rice I’ll try this other method. Thanks
Thanks Margie! I hope this method makes cooking rice easier!
Patty …,,,glad you love the rice and thanks for the nice comments …
Happy all can enjoy- Sally
Thanks again Sally! I think of you every time I make rice! (And now I use the same method for quinoa too!)
I need to know the asian way to make ham fried rice. I do i with cooked rice that is cooled or done the day before buti my sis in law insists it must be done according to her Viet. foster son who is over 50 now. He says to put the raw rice in with the chunks of ham and whatever, and cook it covered at first, and I’m assuming with some liquid but maybe not, then stir fry. I don’t know how that gets done. Mine does not come out gummy as she thinks it would.
Hi Mary Ann! Thanks for your question. I am not an expert on Asian cooking by any means, but I have found if I saute raw rice in a tablespoon of cooking oil for a few minutes before adding liquid my rice stays more firm and the grains are separate. I have used cold cooked rice to make fried rice too, and that method works too. I think your best bet would be to try it both ways and see which works best. I do find it helpful to read similar recipes online to see the techniques used by other cooks. Thanks again, and please let me know which method works best for your ham fried rice dish. (It sounds delicious!)