I'm a rice idiot.

[specialmama]

Please tell me about rice. I've used Minute Rice and all kinds of brown and long grain rice, but only in a rice cooker. Now I want to make Cabbage Roll Casserole, and the last time I made it with Minute Rice it turned out okay, but I'd rather use REAL rice. :tongue_smilie: My dh just asked me on the way to the grocery store, "what kind of white rice?" ummm... I dunno... the white kind? :confused: Let me ask the Hive...

 

please help me be a recovered rice idiot. :D

[KristinaBreece]

We like Jasmine rice. It's kind of sticky, like the steamed rice from a Chinese restaurant, and it's fragrant.

[Wendi]

My family prefers short-grained, sticky rice, like our favorite Han Kuk Mi (a Korean variety) or Calrose. I've never tried it in a casserole, though. I've always used plain old long grain white rice or brown rice in casseroles.

 

I don't have a rice cooker. I just follow the directions on the bag.

 

Wendi

[Unicorn.]

The white kind will work just fine, lol! I buy whatever is the cheapest usually.

[Skadi]

I buy long grain, and the only way I've been able to cook rice consistently is by baking it using this recipe. I'm not sure if it's the altitude or our stove, but baking it seems to be the only way to get it fluffy and evenly cooked.

[misidawnrn]

I usually buy the cheap long grain white rice. Here is a quick, no measure way to cook it.

Pour your rice in the bottom of your pan. I use a 3 qt pan and pour about 1 inch in the bottom. Rest the tip of your pointy finger on the top of the rice. Now put cold water over the top just until the water comes between your first and second knuckle on your pointy finger. Turn heat to high and boil. As soon as its boiling cover and reduce heat to low/2 (if your stove has numbers) Sometimes I put the fork tines between the lid and the pot just to vent it. Cook on low for 20 mins and it is done! Fluff with a fork.

[Rivka]

I use either jasmine or basmati rice. I use two parts rice to three parts water, so for my family (2 adults, 2 little kids, all rice lovers) that works out to one cup of rice and 1.5 cups water.

 

Put the rice and water and maybe some salt in a covered pan, bring it to a boil, and then turn the heat down low and let it cook for 20 minutes or so. Easy peasy.

[specialmama]

We like Jasmine rice. It's kind of sticky, like the steamed rice from a Chinese restaurant, and it's fragrant.

I actually have jasmine rice... but it turned out a wee bit soggy in the rice cooker so I was afraid it would turn to mush in the casserole. Maybe I added too much water? Is it supposed to be a bit fragile?

 

My family prefers short-grained, sticky rice, like our favorite Han Kuk Mi (a Korean variety) or Calrose. I've never tried it in a casserole, though. I've always used plain old long grain white rice or brown rice in casseroles.

 

I don't have a rice cooker. I just follow the directions on the bag.

 

Wendi

I wish I could "just follow the directions"! HA! Me and rice do not get along. :lol: So long grain white rice... I'll see if they have that... thank you!

 

The white kind will work just fine, lol! I buy whatever is the cheapest usually.

Seriously, is white rice a kind? I was sort of laughing thinking that's like saying "orange carrots"... :lol: In my defence, I am a self-proclaimed rice idiot, so if it is a real term, I just didn't know it! :tongue_smilie:

[specialmama]

I buy long grain, and the only way I've been able to cook rice consistently is by baking it using this recipe. I'm not sure if it's the altitude or our stove, but baking it seems to be the only way to get it fluffy and evenly cooked.

Baking it, huh? I'll have to try that! Thank you!

 

I usually buy the cheap long grain white rice. Here is a quick, no measure way to cook it.

Pour your rice in the bottom of your pan. I use a 3 qt pan and pour about 1 inch in the bottom. Rest the tip of your pointy finger on the top of the rice. Now put cold water over the top just until the water comes between your first and second knuckle on your pointy finger. Turn heat to high and boil. As soon as its boiling cover and reduce heat to low/2 (if your stove has numbers) Sometimes I put the fork tines between the lid and the pot just to vent it. Cook on low for 20 mins and it is done! Fluff with a fork.

Oh boy. I think I'd mess that up! I'd be wondering if my fingers were too long! :lol: It does seem easy enough... I might try it next week... no promises though because the finger thing scares me. :lol:

 

I use either jasmine or basmati rice. I use two parts rice to three parts water, so for my family (2 adults, 2 little kids, all rice lovers) that works out to one cup of rice and 1.5 cups water.

 

Put the rice and water and maybe some salt in a covered pan, bring it to a boil, and then turn the heat down low and let it cook for 20 minutes or so. Easy peasy.

 

So Rivka, does your jasmine rice turn out kinda soggy? I'm wondering if I put too much water in the rice cooker or cooked it too long...

[Ellesmere]

 

 

I love both. Brown rice is delicious. I like it with just butter and salt. Or put it in a tortilla wrap with other things for more flavor.

 

I am lazy. I buy my white rice pre-washed and use a rice cooker.

 

ETA: A cooker is not necessary. But I like to have it kept warm through the day and have it often. I haven't made it a lot on the stove top and while it came out fine, I always like it better from the cooker.

Edited April 20, 2014 by CaladwenEleniel

[Rivka]

So Rivka, does your jasmine rice turn out kinda soggy? I'm wondering if I put too much water in the rice cooker or cooked it too long...

 

No, jasmine rice shouldn't be soggy. It will kind of stick together (think Chinese restaurant rice) rather than separating into individual grains, but it shouldn't be soggy and wet.

 

If the rice looks soggy or gluey at the end of the expected cooking time, I let it cook a few more minutes to absorb more of the water, or even just turn off the heat and let it sit, tightly covered, for five minutes or so.

[AngieW in Texas]

I only buy basmati rice. I usually use Mahatma brand.

 

When I make rice, I melt about 1 tbs of butter in a 2 qt pot and then stir 1 cup of rice in the butter until all the grains of rice are coated with butter. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once it's boiling, cover with foil and then put a lid on and reduce heat to low. Cook on low for 20 minutes. Then turn it off and let it sit (still covered, no peeking) for another 10 minutes.

 

This rice turns out perfect every time.

[Virg]

We love jasmine rice and this is how my dad taught me to cook it. It is easy and super hard to screw up plus you don't have to watch it.

 

The ratio will be: 2 parts water to 1 part rice. (We usually use 6 cups of water and 3 of rice but my kids LOVE rice.) We put in the water first and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the rice and stir. As soon as it comes back to a rolling boil stir again, put on the lid and turn the burner off. Let it sit on the burner for 20 minutes. Fluff. That is all :) Hope it turns out well!

[laundrycrisis]

Jasmine rice in the rice cooker. 2 parts rice, 3 parts water. 1 tbsp butter tossed in is optional.

[Matryoshka]

I've never used a rice cooker. I'm always a bit confused in these rice thread as to what's going on with all the rice cooking problems - mine's always come out fine.

 

My mom always used Uncle Ben's, either white or brown. Her rice always came out great.

 

I usually use organic long grain brown rice from the bulk bin at Whole Foods.

 

I put two cups of water in a pot, bring it to a boil, add one cup of rice, turn down to a simmer and cook with a tight lid on for 20 minutes for white (which I never use any more) or 45 min. for brown. I'll often test by putting a knife down the side to see if there's still unabsorbed water, if so, I cook for another few minutes.

 

I have also done the method where you stir/coat with butter first and then add the water and bring to a boil/simmer. Also comes out fine.

 

That's it...

Edited October 4, 2011 by matroyshka

[delaney]

I just love the title....but I buy cheap old white rice and cook it double the water to the amount of rice. Boil, add rice, cover and cook on low. No peeking. I just shut it off when all the water appears to be gone.:tongue_smilie:

[KarenNC]

Brown rice---2 cups water for each cup rice. I put the rice and water in the pot together on the stove, bring to a boil, cover, turn down to about 2 on my electric stove, cook 45 min and it usually turns out fine. Sometimes I do 1 cup rice, sometimes 2 so that we have leftovers. If you want to make fried rice, make extra the day before or so and keep it in the fridge---works much better than freshly cooked rice.

 

While I love basmati and jasmine rice, I can't imagine these in cabbage rolls.

[Heather in AL]

I use long grain white rice in my cabbage rolls (I don't make a casserole, just rolls). All my mother & grandmother used was the cheapy stuff and they would cook it according to the directions on the bag, but would undercook it a bit since it cooks more when rolled & in the oven. Since getting a rice steamer, however, my mother and I have made the rice in that, again just using the cheap white rice and undercooking it a tad.

 

I feel your pain about cooking rice. I always either burn it on the bottom of the pot or it is undercooked and 'soupy'. The lids to my pots always rattle and spit water all over the place, so they get moved around in trying to find a way to situate them differently, resulting in a 'rice disaster' from the loss of steam. I feel like a failure, as cooking rice should not be, and is not, rocket science! :tongue_smilie:

[Lady Florida.]

I grew up on white rice, but now prefer brown. I like the flavor better than that of white. If I do buy white rice, I either get basmati or jasmine. I recently found brown basmati, so I'll probably start buying that instead of white basmati. I've never seen brown jasmine though, and we do like it for some things.

 

I've never used a rice cooker. I always follow the instructions on the bag.

[Amber in SJ]

The only place I cook my rice is in the microwave. If I do it on the stove it either burns on the bottom or comes out crunchy. For plain white rice it goes like this.

 

In a 2qt or larger ceramic pot with tight fitting lid combine rice & water, for my family of six this will be 1.5 C rice to 3 C water. The ratio is always twice as much water as rice, maybe a smidge less water if you like your rice more dry.

 

A splash of olive oil or pat of butter and a good pinch of salt.

 

Cover and microwave 5 minutes on full power. Microwave on 50% power for 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

 

After it comes out of the microwave but before the standing is when I like to stir in freshly chopped herbs or grated citrus peel. Dried herbs or other flavorings go in with the water. Broth can be used in place of the water, but be sure to reduce the salt.

 

I always cook extra plain rice, white or brown, to be used the next morning as breakfast, reheated with milk and sprinkled with cinnamon & sugar. My children like it for lunch with a little pizza sauce stirred in and cheese sprinkled on top for "pizza rice" or a quick fried rice with scrambled eggs and veggies in it. I put rice in my homemade freezer burritos (carne asada or green chile chicken) in my turkey sloppy joes, or in my minestrone style soup. And don't even ask me about sticky rice with mangoes which tops cake as the birthday dessert around here.

 

Now that I think about it this Irish family eats a lot more rice than potatoes.

 

Amber in SJ