PrintRice
There are some things that I just can't cook successfully. My baking skills are getting much better, but only after loads and loads of practice. I just can't do rice. It always ends up hard or mushy or burnt or some other kind of horrible. An inability to cook rice well is horrible because it also leaves out the making of paella and risotto. Speaking of which (and getting to my question), what kind of rice are you supposed to use for risotto? Is it short grained rice and if so, will the kind of rice I use for sushi rice work?
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9 Comments:
Risotto is best with arborio rice, a fat, short-grain rice with a very high starch content that creates the "creamy" sauce. Difficulty in making traditional "steamed" rice (e.g., where you bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and wait for the liquid to be absorbed) should NOT affect your ability to make a traditional risotto. The techniques are completely different.
For "regular" rice, I'd buy one of those huge, ultra-cheap bags of ordinary store-brand long-grain rice. The kind that's like 10 lbs for $3 (or some such). Then, I'd just practice, practice, practice. So cheap, you can just toss it each batch until you get it down pat. (or feed it to the dog)
Once you hit the groove, you'll wonder what the fuss was about. Try out different pans, different burners, less/more liquid, less/more time, whatever. Make any adjustments to the basic instructions one at a time so you'll know which thing made the difference when it's good!
A heavy-bottom, straight-sided saucepan -- one that's fairly narrow -- typically is best suited to rice cooking in my experience. Also, as small a pan as will contain the final product (too big a pan tends to cause burnt and/or undercooked rice).
Very acceptable option for "regular" rice... electric rice cooker. Can also be used for hot cereal, steamed vegetables, etc., etc., etc.
LoCo at 8:21PM on 04/12/08
I always cook the same amount of the same kind of rice, in the same amount of water, in the same pan, on the same burner, and it always turns out .... the same!
I always make more than I need becasue it keeps well.
srhcb at 8:27PM on 04/12/08
The other "trick" I use to cook rice is as soon as it's done, (the water has all been absorbed), I remove the pan from the heat, quickly insert a clean linen towel between the pan and lid, and let it sit 10-15 minutes. Then remove the cover and fluff it with a fork.
srhcb at 8:30PM on 04/12/08
For true risotto, you should only use arborio rice, as LoCo said, carnaroli rice, or vialone nano rice. Any of these three varieties will produce a good risotto. However, each one has it's proponents, who claim that that variety will give superior results.
Nicholas H at 9:24PM on 04/12/08
Try making it in the oven. Use 1 cup of long-grain (jasmine, basmati, etc)rice for every 2 cups of water. Add salt if you like (I do). Stir it once, cover it with foil, and put it in a 400 degree oven for around 30-45 minutes (for 2 cups of uncooked rice, 4 cups of water). At that point, take it out and try a few grains for doneness. It turns out perfectly every time, and it's easy.
beth1 at 9:40PM on 04/12/08
My wife's from London and has a unique (at least to me) and foolproof way of making rice. She measures nothing. She buys bags of parboiled rice, pours some into a saucepan, covers it with water and brings it to a full boil. Shut off the heat and put the pan in the sink an turn the tap water on,running into the saucepan, till the water runs clear out of the pot. Pour off most of the water, just leave it about 1/4 inch above the rice and bring it back to a boil. when all the water's evaporated, the rice is perfectly done and dosen't stick at all!!!!!
onepercent99 at 11:32AM on 04/13/08
Many, many times, I've wished for a gas stovetop. However, I think the electric is easier to regulate for something like rice? I've never had a problem cooking it and do it the same way every time. If you cook with gas and can't make rice, I'll bet an electric rice cooker would solve your problem. Unless you're making risotto, of course.
PerkyMac at 11:42AM on 04/13/08
@PumpkinBear -- a great resource for learning about food items is the Cook's Thesaurus. It is one of my go-to sites when I want to find out more about an ingredient. It also provides substitutions for when you don't have just the right item in your pantry. On rice, it says: (better if you go to the site as many terms are lined to other entries with more detail.)
Equivalents: 1 C whole grain rice = 1/2 pound = 1 quart of cooked rice
Rice is the most important food crop in Asia. It can be cooked whole and served with stir-fries, sauces, and curries, or made into flour, wine, cakes, vinegar, milk, flakes, noodles, paper, and tea.
Rice is classified mostly by the size of the grain. Long-grain rice is long and slender. The grains stay separate and fluffy after cooking, so this is the best choice if you want to serve rice as a side dish, or as a bed for sauces. Medium-grain rice is shorter and plumper, and works well in paella and risotto. Short-grain rice is almost round, with moist grains that stick together when cooked. It's the best choice for rice pudding and molded salads. Other specialty varieties include Spanish rice for paella, glutinous rice for sushi and rice balls, and risotto rice for risotto. Most varieties are sold as either brown or white rice, depending upon how they are milled. Brown rice retains the bran that surrounds the kernel, making it chewier, nuttier, and richer in nutrients. White rice lacks the bran and germ, but is more tender and delicate. It's less nutritious than brown rice, but you can partially compensate for that by getting enriched white rice. Brown rice takes about twice as long to cook as white rice. Converted rice is beige. It tastes a lot like white rice, but it has more nutrients. Instant rice is white rice that's been precooked and dehydrated. It's convenient, but expensive and bland.
kjgibson at 3:52PM on 04/13/08
SE recently ran a piece about preparing rice:
How to Cook Rice
It attracted lots of comments. Looks useful.
piglet at 5:46PM on 04/13/08