rice

[4getmenot]

I can never cook rice without it coming out a bit wet. stodgy and sticky. My bloke wants me to do him some special fried rice. I think it would just be a sticky mess

[indianwells]

You'll be fine if you use cold cooked rice and pre-cook your egg into a thin omelette then roll up and slice finely before adding at the end.

[4getmenot]

Ok what if I�m doing hot rice to go with a chilli how do I make it less stodgy?

[chazza]

Do you use basmati rice? It is very sticky, try switching to brown rice instead

[4getmenot]

its just white long grained rice

[indianwells]

Rinse it cold water two or three times until the water is clear before cooking. This gets rid of a lot of starch which causes the stickiness. Also don't overcook the rice.

[Fitzer]

For this method you want twice as much water as rice by volume, so if you weigh your rice you want to pur it into a measuring jug afterwards so you know how much you've got. Wash the rice thoroughly in cold water in a sieve, put a teaspoon of oil in saucepan and heat, add rice, stir round for a minute and then add twice as much boiling water as you have rice. Cover tightly, reduce heat to a minimum and cook for 15 minutes without peeking. At end remove lid and check that all water has been absorbed, you should have fluffy, dry rice. If any water is left increase heat with lid off whilst stirring for a minute to get rid of it.

[mccfluff]

hun i'm truly crap at cooking rice i would cheat and get it from the takeaway :-) - i have done this, cooked a curry and then legged it down the road for the rice, they think i'm barmy in my local chinese!

[4getmenot]

cheat

[joannie10]

I personally think you cant go wrong with uncle bens rice - never had that stodgy. Seemingly though as previously mentioned rinsing rice first is advised. I dont think they are too expensive but my friend swears by a rice cooked.

[hammerman]

Buy decent rice first of all. But when i've used cheaper stuff, i've cooked it, drained it and then poured a kettle of boiling water over it to get rid of the starch....seems to work.

[~Wingnut~]

I was going to suggest Uncle Ben's rice too. It's the only rice that doesn't go stodgy on me. I am a school cook and have tried others but Uncle B's is the best so far.

[mumof3angels]

I could never cook rice properly until I saw Delia do it on telly. her method is to use double the amount of water to rice.( I use a measuring jug and usually find that 6 fl oz of rice is about the right amount for 2 -3 people.) Put that in a pan, boil water in a kettle and measure twice the amount of boiling water (i.e 12 fl oz.) Add a pinch of salt, cover the pan and turn the heat to its lowest setting ( do not lift the lid). After 15 mins the water should have evaporated so take the pan off the heat, lift the lid and cover the pan with a teacloth, leaving again for 15 mins. By this time you should have perfect rice. I've done this ever since I saw her and the rice has been perfect ever since. I've also found that the best rice I've used is Tilda basmati rice, but even supermarket own brands have been lovely.
Hope this helps.

[emaleigh]

I find the best way to get non stodgy rice is to rinse it with boiling water after you've drained it when its cooked, even works when you've overcooked it and its soggy

[BBWCHATT]

Foolproof White Rice

1 cup (or any measure) Rice
2 cups (or the same meaure you used for Rice)

Put it in a pot.
Bring it to a boil.
Turn off the heat - but leave it sitting there.
Put a tight lid on the pot.
Leave it alone for 15 to 20 minutes.
Do not look at it, do not lift the lid, do not stir it - leave it alone.
After 15 or 20 minutes - take the lid off and fluff with a fork.

[wired]

try videojug, their egg fried rice is great, I usually add some mushrooms to it.www.videojug.co.uk

[johnizere]

tried a microwave?
grab yourself a microwave rice cooker thing (cooks other things as well).
my method.....half a cup of rice, enough for two, usually basmati, soaked and washed till water is clear, only 5 mins..put in cooker, cover with plenty of boiling water. microwave on full power for one minute, then microwave on 50% power for 6 minutes, check rice is cooked, another minute 50% if not. rinse with boiling water and leave for 5 mins. always turns out perfect for me. I challenge anyone to beat it (except BBW of course).

[butterfly23]

I wash the rice until the water runs clear, and soak it in water for about 15 mins. They way I measure the amount of water is by resting my little finger on top of the rice and filling the pan with enough water to reach the first join in my finger.

Then add some salt and a tsp of oil, and cook on a high heat until the water is just bubbling on the surface of the rice (most of it will have evaporated). Then cover and simmer on a low heat for about 10 mins. You can left the lid to check, if the rice looks like its going to be undercooked by the time the water has evaporated add a little boiling water.

[chinois]

As other people have instructed you on the rice part i'll tell you the fried rice method.
As indianwells says, you need to start with cooked cold rice, never warm (or it will turn to mush).
Heat a frying pan/wok on high heat then add about 3tbs oil.
Throw in some finely chopped onion/spring onion and then the rice (dont fill the pan too much though or you wont be frying it).
After a couple of minutes you'll see it getting cooked, then turn the heat down to medium and make sure all the rice is hot.
Take off the heat and season with a fair amount of salt and a tbs of toasted sesame oil. Add peas if you want. Dont add soy sauce, it's too watery.