Somewhere in my memory someone is saying that rice is difficult to cook right. I have no idea who planted that idea in my head, but until my early 30's pasta was always on the menu, but no rice. Oh, sure, the occasional Minute Rice side dish, but never the Real Deal.
I'm here to tell you that nothing could be easier to prepare than plain white rice. It goes with everything, even "pasta" sauce if you're out of the traditional spaghetti noodles. If you have limited space, you'll be pleased to know that perfect rice does not require a special rice cooker - a simple sauce pan will do just fine.
You've probably looked at the instructions on the rice package, listing the recommended rice/water ratio. You may have used those measurements and ended up with something that approximates what you were expecting to end up with. Or maybe, like me, you got a pot full of mush that was inedible. Maybe, like me, you gave up and ate a lot of pasta. Maybe you bought a rice cooker and quit thinking about it at all.
The first thing to learn about cooking rice is to ignore the instructions on the bag. There are just too many variables for it to work every time. Approximate quantities will be given, but rely on your own common sense.
Pour about 2 cups of cold water into your saucepan. Add 3/4 cup of rice and plunk it on the stove -
Turn the burner up to High. Yes, really. When it starts to boil, turn the heat down to between Low and Medium and give it ONE STIR with a fork - don't overdo the stirring, just enough to mix it up so it won't stick.
Keep an eye on it while you prepare the rest of the meal. Even with old rice it has never taken 30 minutes to cook, so keep that in mind as you plan the menu. Here you see that I've added a bit of soy sauce to the pot -
Adding sauce to the water is a great way to add some punch to the finished dish with no effort. Continue to watch the rice - if it looks dry, add water 1/2 cup at a time until it's done through. As soon as it has finished cooking, take it off the burner and cover the pot if you're not serving it immediately.
So, what do you do with plain white rice? The possibilities are endless!
Go as simple as possible and eat it straight up.
Add butter, salt and pepper for a simple, lo cal snack.
Add tomato juice or crushed tomatoes with some cracked pepper and a bit of salt.
Top with veggies of all kinds, or any type of meat for a side dish.
Save it in the fridge over night for Pork Fried Rice tomorrow.
Top with curried veggies or meat for an Indian inspired dish.
Mix it in with simple burrito filling and wrap with a tortilla for a portable meal.
What is your favorite way to dress up plain white rice?
More complicated rice recipes to follow...
I'm here to tell you that nothing could be easier to prepare than plain white rice. It goes with everything, even "pasta" sauce if you're out of the traditional spaghetti noodles. If you have limited space, you'll be pleased to know that perfect rice does not require a special rice cooker - a simple sauce pan will do just fine.
You've probably looked at the instructions on the rice package, listing the recommended rice/water ratio. You may have used those measurements and ended up with something that approximates what you were expecting to end up with. Or maybe, like me, you got a pot full of mush that was inedible. Maybe, like me, you gave up and ate a lot of pasta. Maybe you bought a rice cooker and quit thinking about it at all.
The first thing to learn about cooking rice is to ignore the instructions on the bag. There are just too many variables for it to work every time. Approximate quantities will be given, but rely on your own common sense.
Pour about 2 cups of cold water into your saucepan. Add 3/4 cup of rice and plunk it on the stove -
So, what do you do with plain white rice? The possibilities are endless!
Go as simple as possible and eat it straight up.
Add butter, salt and pepper for a simple, lo cal snack.
Add tomato juice or crushed tomatoes with some cracked pepper and a bit of salt.
Top with veggies of all kinds, or any type of meat for a side dish.
Save it in the fridge over night for Pork Fried Rice tomorrow.
Top with curried veggies or meat for an Indian inspired dish.
Mix it in with simple burrito filling and wrap with a tortilla for a portable meal.
What is your favorite way to dress up plain white rice?
More complicated rice recipes to follow...
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