Five Ways to Cook Rice

There are generally five different methods for cooking rice: stovetop – pilaf – risotto – steaming – boiling; and each produces very different results. Which cooking technique to use, depends upon the dish you want to make and kind of rice you have on hand. Does this mean you may want to make a particular rice dish but cannot for you do not have the right rice? Yep, for each technique requires particular rice properties, to produce its own unique appearance, aroma, texture, and flavor.

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Regular Stove Top Rice

This is the way I usually cook my every-day rice.

• Select from my stash of organic rice, and put the measured amount in a colander.
• Rinse rice under running water to remove excess starch and arsenic. Swizzle the rice with my fingers until the water runs from cloudy to clear.
  • Unless I am using specialty, starchy rice for sticky, risotto, or sushi. Then I do not wash, but may do a quick ~10 second rinse.
• Easiest to use is a rice to water ratio of 1C rice to 2C water (.5C more water if brown rice).
• I then lid the pot, and bring the water to a boil for ~5-10 min depending upon the rice.
  • Do not lift the lid until everything is cooked.
• Then reduce heat to a low simmer and let it gently cook ~15-20 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, and let the lidded pot stand for ~5-10 minutes.
• Only then do I take off the lid and, using a wooden spatula, fluff the rice and serve.

I carry a large variety of rice at home in my pantry and they are kept in glass, tightly lidded containers. Rice can get old and mealy, so I only carry enough to do a dish or two when the muse calls for a special dish, flavor, or color.

• White aromatic long grained: Jasmine and Basmati need a 1:2 ratio (rice to liquid) and are perfect for rice pilaf. I use these mainly for Thai and Indian food and always have both on hand.
• While long grained: This is a general and neutral rice that works well with highly spiced toppings. I use a 1:2 ratio of rice to liquid.
• Brown long or short grained: Brown rice is nutty in flavor and requires longer cooking times (~30 minutes) and a 10 minute resting time. I do not like brown rice, but acknowledge it is more nutritious than white and I do carry a bit to have on hand as my spouse prefers its chewiness. Rinse and soak this rice before cooking.
• Wild rice (not really a rice but called that): This is an aquatic grass with an edible grain that is long, nutty, thick, and rigid. I hardly ever cook this alone, but will mix it in with other rices to add texture and flavor for it is chewy and earthy. This rice has fewer calories and more protein than brown rice. For me a little bit of this goes a long way and sometimes it is really good in a pilaf.
• Wild Minnesota Paddy Rice: This American Wild rice grows in lakes and creeks, and is a culinary and cultural part of Ojibwe tradition. Its color varies from lake to lake, but they all cook into curled ringlets that pop in your mouth. The green rice needs to be roasted first, then dried for proper storage. And once cooked the various versions of Paddy rice all turn a milky-brownish color. A unique heritage of America.
• White short grained: Sushi, Arborio, sticky rice are specialty rices I have on hand for sushi, sticky rice and risotto recipes.
• Green short grained:
  • This is usually a short-grained white rice infused with fresh bamboo juice for flavor. The rice retains its green color after cooking and remains moist and sticky.
  • But there is a naturally occurring green type grown in Japan by Mr. Shimura in Odawara that when mixed with regular white rice will result in green sprinkles in the cooked rice.
  • In Mexican green rice, the white rice is unfused with pureed green herbs and peppers to make the color.
  • In Vietnamese green rice, it is immature rice kernels that are greenish in color.
• Purple (forbidden) rice: This rice has more protein, iron, and antioxidants than white or brown rice and is a medium-grained, non-glutinous heirloom rice with a nutty, yet slightly sweet flavor. I have a bit on hand but rarely make it without mixing with other grains for a colorful rice dish. This rice has been noted for higher arsenic levels so rinse and soak.
• And yes, I do carry a large variety of rices in my pantry.

Rice Pilaf

This first dish is a pilaf, which means sautéing aromatics with the rice, before cooking in a broth, to create a seasoned rice with fluffy and defined rice grains. This is great for long grained basmati or jasmine rice that have their own flavors to enhance the dish.

• Wikipedia: Pilau or pilaf is a rice dish of South Asian, Central Asian and Middle Eastern origin.
• Many websites state pilaf is a traditional Turkish dish often served as a side to meat.
• Pilaf dishes are relatively dry, and can be made from many differing types of grains (1).

Traditional Pilaf

The basic method for making a rice pilaf is:

• Select rice, and put the measured amount in a colander.
• Rinse rice under running water to remove excess starch.
• Swizzle the rice with your hands until the water runs clear.
• Add 1-4T butter or veggie oil into a hot skillet (with good fitting lid) to sauté the rice with desired aromatics until you can smell the spice and the rice turns tannish. Keep mixing the rice, do not burn.
• Add the broth (homemade is best), mix with a pinch of salt.
• Lid the pot to bring to a boil and do not lift the lid until everything is cooked.
• Then quickly reduce heat to a low simmer and let it gently cook ~15-20 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, and let stand for ~5-10 minutes.
• Then take off the lid, and using a fork, fluff the rice to break any clumps.

Turkish version (Sehriyeli Pilav) mixes pasta, usually orzo, with a short white grained rice. So the steps for this variation are:

• Select rice, and put the measured amount in a colander.
• Rinse rice under running water to remove excess starch.
• Swizzle the rice with your hands until the water runs clear.
• Meanwhile add ~1-4T butter into a hot skillet (with lid) and sauté orzo pasta and rice with desired aromatics until you can smell the spice and the pasta/rice turns tannish. Do not burn and mix well so each pasta and rice grain has some butter on it.
• Add the broth (homemade is best), mix with a pinch of salt.
• Lid the pot to bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to a simmer and let cook ~15-20 minutes.
• Take off the heat, and let stand for ~5-10 minutes.
• Then using a fork, fluff the rice to break any clumps.

Tomato Basil Pilaf

This is a one pot meal that I served with some baked, skinless chicken thighs.

• 1 1/2T Avocado oil heated up in a stovetop pot.
• 3 minced garlic cloves.
• 1/2 diced red onion.
• Add 1 1/4t dried basil.
• Sauté until fully aromatic, but do not burn.
• 3C long grain white Basmati rice.
• 3T tomato paste.
• 1t sweet or normal paprika (not smoked).
• 1t organic sugar.
• Sauté the rice and fully mix in the paste and spice.
• Add 2C homemade chicken broth.
• Lid and bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer ~20 min.
• Set off the flame for ~10 minutes to steam and cool a bit.
• Then take off the lid and add 2 chopped tomatoes (best if you de-skin the tomatoes).
• Finally add 1C finely julienne basil.
• Serve immediately.

Risotto Rice

Wikipedia writes that risotto is a northern Italian rice dish and is one of the most common ways to cook rice n Italy. It is also known as a dish that takes time and patience to cook. The end result is a very creamy rice dish that usually features one veggie or mushrooms.

Traditional Risotto

• Select rice, usually Arborio short white grained rice and rinse, but do not wash the rice, in order to retain all its starchiness.
• Heat 7C homemade broth, usually chicken or veggie mushroom and keep it below a simmer.
• Add 1-2T butter into a heavy bottomed sauce pan to sauté diced shallots (or yellow onion) until translucent.
• Then add 1-2T butter sliced shiitake mushrooms until they have cooked down a bit and are coated in butter.
• Add aromatics and seasoning: e.g., 2 cloves minced garlic, thyme, salt, pepper.
• Then add the 1.5C arborio rice into the pot and mix well so the fat touches all the grains of rice, and produces an aroma, but only toast for a minute or two.
• Then add 1/4C dry white wine (or vermouth) and stir until the liquid is absorbed. The heat under the rice pot should produce a medium bubble and the other pot of broth should continue to be hot.
• From this point on, add ~1C hot broth into the rice mixture and stir until liquid is absorbed. Then add another 1C broth, stirring until absorbed, then more broth, etc. This goes on for ~20-30 minutes.
• Once it tastes done, al dente, take off the heat for ~3-4 minutes.
• Then add 2T of butter, 1C grated Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mix well.
• Plate and top with a bit of diced parsley or fresh thyme, and chives.

Key for this dish is patience, it may feel like its been hours but this process should only be ~20-45 minutes.

Make sure the liquid is completely absorbed before adding more or it could become just mush. I tend to not stir constantly as I have tasted gluey risotto before, but I do stir, just at a slower rate to make sure nothing burns.

If it looks like my stock is getting low I try to have 1-22C water nearby to add to the stock and heat it back up.

Also, I do have a umami powder I made from grinding dried mushrooms, so if my risotto needs a flavor boost I may add a pinch or two of that powder. Although a bit more salt rectifies the problem usually.

Steaming Rice

What makes this process so great is that you rarely, if ever, burn the rice. But critically, if you just need one serving this is a great way to cook just what you need in the bowl you will eat from.

• St1eam long to medium grain: 1C raw rice will serve 1-2 people, using 1C rice to 2C water.
• Sticker short to medium grain: 1C rice to 1-1/4C water.

Traditional Rice Steaming

• Place rice in a bowl with water (1C rice to ~1.5C liquid) and presoak for ~30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, set up your steamer and turn the stovetop on to boil the water.
• Drain the water from the rice, and place rice in a heat-proof dish with fresh cold water, and place the bowl in the steamer and lid.
• Steam for ~20 minutes, then turn off the heat, but keep the steamer in place on the stovetop.
• Let the steaming continue for another ~5 minutes then open the lid and the rice should be ready.

Boiling Rice

If you need to remove as much arsenic from your rice as you can, follow this technique. Most important is that when the rice is done, you dispose of the cooking water; do not reuse.

Traditional Boiling

This is a way of cooking rice as if it were pasta, which is a good technique for brown or wild rice. Reportedly, boiling rice will retain most of the nutrients phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, zinc and manganese; but will also result in the loss of water-soluble nutrients (starch and protein).

1. Select rice, and put the measured amount in a colander.
2. Rinse rice under running water to remove excess starch.
3. Swizzle the rice with your hands until the water runs clear.
4. Fill a pot with salted water, keep it un-lidded, and bring to a boil.
5. Maintain that boil until the rice is softened or al dente.
6. Drain the rice through the colander, put back in the pot with the lid to continue to steam ~5-10 minutes.

Parboiling with Traditional Boiling

What makes this process good, is that for high levels of rice eaters this preparation also reduces the amount arsenic in the rice (1 2020), if you parboil first. This slightly modified boiling technique will remove ~54% of the inorganic compound in brown rice, and ~73% in white rice (1 2021).

• Select rice, and put the measured amount in a colander.
• Rinse rice under running water to remove excess starch.
• Swizzle the rice with your hands until the water runs clear.
• Pour the washed rice into a pot filled with salted water.
• Keep the pot un-lidded, and bring to a boil for ~5 minutes.
• Drain the water via the colander down the sink.
• Add the parboiled rice back into the pot with fresh water.
• Bring to a boil and maintain until the rice is softened or al dente.
• Drain the rice through the colander, put back in the pot with the lid to continue to steam off heat ~5-10 minutes.

My Thoughts

Rice Cookers: My issue with rice cookers is that I no longer cook with my food directly touching any aluminum and the interior of all the rice cookers I have seen or used have aluminum baskets. But for cooking a VERY large batch of rice this device is critical to cooking rice without requiring much attention. And usually keep the rice warm without over drying.

Oven Cooking: Again great for serving a large crowd to prepare, plop in the oven and pull out when ready. Must have is a lightly oil-sprayed 4” deep stainless steel (full-sized) steam table pan in which to place 3 quarts rice covered with 5 quarts boiling, salted water. Then move into a preheated 350F over and cook for ~45 minutes. Fluff and serve, unless you want to keep it warm and in that case just lower oven temp to lowest it can go and cover so it keeps its moisture.

Microwave: Place rice, liquid, and fat (bit of butter or oil) in a large (remember rice expands) and uncovered microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for ~10 minutes, then on medium-low for ~15 minutes. Take out, season with whatever you want, fluff and serve.

My hits and tricks:

• I tend not to wash short grained rice used for sushi, risotto (arborio), or sticky rice as I want their starch to support the stickiness or smoothness of the dish. I will rinse them though.
• If you do not wash your rice, you may see lots of foaming as the rice cooks and that gunk will get all over the lid interior and stove and the rice may clump (which makes fluffing even more important).
• If you stir your rice before it is finished it will activate the starch and your rice may become mushy. So leave it until right before serving.
• I try to always add just a pinch of salt (~1/4t) to the water to help with flavor, unless I am using broth which I assume is already salted.
• Certain cuisines favor aromatic rice like Jasmine, Basmati, Texmati and Jasmati. These rice are long grained with a much lower starch content, and are a finer grain than regular long grain rice. These are good for pilaf and steaming as well as regular rice cooking.
• Brown and black rice have higher arsenic levels than white, if grown in contaminated soils. To be safe, rinse and soak the rice and many cooks recommend avoiding rice grown in Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, and China.
• I do recommend organic rice, although that does not mean they do not contain arsenic. But because methane and water use are two of the environmentally damaging effects of rice farming (1).
• I like Lundberg Organic Rice because it is also local.

—Patty

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