Rice is a simple, nutritious and tasty food able to satisfy the palate and the spirit. Rice is extremely versatile, in fact it can be enjoyed alone or in addition to other preparations, as a side dish or even as a dessert. This food can be cooked in many different ways, but the most used are boiling in water and steaming. One of the secrets to obtain a soft and well-grained rice is to rinse it with plenty of water before cooking to remove excess starch. This preliminary step is essential, regardless of the method you have chosen to cook the rice.
Ingrediants
Cooking in the pot
2 servings
- 500 ml of water
- 3 g of salt
- 15 ml of extra virgin olive oil (optional)
- 185 g of rice
Cooking in a pressure cooker
4 Servings
- 370 g of rice
- 700 ml of water
- 6 g of salt
- 5 ml of extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Steam cooking
2 servings
- 185 g of rice
- 250 ml of water
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Cooking in the Pot
Step 1. Soak the rice in plenty of cold water and rinse it before cooking
Pour it into a large bowl and cover it completely with cold water. Let it soak for about 30 minutes so it can release excess starch. After the indicated time, transfer it to a colander to drain the remaining water. Rinse the beans carefully with plenty of running water for about a minute.
This step is essential to obtain a soft and well-grained rice and serves to remove impurities and above all the excess starch, which is the cause why the grains tend to stick to each other
Step 2. Boil the cooking water
Pour about 500ml of water into a medium saucepan. Place the lid on and bring it to a boil using medium heat. Remember that you may need to change the proportion of water and rice based on the type of rice. Use the following guidelines to calculate the amount of water needed to cook a cup of rice (185 g):
- In the case of long grain white rice, medium or small grain brown rice (or brown rice) and in the case of wild rice use 500 ml of water;
- In the case of a long grain brown rice or jasmine, use 410 ml of water;
- In the case of a medium grain or basmati white rice use 350 ml of water;
- For small grain white rice, use 300ml of water.
Step 3. Slowly boil the rice by adding salt and oil
When the water has started to boil, remove the lid from the pot and add all the ingredients listed, then mix thoroughly. Bring the water back to a gentle boil using medium heat. At this point, cover the pot with the lid again and lower the heat to low. Continue cooking for about 18-30 minutes, depending on the type of rice you have chosen.
- The white rice varieties require a cooking time of about 18 minutes;
- Brown rice requires prolonged cooking of about 30 minutes;
- Until the time comes to check the cooking, do not stir the rice and do not remove the lid from the pot;
- The rice is cooked when the grain is still firm but tender, and is not crunchy under the teeth.
Step 4. After cooking, let the rice rest
When it is cooked, remove it from the heat and let it rest in the pot for at least 5 minutes without removing the lid. This step is used to complete cooking, so that the beans can absorb the remaining moisture and be tender on the palate.
You can let the rice sit for up to 30 minutes, so it can take full advantage of the residual heat and moisture
Step 5. Before serving, mix the rice gently using a fork to shell the grains and make it soft and airy
Alternatively, you can also use a kitchen spatula. This step also serves to release residual moisture and dry the rice. After mixing it, let it rest for another 2 minutes before serving. Rice is an extremely versatile food that can be used as a side dish, as an ingredient in another preparation or as a complete dish by adding spices and vegetables.
You can keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, protected in an airtight container
Method 2 of 3: Pressure Cooker Cooking
Step 1. Soak the rice in plenty of cold water and rinse it before cooking
Pour it into a large bowl and cover it completely with cold water. Let it soak for about 30 minutes so it can release excess starch. After the indicated time, transfer it to a colander to eliminate the remaining water. Rinse each grain carefully with plenty of running water for about a minute.
This step is essential to remove impurities and especially excess starch, which is the cause why the grains tend to stick to each other
Step 2. Pour all the ingredients into the pressure cooker
Add the rice, salt, oil and 700ml of water. If you want to get a tastier and more fragrant rice, you can add the aromatic herbs, spices or condiments of your choice. Here are some ideas:
- Chopped garlic (fresh or dry);
- Chopped onion;
- Bay leaves;
- Fresh or dried herbs, such as parsley, rosemary and thyme
- Cayenne pepper;
- Paprika (sweet or spicy).
Step 3. Cook the rice in the pressure cooker
If you are using an electric pressure cooker, close the lid according to the instructions provided, lock it in place and set a high pressure level. If you are using a classic pressure cooker for use on the hob, close it with the lid and lock it in place. Bring the pot under pressure using a high heat, then lower it to continue cooking. The time required to cook the rice varies according to the type chosen:
- In the case of a jasmine rice, cook it for 1 minute;
- If you have chosen long, medium or small grain white rice, cook it for 3 minutes;
- In the case of basmati rice, cook it for 4 minutes;
- Brown rice needs to be cooked for about 22 minutes;
- Wild rice should be cooked for 25 minutes.
Step 4. Wait for the pressure inside the pot to naturally return to normal
When the cooking time has elapsed, turn off the electric pressure cooker or remove the classic one from the heat. Wait about 10 minutes for the pressure inside to drop naturally, so do not open the vent valve at this time.
In this way the rice will be able to complete its cooking in a natural way, absorbing the residual humidity, and at the same time the pressure inside the pot can return to a normal level
Step 5. Eliminate residual pressure
After the 10 minutes indicated, open the vent valve to release the excess pressure. While residual steam that is still trapped inside the pot comes out, stay at a safe distance to avoid unintentionally burning yourself.
When the pressure has returned to zero, you can unlock the safety system that keeps the lid closed and remove it from the pot
Step 6. Stir the rice gently and serve it to the table
Mix the rice using a fork, spoon or spatula to shell the grains and make it soft and airy. At this point you can serve it as a side dish of another recipe, use it as an ingredient for another preparation or season it as you like to enjoy it as a complete meal.
You can keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, protected in an airtight container
Method 3 of 3: Steaming
Step 1. Soak the rice in plenty of cold water and rinse it before cooking
Pour it into a large bowl and cover it completely with cold water. Let it soak for about 30 minutes so it can release excess starch. After the indicated time, transfer it to a colander to eliminate the remaining water. Rinse the beans carefully with plenty of running water for about a minute.
If you wish, you can leave the rice to soak for up to 2 hours before draining and rinsing it. This way you will get perfectly grained rice
Step 2. Mix the rice and cooking water
You can choose to cook it in an electric rice cooker or in a steamer (both electric and traditional). The rice paddle is a kitchen accessory designed exclusively for cooking this food, while the steamer can also be used to cook other ingredients, such as vegetables, fish or meat. Both are equipped with a convenient basket for cooking; pour both rice and water into it.
When steaming rice you should always use a ratio of rice and water of 1: 1. If you need to increase the portions of rice to satisfy the appetite of more diners, increase the amount of water accordingly
Step 3. Pour the water into the bottom of the steamer (or into the compartment provided)
When you use an electric steamer to cook rice, you will need to add extra water to the bottom exactly under the basket you poured the rice into. This is necessary to generate the steam which will then cook the rice.
- If you need to cook a small amount of rice, add the minimum amount of water required to use the steamer (it should be indicated with a special line). Conversely, if you need to cook a large amount of rice, fill the steamer to the maximum allowed level.
- If you are using an electric rice cooker, you do not need to add more water.
Step 4. Cook the rice
Close the pot with the lid, then select the type of rice to cook using the special selector of the rice pot. Now set the cooking time, which will be about 30-40 minutes both in the case of a steamer and in the case of a rice kettle. White rice needs to be cooked for about 30 minutes, while wholemeal or wild rice needs about 40 minutes.
Step 5. Stir the rice gently and serve it to the table
When the rice is cooked and tender, open the lid of the pot, remove the basket and mix it with a spoon, fork or special spatula to make it soft, airy and well-grained, then serve it to the table.
