Rice is something that’s so basic yet can be difficult to get right. My instructions are for stove-top rice cooking only. Here, I explain the steps and provide some illustrative photos.
I generally eat brown rice, but the process is really the same for all types of rice, except maybe wild rice, which isn’t actually rice (it’s a grass). For each cup of rice, use 2 cups of water and salt to your liking. The only difference is that brown rice takes about 25-30 minutes to cook, while white rice typically takes 15-20. Most packages will tell you to cook brown rice for 40-45 minutes, but I’ve found this to be unnecessary. 30 is really all you need. The trick with rice is to make sure you have the stove at the right heat so that the water doesn’t evaporate too fast. Otherwise, your rice might burn because it will start sticking to the bottom of the pan. Also, if the heat is too high, the water will evaporate faster than the rice can absorb it, which is the whole point of cooking rice anyway. Check out the steps below:
- Bring the water to a boil. Once the water boils, add the rice and about a 1/2 teaspoon of salt per cup of rice, stir, and then turn down the heat to medium/medium low. You want the rice to still be boiling, but just slightly. Once you turn down the heat, cover the pot. If you don’t, the rice won’t absorb the water.
- Time your rice starting when you cover the pot. When the rice is nearly done, it will look something like this:
When all the water is absorbed, your rice is done:
Taste to make sure the rice is tender. Brown rice will be a bit chewy, white rice softer.
This is my cat, Helios, after he ate some of this rice. I think that’s a happy look….
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