[Food] Basmati Rice

[GT49er]

Aaaah, about time we had another one of these.

The main art of rice is pre-washing, not over cooking and draining/rinsing.

5 minute job.

5 minutes? Utter bollox - unless you like eating your rice rock-hard and more-or-less uncooked. Brought to the boil, and then turned down so it doesn't boil over or boil dry, it takes at least 20-25 minutes before ot even starts to properly soften!

...............and that's easy cook, none of your artie-fartie foodie type stuff!

 

[clapham_gull]

5 minutes? Utter bollox - unless you like eating your rice rock-hard and more-or-less uncooked.

I can cook rice in 5 minutes if soaked overnight.

Again depends on the rice.

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[Doonhamer7]

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.

 

[clapham_gull]

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.

Taste like shit though.

It's effectively UHT rice.

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[Seagull27]

All this advice is too complicated - if it's stodgy, you've overcooked it, plain and simple.

Boil the rice in slightly salted water (like tears, not sea water). Once you've got it boiling, keep trying a few grains every minute or so until it's very nearly done - don't let it cook a minute longer. Then drain into a sieve, put the sieve back in the pan (off the heat), put the lid on and leave to steam for 5 mins. Then serve. Easy.

 

[clapham_gull]

Just to reiterate basmati is recoverable unlike other rice by drying in a low oven. If there is too much starch (you forget to soak it) rinse it first.

Even the same variety of rice is incredibly variable. Some basmati is "polished" to remove excess starch and doesn't require much soaking.

My best advice is to perfect a particular brand and try to keep buying it.

Sealing basmati rice really works though, even if you can't be bothered to soak. Fry the uncooked rice in a little oil prior to boiling, preferably with some spices (*) It also gives it a better flavour.

(*)

Green Cardamon
Cloves
Star Anise
Stick of Cinnamon
Salt
Pepper
Bay Leaf

 

[Miami Seagull]

Best and simplest method. Boil a large pot of water. Add the rice, unrinsed and boil for 10 minutes. Drain the rice into a strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Turn the cold rice onto a microwave safe plate and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes. Perfect basmati rice awaits. As an option, add whole cardamom and/or cloves to the boiling rice for aroma.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Using tweezers count exactly 300 grains per person. Rinse each under cold runny tap water. For 3 minutes. Place each grain into a cast iron skillet. CAST iron.

Spray on decalcified water using gourmet chef sprayer, at a volume of 100 microlitres per grain.

Vogue (10-12 minutes).

Add that. Mmmmmm.

Rinse fingers, lightly.

To the skillet, add 500 mg smoked paprika, and one gentle sigh.

Bring to the boil, using sunlight and intensity.

Be at one with the son.

Serve violently using something made of wood.

It's that simple.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Just to reiterate basmati is recoverable unlike other rice by drying in a low oven. If there is too much starch (you forget to soak it) rinse it first.

Even the same variety of rice is incredibly variable. Some basmati is "polished" to remove excess starch and doesn't require much soaking.

My best advice is to perfect a particular brand and try to keep buying it.

Sealing basmati rice really works though, even if you can't be bothered to soak. Fry the uncooked rice in a little oil prior to boiling, preferably with some spices (*) It also gives it a better flavour.

(*)

Green Cardamon
Cloves
Star Anise
Stick of Cinnamon
Salt
Pepper
Bay Leaf

*I find that a little grated Shatner's Bassoon** works wonders

**A cheaper alternative is white chalk dust salvaged from a mathematicians under-blackboard. But avoid geometry dust - often too tangential

 

[Muzzy]

Always pre cook…

Soak rice in warm water for 30 mins
Rinse thoroughly until water runs clear in cold water.
Add rice to boiling water and cook for 4 1/2 mins precisely.
Run under cold water to prevent further cooking of rice, and drain.
Put rice in the fridge until required
Heat in microwave for 4 minutes when required.
This is a fail safe method that will work every single time.

I make Indian BIR style curry at home and use this method for all my boiled rice dishes.

You won’t use any other method after you have followed this one

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Lots of variations on a theme here, but the key point is 2 parts water to 1 rice.
Cook until water has gone and small circles appear on the top of the rice.

the sogginess is caused by overcooking/absorption/stirring

personally i rinse in cold water first until the water runs clear-ish and add a knob of butter to finish, but the 2/1 method is the key.

 

[CheeseRolls]

I watched Madhur Jaffrey cook basmati rice on TV a few years back. Seemed a bit of a faff, but I thought I would give it a go. It works perfectly for me and it isn't really that precise a method.

1 Rinse starch off
2 Soak Rice
3 Add a small amount of oil and optional spices to a deep pan
4 Put the kettle on
5 Stir fry the rice for as long as it takes to boil the kettle, over a medium heat
6 Pour boiling water over the rice, enough to cover the rice plus about 3cm of water - No stirring now until you are ready to serve the rice!!
7 Boil the rice with the lid off the pan on a high heat
8 Wait until the pan is starting to boil dry. The rice should be visible on the surface with water bubbling in the gaps.
9 Take the pan off the heat, put the lid on to seal it
10 Wait 10 minutes

 

[goldstone]

Eight pages and no one has yet asked if he's the new striker we're after?? Come on NSC!

 

[driller]

You’re British - have chips instead.

 

[murciagull]

Buy a rice cooker.

£30 in Argos or Currys or Asda its all Asians use and they are expert rice consumers....( been Married to one for 36 years)

You're married to a rice cooker!

 

[el punal]

Is he our new striker?

 

[madinthehead]

Never had a problem with consistency.
I use 1.5 water to 1 rice.
I add the rice to the cold water and boil.
I boil until the water level is just covering the rice. Can also add a small knob of butter at that stage too..
Cook on a very low heat with the lid on for about 15 minutes.

 

[lost in london]

It took me a long time to find a way to do this properly. You will thank me.

Pre wash the rice. Running cold water for a few minutes. Not sure how much this really matters but the idea is to wash out some of the starch and reduce the gooiness.

1 cup of rice. to 1.25 cups water (yes - less water is key to avoiding the goo)

Add a small amount of oil to a saucepan with a tight fitting lid and get really hot then pour in the correct amount of boiling water. Get it really boiling and then tip in the washed rice.
Keep boiling hard without stirring until the water is nearly gone. Holes appear in the top of the rice

Put onto a VERY low heat and slam the lid on.
Leave for 15-20 mins. Test and fork through.

It will be perfect.

Edit: or as above us rice cooker if you have one, 1:1 water to rice. Will be equally perfect

Very similar to our technique. We don't bother with oil, and take it off the heat once the water is almost boiled off.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Shirley each and every one of these splendid suggestions cannot produce the perfect accompaniment.

 

[Baldseagull]

This is the correct way to cook rice.

I don't know why everyone is making a meal out of it.

What else do you cook rice for?