boiled rice

[west ham fan]

how can I get nice fluffy boiled rice, when I try it turns out like stodgy cement, help, please

[Eve]

You could tyr steaming it after cooking.

Cook with a bit of oil in so it doesn't stick, cook it slowly on a lower heat, pour into a sieve then place the sieve back over the pan (with an inch of water still in) and let the reice steam while you gently separate it with a fork.

[west ham fan]

thanks, but how much water? is it double the amount of rice say 1 cup rice to 2 cups water, and do I put the rice into boiling water or in the water and then boil ?

[garner]

I know this may be a cop out west ham fan, but I buy microwave rice in the bag it's quick,not messy and always cooked just right. It also save the starchy washing up.g.

[terambulan]

i cup of rice = 2 portions! Try this easy method.

a: 2cups of basmati rice in a pyrex jug.

b: Rinse in cold water till less cloudy.

c: Cover rice to 1inch above in cold water.

d: add little salt and cover jug with cling-film.

Put in MICROWAVE for 15mins. Leave to cool (with cling film still on). You should have perfect savoury rice.

[Jugglering]

I use 1.5 times the volume of water to rice (measure both in a mug or jug first) and add the rice to boiling water. Bring back to the boil and cover the pan. Turn the heat down so that the water is just simmering, then cook for 10 minutes (for basmati rice, brown rice will need longer). Turn the heat off and allow it to sit for a couple of minutes, remove the lid, fluff up with a fork and eat. Not sure if you have one near you, but there is a store called The Range that sells rice steamers - for cooking rice in the microwave. I get perfect results every time in my steamer !

[Eve]

I often microwave rice as well, just cover with plenty of water in a jug :)

You could try varieties to up the flavour like putting some tumeric in for a nice yellow rice.

I sometimes do some mushrooms, peppers, onions etc... in a pan then put some stock in (water and chicken oxo cube and tumeric) in with some rice and seasoning and let the water simmer into the rice for a lovely spanish style rice.

[Jugglering]

One small hint if you do decide to start nuking your rice ....unless you have a really large microwave, don't do huge quantities in it (no more than one cup of dried rice at a time, as terambulan describes) or you may get a large amount of frothy goo to clean up !

[Jugglering]

Sorry, I mean no more than 2 cups !

[west ham fan]

thankyou all very much for your replies I am going to give them a try tomorrow, thanks again

[ethandron]

buy 'tilda' rice, look for it in the supermarket. i've only recently started using it, on the advice of my son, and it's totally and absolutely fool proof and non-cloggyuppy. no need to rinse before or after cooking. and it tastes really, really nice too. i would never buy anything else now, it really is good.

[krollonskye]

WHF
You don't ever need to measure - boil basmati rice in as much salted water as you can for 10 mins - drain and steam (in a colander over the pan with a lid on) for 5 mins - perfect rice every time.................if you are cooking further in advance boil for 8 - steam for 7 - still perfect - boil for 5 steam for 10 - still works XX

[Marg0]

This is an excellent question. I love good egg fried rice and have been working on your question for a while.
For me, the overriding factor is the brand of rice. You pay a lot more for e.g. Tilda basmati, but it is 9 times superior to eg Tescos own.
Second most important is cooking tiime. Get this wrong and the rice bursts its shell, spilling starch everywhere, making it all gooey. Forget it, especially if you are frying it after.
I microwave mine every time, and underdo it, then add some more time until it's al dente.
Also, it seems better to fry it after it's been cooked then stored in the fridge overnight.

[terambulan]

Cheapest basmati is in local asian shops.....they know how to keep prices down......cheaper than the pre-packed in supermarkets! You must WASH (rinse) the rice though, you dont know how or where it was handled and packed! Some growers dont have Brit health standards!

[funnygirl]

I am glad this question was asked as I am crap at cooking basmati rice.

My easy cook rice (long grain) comes out perfectly but cooking basmati for my curries, I virtually have to use an ice cream scoop!!

I will try the ideas mentioned here.

[warpig3]

I have to say I never measure the water I put in! But that said my rice is always fine (well I think so). I put the rice (normally basmati) into boiling slightly salty water, stir once, bring back to boil then simmer until ready. I was told many years ago that it was the stirring of the rice that made it go stodgy, think it released something or other, so no stirring.

When the rice is ready I drain it and pour over some boiling water, seems to work fine for me.

[May1982]

Check out these rice recipes, maybe you'll learn how to make the perfect rice from one of these recipes:
http://www.sutree.com/Learn.aspx?q=rice
Ohh they are all on video - so its fun to learn!

[Booldawg]

Rinsing the rice out after boiling gets rid of alot of the starch. Simply re-heat the rice back up in the saucepan on a low heat. Keep an eye on it, there should still be enough moisture to stop it burning.

Also for people wanting to make authentic Chinese fried rice; Fried rice is impossible to make with freshly boiled rice - the rice needs to be dried off. I find placing it on a baking tray is a good method. Just chuck it in the wok after that with whatever you want to add (egg, soy sauce etc)

[Booldawg]

..I meant to add to the fried rice technique; place on baking tray and dry off in oven on low heat - you get the odd crispy bit :-)

[Whoever]

We always use the old Fanny Craddock method. Put the rice into a large pan of boiling water - (the bigger the pan the better and the more water the better) and boil rapidly for 12 minutes. Drain well. This method always works and you don't have to worry about a small amount of water evaporating and the rice burning in the bottom of the saucepan.

[janetsflower]

I always measure a cup of rice per 2 people, rinse in cold, then put it in pan with same quantiy of boiled water, so 1 cup, bring just back to boil, put lid on pan, turn off heat, leave in its own steam for 15 mins and its perfect everytime. Also find a heavy saucepan works best for some reason, i use my Le Creuset one