Things You've Always Wanted To Know

[Mr. Tea]

haha

ok, here's one: what's the best way to cook rice? i have my own methods but want to see other people's first.

First, buy your rice: when I cook it I usually have it with a Thai(ish) curry, so I get the special 'Thai glutinous rice' you may be able to find in a Thai/Chinese/Viet grocer's if you have one nearby. Trust me, it's much nicer than it sounds. Then I measure out a portion, rinse it in a sieve, and put it in a bowl. Then pour on boiling water so there's about 1cm of water clear above the rice, give it a stir, cover with a small plate and leave for 5 mins. Then stir it again, re-cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes...stir again and top up with hot water if it looks like it's drying out too much...re-cover and zap for a further 3 mins. Voila! Perfect sticky rice like you get in an actual Thai restaurant.

 

[zhao]

haha

ok, here's one: what's the best way to cook rice? i have my own methods but want to see other people's first.

first i find some decent rice for free download. just kidding.

i also like sticky, but dont usually do the thai kind, but japanese "sweet rice", and mix it with the normal stuff half and half or 1/3 - 2/3 depending on mood. sweet by itself is good, but you tend to get sick of it if you eat it every day.

a rice cooker is great, i had one before, and you would just put it on in the morning and it cooks and stops and keeps it warm so when you get back at night you have fluffy rice all ready.

but without the luxury of that, i just put twice the amount of water and the rice in a pot, and put it on low level heat, and its done in like 10 or 20 minutes depending on amount.

my system actually doesnt handle wheat so well (always gas when i eat too much bread - source of endless amusement for the GF), so i eat rice pretty much every day...

sometimes if there is nothing else around for breakfast, ill heat up last nights left over rice and... HAVE IT WITH PEANUT BUTTER AND SUGAR. because im just a wild man like that.

 

[don_quixote]

isn't reheated rice really bad for you?

 

[Mr. Tea]

isn't reheated rice really bad for you?

Only if it's been allowed to go off in the meantime - there are some seriously poisonous fungi that can grow in it, but nothing that's going to appear in 24 hours in a fridge.

 

[zhao]

what i never heard any such thing about rice growing up in china? fungi? reheating? what?

 

[Mr. Tea]

what i never heard any such thing about rice growing up in china? fungi? reheating? what?

Well I'm sure if anyone knows about growing, storing and eating rice, it's your lot. What I mean is, if people know the right way to use the stuff then the subject of what happens when you get it wrong isn't so likely to come up, see what I'm saying?

But even so... http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1298606

 

[Spike]

Traditional Chinese method

haha

ok, here's one: what's the best way to cook rice? i have my own methods but want to see other people's first.

The best way to cook rice, as endorsed by the vast majority of Chinese/Thai/Vietnamese/etc...: (the key is a tight fitting lid, as the objective is to steam the rice, not boil it)

1. Measure out rice, taking note of how many bowls/cups/whatevers
2. Rinse rice to get rid of dust/excess starch. I generally rinse it out in a sieve, but just rinse + draining a few time in the pot you're going to end up cooking it in works too. Try and get as much water out as possible on the last drain so that you can measure the amount water correctly (ignore this if using the "knuckle" method for measurement)
3. Add water. I personally try and measure it accurately, usually 3 parts water to 2 parts rice works for most types of white rice; a little more for brown rice, sushi rice or sticky rice. Alternatively use the "knuckle" method - point your index finger and then have your nail just touch the surface of the rice, then fill to the first knuckle (roughly an inch above the level of the rice)
4. Put on a high heat until the water just begins to bubble. Cover tightly (use a cloth to stop up any holes if your lid has one), then move to the lowest heat possible on your hob. DO NOT OPEN THE LID FROM THIS POINT ONWARDS UNTIL DONE. Cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
5. Turn heat off, again, do not be tempted to open the lid as this will release steam, and then let rest for 10 minutes or until you are ready to serve
6. Open, fluff with fork - perfectly steamed rice (hopefully)

It may take a couple of times to perfect the initial cooking time and the amount of water needed - each different batch and type of rice absorbs water differently, but I've yet to have a bad batch of rice using this method... sorry if it seems long winded, but that's basically how I've been taught to cook rice by the Chinese side of my family

 

[Spike]

Also reheated rice is fine as long as it's cooled down enough before going in the fridge. In Singapore (where it's way more humid) most people will not reheat rice the next day but use it for fried rice, but over here I've just reheated rice the next day (and sometimes even the day after, but I wouldn't recommend it) and have yet to die from anything

 

[Mr. Tea]

Now THAT^^ is a good first post.

 

[zhao]

there are many ways to get a perfect result. i never even use a lid at all!!! and it comes out great every time. thats why twice the water.

and the reheating dangers i seriously have never heard of. in my family we have always put the rice in the fridge whether its cooled down or not, and reheat it in the pot or the microwave the next day, the day after that, the day after that, until it goes bad.

 

[Slothrop]

Cheers for the tip Slothrop, I may well get round to brushing up on some of this stuff, or learning it in the first place even, when I've got my thesis corrections done and sorted out a proper job.

Academic job or job job?

Re rice, I've met an incredible number of people who say that they tried loads of methods from different cookbooks, friends, experimentation etc but it never came out right until someone told them the One True Method For Cooking Rice Properly. But no two of them have the same One True Method.

I go with well rinsed rice, then add 1 knuckle joint's depth of water over the rice and boil it fast until the water is at about the same level as the top of the rice. Then stick on a lid and stick it on the lowest heat possible for 10-15 minutes. Pretty similar method really. But I'm tempted to get a rice cooker.

 

[mistersloane]

a rice cooker is great, i had one before, and you would just put it on in the morning and it cooks and stops and keeps it warm so when you get back at night you have fluffy rice all ready.

Like Zhao says, buy a rice boiler, seriously. They're only like 25 quid and it's the best purchase you will ever, ever make. You just bung in rice and water (wash the rice out in cold water first until the water runs clean, like Spike says), switch it on and it comes out perfect every time. I must have used mine twice a week for the past 10 years. I don't know of anything in the world that's better value.

 

[don_quixote]

ok, here's mine;

basmati rice, wash in a sieve under a running tap. add to boiling water for 15-20 minutes, remove from heat, drain excess water and cover with a clean tea towel and leave for a few minutes.

 

[Client Eastwood]

heat oil, fry tumeric, garlic, ginger etc
add chilli and frozen mixed veg
add washed basmati rice and stir
double the water
cover, lowest heat
20 mins
serve

can be kept in the fridge, add a splash of water and cover to reheat in a microwave.

 

[STN]

Like Zhao says, buy a rice boiler, seriously. They're only like 25 quid and it's the best purchase you will ever, ever make. You just bung in rice and water (wash the rice out in cold water first until the water runs clean, like Spike says), switch it on and it comes out perfect every time. I must have used mine twice a week for the past 10 years. I don't know of anything in the world that's better value.

Bastard to wash though, i assume?

 

[zhao]

Bastard to wash though, i assume?

no! it has a separate steel pot which goes into the cooker, and the rice goes into that.

i used to have one of these (who else makes the best electronic gadgets but the japanese)

and this thing you just take out and wash afterwards:

and that stuff about the fungi, i don't mean to sound like it necessarily does not exist just because my family has never heard of it... i'm the first to admit that it's very possible that many things people take for granted, passed down from old cultures, are complete bullshit.

 

[polystyle]

You guys !
The missus was just this minute giving me refresher on 'use of the Zojirushi rice cooker'.
Being she's just got bk from Japan , there's a suitcase half full of all kinds of food,
including the nice rice + packages ( rice plus mushrooms, veggies , different flavors , also with chicken or meat if one likes ).
We eat rice almost every day when both are in the house.
Just getting ready to start this batch, it's been sitting for a few minutes and cooker is ready to turn on.
Salmon from the J store and rice coming up ...

If rice goes bad - you can tell !

 

[swears]

I just get the boil in the bag 'cause I'm a lazy bastard, ha ha.

 

[zhao]

You guys !

there's a suitcase half full of all kinds of food,
including the nice rice + packages ( rice plus mushrooms, veggies , different flavors , also with chicken or meat if one likes ).

what i miss is the japanese spice mix with sea weed and other things that you sprinkle over the rice... there are hundreds of different flavors... one of my fave is the wasabi. you know what i'm on about rite??? that stuff is so good.

Salmon from the J store and rice coming up ...

ok i'll be over in a minute turn down the music so you can hear the buzzer

 

[polystyle]

Got an open suitcase here on living room floor,
chock full of that stuff Zhao ...
She buys on last day in Tokyo, cheaper in Japan -and always a new blend.
Then the guys come and pick up her suitcases and bring to Narita so they are there waiting for her.

And yeah good reco -the music IS a bit loud over here !