Cooking rice like pasta

[Hulamoon]

I never really ate rice before I moved to Hawaii. I only had it when my dad would make a box of Uncle Bens. I've been here for 40 years and learned how to use a rice cooker with the measurements etc. I did the occasional stove top with the 'measurements' when a hurricane came thru.


Lately my rice (especially short grain brown, or hippie rice lol) has been really dry, overly chewy or burnt on the bottom. What happened? Couldn't figure it out and I wasn't going to get out the pressure cooker for one cup.


So I happened to see someone cook it like pasta. Oh my gosh it changed my rice life. I found it wasn't uncommon, but here in Hawaii everyone has at least one, more like three cookers.


No measurements, lids or fuss. Just a pot of salted water, as much rice as you want and a timer for what kind of rice it is. Ask me 'where have you been'? lol

[KPH]

That's good to know. My Grandma's friend would wash and look her rice like I'd look a bag of dried beans. She said it got rid of the excess starch. I think cooking it like pasta would do the same thing.

[bakermom]

Interesting.
My rice was always a bit iffy. Then I got a microwave with a rice setting that actually gave me perfect rice. Sadly it died and the replacement gives disappointing results. pretty much gave up until I tried rice in my instant pot, oh so nice.

[chelea]

Here's what I do to make white rice (only Uncle Ben's, never generic store brand): 1 part rice to 2 parts water, salt as you wish, boil until you see steam vents, turn to low, cover and simmer 10 min. Perfect rice every time.

[Bubby]

I never really ate rice before I moved to Hawaii. I only had it when my dad would make a box of Uncle Bens. I've been here for 40 years and learned how to use a rice cooker with the measurements etc. I did the occasional stove top with the 'measurements' when a hurricane came thru.


Lately my rice (especially short grain brown, or hippie rice lol) has been really dry, overly chewy or burnt on the bottom. What happened? Couldn't figure it out and I wasn't going to get out the pressure cooker for one cup.


So I happened to see someone cook it like pasta. Oh my gosh it changed my rice life. I found it wasn't uncommon, but here in Hawaii everyone has at least one, more like three cookers.


No measurements, lids or fuss. Just a pot of salted water, as much rice as you want and a timer for what kind of rice it is. Ask me 'where have you been'? lol

So Lorie, do you just boil it and drain it? How long for well-done rice?

[SuzanneOrleansOntario]

We have a rice cooker which we used mostly when we used to make our own sushi. Now it sits like other appliances unused.

First , DO NOT COOK rice in a pressure cooker with the lid on. All manufacturers warn against this as it can block the vent and well, bad things can happen.

Most of my rices I buy, I use 2 cups water or liquid to one cup rice. Sometimes I rinse it but not always. I add a tbsp butter and sometimes spices or 2tbsp dried vegetable soup mix. I bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover with lid and cook for approx 10 mins. If liquid is all evorated I stop it and remove from heat.

Now you talk of hippie rice, I find some of these take longer, but same proportion 2 cups liquid to one cup rice. It's like most GF pastas, they don't ever go really soft. Somebody must have designed it that way - maybe better for us. Haha

My favorites are Basmati rice and Jasmine Rice.

[Granny Fran]

My nana always boiled her rice and drained it. I find steamed rice more to my liking however.

[Hulamoon]

So Lorie, do you just boil it and drain it? How long for well-done rice?

Pretty much. I looked at a ton of blogs and this one worked for me.
http://pinchmysalt.com/how-to-cook-perfect-brown-rice/

One blog said to cook the short grain brown 45 min. I thought that's kind of long. I started at 25 like some said, but sure enough I liked it at 45. I actually spaced and forgot to check at 40, which would of been enough probably.

When draining I thought this is soupy and no way was it going to turn into fluffy rice. It was perfect. Some rice recipes like Mexican are toasted first and cooked in a tomato type water. This isn't going to work for that. Nothings perfect. lol

[URIBARRI-MAYOR]

In my country rice is a great companion of both meat and fish dishes, but we have a special dish that we call "paella" and it is cooked in a kind of pan with two mangoes called "paellera", the paella can take vegetables, meat, fish or seafood and is very popular throughout Spain. Whit respect to the cooking time it is usually twenty minutes and another twenty of rest so that all the liquid is absorbed by the rice, which must have twice the liquid than of rice, so that a cup of rice corresponds to two of broth or water, and the fire should not be very strong. In my country competitions are held to see who makes the best paella and professionals come from all over the world. Here I put some pictures of paellas, one of them is from my town and you can see the river and the bridge that connects the two parts of the town, I hope you like the pictures and thanks for looking

[Patty J]

Uribarri, Thanks for posting the pictures. I was in Spain for a short time and tried some paella's and I've not found anywhere else where it tastes as good as I had in Spain. Thanks Pat