How to cook rice for a side dish. How to cook fluffy rice as a side dish

How to boil rice correctly for a side dish so that it is crumbly and retains everything useful material. Our advice will help you with this and step by step guide in the preparation of rice cereal.

How to boil rice correctly for a side dish

Rice goes very well with fish and meat products, and is perfectly complemented by vegetables. But to make it tasty and crumbly, you need to know how to boil rice correctly. In order to get a wonderful rice side dish required:

  • 1 cup rice cereal;
  • 2 glasses of water;
  • Butter;
  • Salt.

Rice contains a lot of starch and this makes it sticky. Therefore, in order to wash out the starch, the rice should be washed with water more than once until the flowing water becomes clear and clean.

  1. Pour water into a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and put it on the fire, wait until it boils and add salt.
  2. Then add the rice, close the lid tightly and, as the chefs recommend, do not stir or remove the lid until the rice is ready.
  3. Cook the cereal over high heat for the first 5 minutes, then reduce it to medium, and cook for another 2 minutes.
  4. Continue cooking for the last 2 minutes on low heat.
  5. After turning off, do not rush to open the lid of the saucepan, let the rice stand for another 10 minutes.
  6. Now you can add butter and serve along with the cutlet or just the rice itself.

The advantage of this type of cooking is that the rice turns out fluffy and the pan is almost clean after cooking, that is, the cereal does not stick or burn.

How to cook fluffy short-grain rice: Chinese cooking recipe

Short grain rice softens perfectly, as it contains a large amount of starch. It is good to use for cooking different types porridges, casseroles and desserts. The Chinese, like the Japanese, are familiar with rice and, accordingly, know how to cook short-grain rice to make it crumbly.

In their diet, it is this grain that is the basis of almost all dishes. Therefore, we present to your attention a recipe for preparing fluffy short-grain rice.

The main thing in this cooking method is precise adherence to time and proportions. Rice is calculated to water in a ratio of 2:3.

Pour the washed cereal into boiling water and cover the pan tightly with a lid. It is even advised to use a weight so that there is no gap between the pan and the lid. Total time Preparation takes 12 minutes, which is divided into 3 parts:

  • 1) Cook over high heat for 3 minutes
  • 2) On average – 7 minutes
  • 3) On low heat for 2 minutes.

After removing from the heat, without opening the lid, wait another 12 minutes. After exactly the same time, open the pan and add salt and butter, stir.

How to cook fluffy steamed rice while preserving all its benefits

Rice that has undergone a certain steam treatment is called steamed. He is extremely useful. But you need to cook it a little differently than ordinary rice. But now we’ll tell you how to cook crumbly steamed rice.

  1. Pour the washed cereal with water for half an hour.
  2. Then let the water drain.
  3. Pour the cereal into a saucepan and add water in a ratio of 1 to 1.25 (there should be a little more water than rice).
  4. Having brought to a boil, reduce the heat and, closing the lid, cook for 25 minutes.
  5. Your rice is ready, all you have to do is add it butter and salt.

Happy cooking and bon appetit!

What food could be simpler and more unpretentious? What food could be more refined and refined? All of these seemingly contradictory definitions refer to the same product. To the rice.

White rice can satisfy any mood, because it is the only grain that has a truly neutral and pure taste. Thanks to this, rice has the ability to be combined with absolutely any food. Meat and fish, vegetables and milk - you can add whatever your heart desires to rice, thanks to which you can get a new dish at least every day.

In addition, due to the simplicity and even some amazing “modesty” of its taste, rice “makes friends” very well with any spices, which opens up almost limitless horizons for the cook’s imagination.

Boiled fluffy rice is an unfading classic not only of oriental cuisine, but also, today, of any everyday cuisine. This is a universal side dish for anything, an essential component of some salads and just tasty dish, by itself, without any additions.

Do you know how to cook such real, universal rice - crumbly, not sticky, grain to grain? If not, let's learn.

There is also a useful article on my blog -. I advise you to read it, there is a lot of useful information there.

How to cook fluffy rice as a side dish

Rice, as we have already mentioned, is a simple and unpretentious dish. But for this dish to be tasty, it’s not enough to just take it and boil it. To prepare the “right” rice that will please anyone, even the most picky taste, you need to know a few secrets. Now we will reveal them to you.

Let's go to the kitchen and let's master all the subtleties in practice. Take out a bag of cereal and a saucepan from the cabinet.


Theater, as you know, begins with a hanger, and cooking begins with the necessary utensils. What kind of saucepan have you prepared for cooking rice? Immediately set the enameled one aside - the dish will definitely burn in it. Aluminum won't work either.

1. Now you will learn the first secret of properly cooked rice: you need to boil it in a deep bowl with thick walls. Yes, a cast iron cauldron will be just right. A saucepan with a thick bottom will also work.

The fact is that this cereal “loves” uniform heating. In a good cast-iron pan, the grains of rice are thoroughly heated on all sides, and at the end of cooking, when the outer shell of the grain has already softened, uniform heat allows the core of the grain to be steamed. Thus, each grain of rice maintains a uniform structure.

With help aluminum cookware this is difficult to achieve, since thin aluminum is not able to accumulate heat and send it deep into the product.

2. Now about the rice itself.

By the way, what kind of generous hand are you going to pour in for cooking? Put the round one aside without regret - it is only suitable for porridges, casseroles and sushi. When planning to cook fluffy rice, take long-grain rice, ideally the Jasmine or Basmati varieties. And this is the second secret of proper rice. I don’t like steamed rice - it has a slightly different taste and density; regular rice tastes better.


So, take 1 cup of dry long rice. If there is any, choose rubbish and dark grains of rice, we have no use for them.

3. First of all, rinse it thoroughly with water. Do this as thoroughly as possible! The water should turn from cloudy and white to clean and clear, so rinse without being lazy, as many times as necessary.


And this is the third secret of proper rice - thorough rinsing before cooking.

It is necessary to rinse at least 7 times.

4. Don't rush to relax. Rinse water should only be cold. Not warm and not hot. And this is the fourth secret of proper rice - wash it only in cold water.

The fact is that before cooking we need to preserve the natural texture of the grains. Rice is a very delicate product, and warm or hot water the starch in its outer shell may cook and the grain's texture will be compromised.

5. So, you have washed the rice. cold water and put him in a cauldron with thick walls. Now you need to fill the cereal with water.


And here, pay attention, there is a fifth secret to well-cooked rice. Cereals and water must be measured strictly in a 2:3 ratio.

Therefore, since we have one glass of rice, let’s take one and a half glasses of water.

6. Place the cauldron on the stove and proceed directly to cooking.

Important! First we make a big fire on the stove under the rice. Exactly big!

And this is the sixth secret of proper rice - start cooking it with high heat.

So, our cauldron with rice is on high heat. Bring the rice to a boil and immediately cover with a lid.

7. Now immediately reduce the heat to low. Just like that, sharply.

And this is the seventh secret of proper rice - it is necessary to bring it to condition over low, “quiet” heat.

From the very beginning, when the rice in cold water was just put on the stove until the very end of cooking, 15 minutes should pass.

So, the required 15 minutes have passed, you should turn off the heat. We don't open the lid!

Leave the cauldron with rice, covered, for another 15 minutes.

8. And here, please remember the last, eighth secret of proper rice. The lid for the dish with rice should be very tight, leaving no gap between itself and the pan. After turning off the heat, the rice should stand for a while and steam with heat. This way it will reach the desired condition, but will not boil over. That’s why you need a tight lid – to create a “greenhouse” effect.

And in conclusion, some good advice: it’s very good to add it to a pan of water before boiling it. vegetable oil(for one to one and a half glasses of dry cereal you will need about a tablespoon of oil). This technique will even better prevent the grains from sticking together.

There is another interesting way to cook fluffy rice in a frying pan. Unlike the first recipe, washed and dried cereals are first fried in oil and only then water is added. You can add a clove of garlic for flavor. Let's see step by step recipe preparations.

The proportions of water and rice are the same - for 1 cup of rice - 1.5 cups of water.

Now you know everything about cooking real, proper fluffy rice. Remember the eight secrets of its preparation, and you will definitely get the same rice - beautiful, tasty, grain to grain.

And one more important advice: any rice is best stored in glass jar with a tight lid along with a dry pod hot pepper. Thanks to this, our rice will be protected from mustiness and will retain its original delicate and neutral taste.

So, as you can see, rice is truly a universal product. He simply must be present in the bins of any housewife, becoming a great help and relief for her in the culinary field.

Now you know the secrets and subtleties of handling this wonderful product. And having mastered the ones we proposed simple recipes After preparing fluffy rice, you will be able to proceed to more complex and delicious recipes in the future.

Rice is a favorite side dish for many, and this is not surprising.

Tender, crumbly cereal goes well with fish, vegetables or meat. In addition, rice cereal is very healthy.

It contains vitamins E, B and PP, as well as all necessary minerals.

But, unfortunately, not every housewife knows how to cook rice so that it is crumbly. That is why many people do not cook it as a side dish.

We will tell you all the secrets and tricks of preparing fluffy rice.

How to cook rice so that it is crumbly - basic cooking principles

The methods and time for cooking rice depend on its variety. Not all varieties are suitable for preparing fluffy rice. Long-grain rice makes the perfect fluffy side dish. Round and medium grain quickly absorb water and stick together during cooking. These varieties of rice are used to make casseroles, risotto, puddings and soups.

So, how to cook rice so that it turns out fluffy? The first thing we do is soak the cereal. But before that we wash it several times. We do this in order to wash off excess starch, husks and dust from the cereal. After this, soak for half an hour in cold water.

There are three ways to cook rice so that it turns out fluffy.

Method one. Rice grains are washed thoroughly. Then fill it with cold filtered water and leave for an hour. The rice should absorb almost all the water. Now add a little more drinking water and cook over low heat for about five minutes without stirring.

Method two. The cereal is washed in several waters and soaked for a quarter of an hour. Then they put the rice on a sieve and wait for all the water to drain. Place a frying pan on the fire and heat it well. Place rice in it and, stirring constantly, cook until the moisture has completely evaporated. After this, the dried rice is placed in a saucepan with broth, put on fire, and boiled, from the moment it boils, for ten minutes under the lid.

Method three. As in the first two methods, the rice is washed and poured into boiling water. Wait for it to boil and put it on a sieve. Rinse it under the tap and put it in water again, only this time in cold water. Place on the stove and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked.

Remember that the proportions of rice and water should be approximately 1:2. Cook rice in any of three ways and you will get a fluffy and delicious side dish.

Recipe 1. Fluffy rice

Ingredients

two and a half glasses of rice;

a pinch of nutmeg;

5 g turmeric;

5 g ground paprika;

50 ml vegetable oil.

Cooking method

1. Measure out the required amount of rice cereal and pour it into a cauldron or thick-walled pan.

2. Boil water in a kettle and pour boiling water over the rice. Leave the cereal to steep for ten minutes. The water will become white like milk. After this time, drain this water and rinse the cereal under running water, rubbing it with your palms. Repeat the procedure until the water becomes clear.

3. Transfer the cereal to a cauldron. Pour water into the rice so that its level is two centimeters above the grain.

4. Add turmeric, nutmeg and paprika to the rice. This will make the rice side dish tasty, spicy and aromatic. Pour in vegetable oil, salt and mix everything well.

5. Place the cauldron on the fire and cook over low heat, covered with a lid, for about 20 minutes. During the cooking process, do not open the lid and do not stir the rice.

Recipe 2. Fluffy rice in a slow cooker

Ingredients

a glass of long grain rice;

30 ml olive oil;

two glasses of broth or filtered water;

a pinch of salt;

clove of garlic.

Cooking method

1. Pour the rice cereal into a bowl and rinse thoroughly under running water.

2. Transfer the washed rice into a multicooker container, fill it with broth and salt. Place an unpeeled clove of garlic in the middle of the rice. Turn on the “Rice” or “Porridge” program and cook the cereal for half an hour.

3. After the beep, open the multicooker lid and remove the garlic. Pour olive oil into rice porridge and mix. Serve as a side dish for fish or meat dishes.

Recipe 3. Crispy rice with vegetables

Ingredients

one and a half cups of long grain rice;

salt;

three glasses of purified water;

onion head;

a pinch of ground black pepper;

carrot;

50 ml soy sauce;

vegetable oil

Cooking method

1. Measure required amount cereals and pour it onto a clean table surface. Sort through the rice and place it in a deep bowl. Pour water over the cereal until it completely covers the rice. Stir and drain the white water. Repeat the procedure until the water becomes clear. Place the washed rice on a sieve and leave it to dry slightly.

2. Place a pan of water over high heat. As soon as the water boils, lightly salt it and pour in a little vegetable oil. Stir and add washed rice to boiling water.

3. Mix the cereal so that it does not have time to stick to the walls of the pan. Cover and cook the rice for three minutes until the water boils again. Then reduce the heat to low and cook until fully cooked. Turn off the fire.

4. Peel and wash the vegetables. Cut the onion into small pieces, chop the carrots into thin bars.

5. Heat a little oil over medium heat and fry the chopped vegetables in it until golden brown, stirring occasionally with a wooden spatula. Transfer the fried vegetables to a plate.

6. Place boiled rice in a frying pan and distribute it evenly along the bottom. Fry for three minutes, add pepper and salt. Now add the fried vegetables and stir until smooth. Water everything soy sauce, stir again with a spatula, turn off the heat and cover with a lid. Serve as a side dish for fish or meat.

Recipe 4. Fluffy rice with beans, green peas and corn

Ingredients

two cloves of garlic;

rice – 200 g;

broccoli – 100 g;

100 g each of green beans and green peas;

can of corn;

onion head

Cooking method

1. Place the rice, washed in several waters, into boiling, lightly salted water. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the cereal for a quarter of an hour over low heat. Turn off the heat and set the rice aside.

2. Peel the garlic, put a deep frying pan on the fire and pour in olive oil. Fry crushed garlic cloves in hot oil. Then remove them, we only want the garlic flavor.

3. Peel and wash the vegetables under the tap. Finely chop the onion head. Cut the carrots into large quarters. Place vegetables in a frying pan and fry until soft. Sprinkle them with the mixture dried herbs, pepper and salt.

4. Now add green green beans, cut into pieces and frozen green peas. Stirring constantly, fry for five minutes.

5.Add canned beans and fry for the same amount of time.

6. Separate the broccoli into florets and cut into pieces. Add to the remaining vegetables and fry for five minutes. Pour a little boiling water into the vegetables and simmer, covered, for a quarter of an hour. If after this time not all the water has evaporated, reduce the heat and simmer a little more without covering with a lid. Add rice to the vegetable mixture, stir and heat for ten minutes, covering with a lid. Serve as a separate dish or side dish.

Recipe 5. Fluffy Zucchini and Broccoli Rice

Ingredients

120 g rice cereal;

ground black pepper;

60 g carrots;

kitchen salt;

10 g butter;

70 g each of zucchini and broccoli;

50 ml vegetable oil;

70 g canned corn;

2 cloves of garlic.

Cooking method

1. Wash and boil the rice until cooked using one of the above methods.

2. Peel onions, garlic and carrots, wash and cut into small pieces. Place the frying pan on the fire, heat it up, pour in the vegetable oil and add the butter. Place the garlic in the pan, and after 30 seconds add the chopped vegetables. Fry over moderate heat for three minutes.

3. Wash the broccoli and trim the inflorescences. Wash the zucchini and cut into cubes. Place the broccoli and zucchini in the pan and continue frying for a couple more minutes. Then cover with a lid, turn down the heat and simmer the vegetables for the same amount of time.

4. Add corn, stir and heat everything together for another minute. Then add the boiled rice, season with salt and spices and mix everything again. Cover with a lid and heat for a couple more minutes. Serve as a separate dish or as a side dish.

How to cook rice so that it turns out fluffy - tips and tricks

    To make the rice crumbly, strictly observe the proportions of the volumes of water and rice. It should be 2:1.

    Pour boiling water over the rice.

    Cook rice in a thick-walled saucepan or cauldron.

    After finishing cooking, do not open the lid for at least another quarter of an hour.

    Salt the rice at the end of cooking.

Rice is one of the most sought after foods all over the world. It is ideal as a dietary food. Rice can be a side dish for almost any dish: meat, chicken, fish, seafood and vegetables. But despite its widespread use, not all housewives know how to boil rice correctly so that the intended side dish does not turn into a viscous porridge.

A little about rice

Rice is a cereal crop. The plant is very capricious to care for and does not like the cold, so it is grown in latitudes where there are no unexpected frosts. The culture received its main distribution in Asian countries, as well as in Australia, America and Africa. A huge number of varieties of this crop are known, but the following are especially widespread:

  • basmati- the king of rice, ideal for preparing pilaf;
  • jasmine- used for cooking traditional dishes oriental cuisine;
  • arborio- perfect for risotto recipes, soups with rice;
  • wild rice- It has Brown color and requires additional soaking before cooking. Distinctive feature- contains a large amount of fiber, vitamins and nutrients.

The traditional classification is the division of rice cereals into long-grain, medium-grain and short-grain. According to the processing method, rice can be steamed, brown or white. There are the most different ways cooking rice, but today we will look at classic options.

How to boil rice according to the classic recipe

For this recipe you will need: for 1 cup of rice, 2 cups of water, salt to taste. Rice should be long-grain steamed if you want a crumbly side dish. Pour water into a saucepan and place on fire. While it is boiling, you need to rinse the rice in warm water 5-6 times. This is done in order to clean the cereal from dust and starch. When the water boils, salt it and you can add rice. Wait until it boils and cover the pan with a lid, while reducing the heat to low. Cook your side dish in this way for about 25 minutes - you need the rice to absorb all the water, after which you need to let it “cook” for some time. Your crumbly side dish for meat is ready!

Rice and microwave

With the advent of a new kitchen appliances New recipes were also born - how to boil rice in a microwave or slow cooker. Let's consider one of them, especially since it is a very simple method of preparation. You will need the same set of products as in the classic version. Rice needs to be washed and placed along with water and salt in a special bowl for use in the microwave. Cook at maximum power, with the lid closed, for 17-18 minutes. During cooking, you need to stir the rice a couple of times so that it does not burn. At the end, let the side dish sit for 15 minutes.

How to boil rice for oriental dishes

Today it has become incredibly fashionable to prepare sushi and rolls at home - masterpieces of Japanese cuisine. But in order for the dish to work, you need to know how to cook sushi rice correctly. First you need to decide on the type of rice. In that will suit the case round unpolished rice. Start by rinsing the rice in cold water until it runs completely clear. Then place the rice in a sieve and let it rest for about an hour. room temperature. After the required time, transfer the cereal to a cooking pan and add water in a ratio of 1:1.2 (for 100 g of rice you will need 120 ml of liquid). Cook sushi rice over low heat for about 15 minutes with the lid tightly closed. At the end of cooking, let it brew for another 20 minutes. Cool - and you can start preparing sushi and rolls. Bon appetit!

Rice goes well with meat dishes and seafood, it is consumed in all countries. However, it is not always possible to prepare the side dish properly; in most cases, the grains stick together or become overcooked. To prevent this, Japanese chefs have developed a lot of technologies that can easily be implemented at home. We have put together a golden collection of rice cooking for you. different ways, they do not require much time and effort.

Classics of the genre

Let's consider the basic technology that all culinary masters rely on. A special feature of cooking rice using this method is thorough rinsing in a large amount of cold (preferably ice) water.

It is also worth taking care of making the right choice raw materials, long-grain, round-grain or initially steamed rice is suitable.

As a rule, the product packaging indicates clear proportions, which state that per 100 grams. rice accounts for 200 ml. water. This misconception is only true if you don't end up with fluffy rice.

Since this is precisely the goal, water is taken at the rate of 140-150 ml. per 100 gr. rice.

Cooking technology

  1. Pour water into molds and prepare ice cubes.
  2. Rinse the rice grains 8-10 times, then plunge them into filtered water with ice cubes and wait 5 minutes.
  3. When the time is up, drain the water, remove the ice, and pass the rice through a colander. Place it on a cotton towel to dry partially and leave for 5-10 minutes.
  4. When the grains are dry and the fabric has absorbed moisture, proceed to the next step. Move the rice to enamel pan with thick walls and bottom, pour in water based on the proportions of 150 ml./100 g.
  5. Add salt to taste, and add your favorite seasonings and colorings if desired. Turn on the stove over high heat, do not cover the container with a lid.
  6. Bring the mixture to a boil. As soon as the first bubbles appear, wait 1 minute and reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid.
  7. After a quarter of an hour, remove the rice from the heat, do not open the pan, or stir the mixture. Place a thick towel or an old sweater on top of the container and wait 20 minutes.
  8. During this time, the rice will absorb the liquid and become fully cooked. All you have to do is stir it at the end of the infusion period using a fork.
  1. To cook rice, use a special rice cooker, multicooker or steamer. If similar devices missing, cook the grains only in a saucepan with a thick bottom. Otherwise, they will burn because the container with a thin base heats unevenly, causing the rice to start sticking.
  2. When you have selected the optimal cookware, but the rice still burns, pay attention to the degree of fire. He doesn't have to be strong. The size of the burner itself is also important; it must be selected taking into account the volume of the pan.
  3. It is not necessary to cook rice in water. To give the side dish a new taste, cook it on meat broth, add seasonings to taste.

Versatile ways to cook rice

The technologies presented below are slightly different from the “classics of the genre”; they all have several important features. Firstly, it is not recommended to stir the rice after boiling; secondly, to prepare the side dish you need to choose a non-enamel pan; thirdly, the grains are washed in cold (almost ice-cold) water until the turbidity disappears.

To prepare delicious fluffy rice you will need: 1 kg. grains, 1.5 liters of water (ratio 1:1.5), ground saffron in an amount of 10-15 g., salt and pepper (optional) to taste.

  1. Sort the rice to remove unnecessary husks, rinse the grains in cold water.
  2. Set the stove to maximum power, pour vegetable oil into the pan and put on fire. Fill the container with oil to 0.4-0.6 cm from the bottom.
  3. Place the oil in a saucepan, add water and stir well.
  4. Bring the mixture to a boil, add salt (pepper if necessary), add saffron. Mix well again, you won't need to do this again.
  5. Reduce heat, cover the container with a lid, and simmer the mixture for about 10 minutes. Then leave to brew for another quarter of an hour. You will end up with a tasty yellowish side dish.

Rice with olive oil
Prepare the following ingredients in advance: 500 gr. rice, 750 ml. purified water, 40 ml. olive oil, salt to taste. The cooking technology is suitable for Jasmine, Basmati, and long-grain varieties. As a rule, housewives prefer the latter type of rice, since its grains are of the same size, which allows them to create a beautiful dish.

  1. Rice grains must be sorted, eliminating unnecessary husks. The composition in this technology is not washed.
  2. Prepare a roasting pan or cast iron frying pan, put on maximum heat and pour in olive oil.
  3. After 1 minute, add the rice and mix the mixture well. Pour boiling water over the grains (boil it first in a convenient way), salt, cover with a lid.
  4. Turn the stove on low heat, wait a quarter of an hour. Do not open the lid during cooking; the rice will not burn in a thick-walled container.
  5. After the cooking time has passed, turn off the burner and place a cotton towel between the lid and the cooked rice. Steam will emit from the garnish and be absorbed into the fabric. This move will prevent the grains from softening, causing the rice to turn out crumbly.

For the most part, the technology is considered universal, despite the fact that the grains are roasted during the cooking process. You can choose absolutely any rice, be it Jasmine or long grain.

To prepare the side dish you will need 300 g. rice, 450-500 ml. filtered water, 10 gr. chopped salt, 35 ml. sunflower oil.

  1. Pour water into a kettle and boil it.
  2. Rinse the rice in cold water 7-8 times until the liquid becomes clear. Place the grains on a cotton towel and leave for 10 minutes to absorb excess moisture.
  3. Take a container with a thick bottom and walls, wipe it and pour sunflower oil. Place on the stove, wait until it boils, then place the grains in the pan.
  4. Stir the rice for 2-3 minutes until it is thoroughly fried. As soon as the first grains of rice acquire a golden tint, pour boiling water from the kettle and stir again.
  5. Add salt, pepper or spices if desired. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for about 10-15 minutes.
  6. The rice should absorb all the moisture. When this happens, turn off the burner and leave the mixture to sit for half an hour. During the cooking process it can be stirred, but no more than 1-2 times.

There are basic technologies that make rice fluffy. The main ones are considered to be methods without washing, but with the addition of olive oil. If the grains are thoroughly washed, they are subsequently dried and fried for 2 minutes. Don’t forget about the classics of the genre, which are used for all types of rice side dishes.

Video: how to cook delicious fluffy rice