How To Cook Perfect Rice With Or Without An Electric Rice Cooker

We all know the most fitting method of preparing rice is to use a rice cooker, nonetheless, if you do not own one or you don't wish to use one there is always the old conventional fail safe way of doing it as well, a system that has been passed down via the generations. Being that there are countless varieties of rice out there means that there are also a number of different ways of preparing it and using it.  One typical method of cooking rice is to give flavor to it through seasonings or broth, a natural soup that you can use instead of water, to make the rice real appetizing as one with chicken or vegetables. In order to produce a substantial helping that will feed at least 4 people you will first of all need a sizeable pan or shallow pot.

Take 2 cups of white rice, either bare or glutinous (depending on how tacky you desire it). Make sure that you have a decent amount of either vegetable oil, margarine or butter, approximately 2 tablespoons worth. Ideally, for 2 cups of rice, you will require approximately 3.5 cups of water). You can also add a bit of salt to season, but not too much, seeing that excessively salty rice can be just as distasteful as having soggy rice. Once you have placed the rice into the base of the saucepan, rinse then drain the water off a number of times until it appears no longer cloudy, this not only cleans the rice but additionally removes it's starchiness. You can conduct a manual test to ensure you have the proper quantity of water by placing your longest middle finger into the pan, the water ought to reach up to your knuckle.

Put in your salt and oil at this time before the cooking process begins. Situate your pot on a heated stove including a lid that does not completely cover up the top, leaving roughly 1cm gap between the lid and the pot. The aim is not to bring the rice to a swift boil, consign it to begin with on a low to medium heat and leave it for more or less 20 minutes to warm up. As soon as this time has elapsed, then inspect it in 5 minute intervals until the water has been totally saturated up by the rice. Sometimes it may appear that the water has all disappeared, however to be assured, take a spoon and push the rice back and forth to show any left over water. If there is, then simply shut the top for the final 5 minute blast. If you should discover that the rice has not reached the consistency of suppleness you desire before the water has run out, then simply insert a further quarter cup of hot water to the center of the pot and shift the rice round to cover it over. After it's complete, only then turn off the heat and leave it to remain a further 5 minutes simmering with the cover still on, then stir and fluff the rice up before serving.

If you would prefer to have your rice simple and unflavored then merely follow the same procedure stated above, but this time as soon as the rice has been rinsed and cleaned, you need to bring the water to the boil before you actually add the rice to the pan. You could use additional water for this method as it is acceptable to remove some if needed (ensure that you have a strainer with a large bowl to hand as well).  After the rice has been added to the steaming water you will need to stir regularly to make sure that it does not attach together. Wait about 10 minutes and then check to see if it is done. If not, then continue to stir each 2 minutes until the cooking process is done, at which point you simply need to pour out the contents of the pot into the strainer, letting the spare water drain off into the bowl.

After all the surplus water has been removed then return the rice to the pot, where you could season it if you want and then dish up. Rice tends to be a trifle stickier when cooked this way so it is ideal for using to create things like rice balls, etc. If you are on a low salt diet, you could always insert a little chilli, vegetable or bouillon stock cube to the rice to flavor it. There are a lot of alternative flavoring options furthermore a lot of rice recipe cook books will allow you to experiment with different flavorings. On a finishing note, remember never to reheat your rice once it has gone cold as rice will turn very rapidly, either keep it hot or if it is to used as a cold social gathering dish then make certain that it cools down very quickly by inserting it inside miniature containers.