[Food] Basmati Rice

[Notters]

I always use 1 cup rice and 1 1/2 cups water with the lid on - works perfectly every time.

If you're not doing it with the lid on then you've no idea how much is evaporating (as it depends on the heat source, the pan, etc.) and therefore you have no control.

 

[swindonseagull]

You're married to a rice cooker!

yep

 

[Washboard Didgets]

We signed up to Hello Fresh in January and most weeks have had a meal with Basmati Rice in.

The instructions have so far had two different methods.

A – for accompanying asian style dishes (Thai / Indonesian etc)
• Measured amount of cold water and rice* into a saucepan with a pinch of salt
• Put lid on and bring to the boil
• Once boiling turn the heat down to minimum and simmer for 10 minutes
• After 10 mins turn off the heat and leave for another 10 minutes with the lid on
• Then fluff up with a fork and serve

B – for dishes where the cooked rice will be stirred into a dish (Chicken Fried Rice / Pilaf etc)
• Boil an unmeasured amount of water in kettle/saucepan
• Add salt and rice to boiling water and cook for 12 minutes
• Drain in a sieve and add to dish/put back in pan and cover with a lid

*for two people 150g of rice and 300ml of cold water

Never rinsed rice before, and certainly couldn't get on board with running rice under the cold tap for minutes as some on this thread do, what a waste of water!

 

[birthofanorange]

Never rinsed rice before, and certainly couldn't get on board with running rice under the cold tap for minutes as some on this thread do, what a waste of water!

I don't see it as a waste, as it gets rid of all the excess starch, which I really don't want. A couple of minutes until the water runs clear, is all it takes.

 

[CheeseRolls]

We signed up to Hello Fresh in January and most weeks have had a meal with Basmati Rice in.

The instructions have so far had two different methods.

A – for accompanying asian style dishes (Thai / Indonesian etc)
• Measured amount of cold water and rice* into a saucepan with a pinch of salt
• Put lid on and bring to the boil
• Once boiling turn the heat down to minimum and simmer for 10 minutes
• After 10 mins turn off the heat and leave for another 10 minutes with the lid on
• Then fluff up with a fork and serve

B – for dishes where the cooked rice will be stirred into a dish (Chicken Fried Rice / Pilaf etc)
• Boil an unmeasured amount of water in kettle/saucepan
• Add salt and rice to boiling water and cook for 12 minutes
• Drain in a sieve and add to dish/put back in pan and cover with a lid

*for two people 150g of rice and 300ml of cold water

Never rinsed rice before, and certainly couldn't get on board with running rice under the cold tap for minutes as some on this thread do, what a waste of water!

Do you end up with a scummy layer on top of the boiled water? Avoiding this is the reason for washing the starch off the rice before cooking,

 

[birthofanorange]

Do you end up with a scummy layer on top of the boiled water? Avoiding this is the reason for washing the starch off the rice before cooking,

It gets rid of any nasties, too, which is why I always rinse vegetable and salad stuff, as well.

 

[goldstone]

Is he our new striker?

That's better!

 

[Jim in the West]

Great to see this thread rapidly approaching 100 posts

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Buy - Pre-cooked pack, tear back corner, put in microwave for 2mins, let stand, put on plate. No problems and secondary benefits of no pan to clean and you’ve saved on gas/electric billl.

My sentiments exactly albeit you did forget the satisfying thud as the rice falls over in the microwave after 30 seconds of cooking.

 

[Adders1]

Can anyone help with cooking Basmati Rice?
Always ends up sticky gooey mess.
Today rinsed in water 8 times before cooking, still ended up the same.
Tips you NSC cooking gurus.

Buy brown basmati
Put rice in cold saucepan
Add water so it’s just covering the rice
Bring to boil on highest heat
As soon as it boils add a lid and turn down to lowest heat available
Cook until no water left
Leave to rest for 10 mins

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Rice cookers are not expensive (and cheap often better than the expensive which doesn’t go for many things). I grew up in UK but surrounded by Asian friend’s parents and they all had. Made rice actually appealing and obviously live off the stuff half the time over here though generally with dishes from the region not local (shhhhh don’t tell any extended family).

If you think you’d get enough use from one they are super easy to use and less effort/watching plus cleaning than saucepan method. Some fancy ones can be used for steaming other things but I haven’t yet gone down that route and stick to my classic plain rice with effort put into the accompanying stuff.

 

[ANdy1]

My sister had a trip to India, and she gave me a Basmati rice from it. Actually I had some problems with cooking it too, sticky rice was always a huge problem. The main secret is to get rid of starch, which is difficult. Now I wash it for 7-8 times and then I leave it in the water for an hour. I can repeat this process, if I don't like the water color.

 

[perseus]

Declan Method

Can anyone help with cooking Basmati Rice?
Always ends up sticky gooey mess.
Today rinsed in water 8 times before cooking, still ended up the same.
Tips you NSC cooking gurus.

Boil in the bag - who doesn't use TBags now?

 

[perseus]

Best - use Chef Select potatoes from LIDL

 

[keaton]

Rice cookers are not expensive (and cheap often better than the expensive which doesn’t go for many things). I grew up in UK but surrounded by Asian friend’s parents and they all had. Made rice actually appealing and obviously live off the stuff half the time over here though generally with dishes from the region not local (shhhhh don’t tell any extended family).

If you think you’d get enough use from one they are super easy to use and less effort/watching plus cleaning than saucepan method. Some fancy ones can be used for steaming other things but I haven’t yet gone down that route and stick to my classic plain rice with effort put into the accompanying stuff.

Yes they're really good as you can just forgot about the rice and concentrate on your curry/chilli/ stirfry etc but also they can keep your rice warm and perfect to eat for hours

 

[Mr deez]

A couple of minutes rinsing is a huge waste of water, and totally unnecessary. As is a rice cooker, my wife has one but it's only ever been in the loft for the past decade.

As others say, 1 rice to 1.5 water, bring to boil, turn to low heat with lid on for 15 mins then heat off and leave for a couple of mins. I use a Gu pot as a measure.