Cook perfect rice. How to cook rice so that it is crumbly

One of the most common cereal crops on the planet is rice. The product appeared about 9000 years ago. Thailand and Vietnam are considered the birthplace of rice. In the east, cereal remains the main food product to this day. Unfortunately, for some housewives, cooking any cereal is backbreaking work. Indeed, in order for the rice to turn out fluffy and tasty, you need to take into account some factors. So how to cook rice fluffy? And how long will it take?

How to choose the right variety of rice?

For different dishes requires its own variety of rice. To avoid mistakes, just remember simple rules preparing side dishes and other dishes:

To prepare pilaf, only long grain is used. Today, you can find large quantities of long parboiled rice in supermarkets. This product does not stick together during the cooking process and retains its friability. The pilaf will be as tasty as possible.
For porridge, cabbage rolls, and pie, it is customary to use round rice. It will give a viscous texture. In general, this grain is used for all dishes that require glued rice to bind several ingredients together.
For preparing side dishes, only steamed rice is used. After steam treatment, the grains will retain their integrity and shape. So, the side dish will be crumbly.

These are the most common, frequently used varieties of cereals. There are other, not so popular types of rice. They belong to exotic varieties: red, brown, wild, jasmine. Nutritionists say that the most useful is the wild one. It is cleaned only from the husk, and the beneficial bran remains on its surface. But, this is also the most expensive product.

How to cook rice so that it turns out rich and tasty? It is very important to pay due attention to the container in which the product will be cooked. It is strictly forbidden to cook cereals in aluminum pan. In such a dish it will burn. In addition, when stored in such dishes, oxidation processes occur, which leads to rapid spoilage of the dish. The most the best option is the use of a cauldron. But today it is difficult to find this device on modern kitchen. Therefore, a saucepan with a double bottom or enamel dishes is no worse.

Preparing rice for cooking

To get tasty crumbly garnish, before cooking it needs to be washed under cold, running water. This is done in order to remove excess starch. It is due to the large amount of starch that the stickiness of the cereal is achieved. Also, when washing, the product is cleaned of dust, debris, and harmful impurities.

It is better to use a sieve for washing. This will speed up the washing process and make it better. But, if you need to get a sticky grain (for example, for risotto), you should not rinse it. Simply rinse to remove dirt and dust. Rice will cook faster if it is pre-soaked in cold water for 40-50 minutes. At the same time, it will be necessary to reduce the amount of liquid used for direct cooking.

To achieve maximum fluffiness, some cooks add a small amount of vegetable oil to the water. An excellent option would be to use olive oil. Just 1 tablespoon is enough. If you use more of this product, the rice may lose its taste. The taste characteristics of the dish itself will change.

Proportions of rice and water

It is generally accepted that cooking rice requires twice as much liquid. So, the standard proportion is 1 to 2. But this standard is approximate. When following the proportions, you need to take into account the variety and type of grain. So, the water level may vary:

Long rice - 1 to 1.5;
Medium grain - 1 to 2;
Round - 1 to 2.5;
Steamed - 1 to 2;
Brown - 1 to 2.5;
Wild (brown) - 1 to 3.5.

You should always read the instructions on the product packaging. The manufacturer indicates the exact proportions, taking into account the type of individual processing of its products. Most often, rice is poured cold water. It is also worth remembering that during the cooking process the grains almost double in size. Therefore, dishes of the appropriate size are selected.

How to cook fluffy rice in a saucepan?

The simplest and most common option for cooking cereals is cooking in a simple saucepan. But even here some features need to be taken into account. So, to achieve fluffiness, the rice must be thoroughly washed. The required amount of grains is poured into the already boiled, salted liquid. You need to stir the rice once after pouring it in so that the grains do not stick to the bottom of the pan. There is no need to stir the product any more (during cooking).

As soon as the dishes boil, the heat is reduced to a minimum, and the dishes are covered with a lid. Thus, the rice simply simmers on the fire. It is important not to lift the lid. Otherwise, it will take longer to cook the rice. To prevent the product from starting to stick together, do not stir it. Indeed, with such intervention, the grains lose their integrity, and the active release of starch begins.

How long does it take to cook rice in a saucepan? Cooking time also depends on the type of grain:

White round, long rice - 20-25 minutes;
Steamed long grain - 30 minutes;
Brown, red - 45 minutes;
Wild unpolished - 50-60 minutes.

After the dish is cooked, it should stand for another 10 minutes under the closed lid. If it so happens that there is excess liquid left, it must be drained. In case of difficulties, you can cover the pan with rice with a waffle towel. It will absorb excess moisture very quickly.

Cooking crumbly grains in a double boiler

What could it be healthier than rice? Cooked rice in a steamer. This option for preparing any dish allows you to preserve almost all the beneficial substances of the product. But it’s not so easy to prepare crumbly cereal in such a device. For everything to work, you need to follow the instructions:

Sort and wash the rice grains;
Let them stand until the liquid drains;
Pour boiling water over the product;
Soaking lasts half an hour, after which the liquid is drained;
Place rice on steamer rack;
Spread the rice evenly with a spoon, add water;
Cook the product for half an hour, selecting the “Grain” mode;
After cooking, add a little vegetable oil, cover with a lid and let stand for a while.

To give the rice a pleasant taste, you can add any spices and seasonings.

Other ways to cook rice

To prepare cereals, you can use not only the usual pan. Few people know, but rice can turn out very tasty and crumbly when using the microwave. So, as always, the grains are washed and poured into a microwave-safe dish. The cereal is poured with already boiled, salty water. The proportion is maintained 1 to 2.

Set the microwave to maximum power (800-1000 W) and cook for 5 minutes. After this, the dish is mixed, and the microwave power is reduced to 500 W. Now the product is cooked for 15 minutes. The side dish is taken out of the microwave, covered with a lid and infused for another 15-20 minutes.

How to cook a side dish in a frying pan?

There is an option to cook the cereal in a frying pan. The cooking recipe is as follows:

Pour into the pan required amount water;
Add salt, rice and olive oil;
Wait until it boils and reduce the heat until bubbles form;
Cover with a lid and cook for 15-17 minutes.

A couple of minutes before it’s ready, you can add a little soy sauce. And in order for the grains to turn out golden, they should first be fried before the cooking process. This way the rice will not boil over and turn into porridge.

Cooking rice in a slow cooker

To prepare a dish in a slow cooker, rinse the cereal in cold water, pour it into a bowl and add water (boiling water). The proportions are kept 3 to 5. Then, it is added vegetable oil and salt to taste. The multicooker is set to the “Grain”, “Cooking” mode. The time that is set automatically is quite sufficient. The rest of the spices are added after the dish is cooked.

How and for how long to cook rice in bags?

Today, cereals in bags are very popular. They cook quickly and don't stick to the bottom of the pan. Such grains do not need to be monitored or mixed. Rice in bags is always steamed, so it is almost impossible to boil it. A bag of cereal is simply immersed in boiling water and cooked for the specified period of time on the package. On average, the product takes 20-30 minutes to prepare.

How to cook rice porridge with milk?

Rice porridge cooked with milk is very tasty and healthy. Pediatricians recommend introducing this dish into complementary foods for babies. To prepare it you will need the following ingredients:

Round rice - 1 cup;
Milk - 2 glasses;
Salt - 1/4 teaspoon;
Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon;
Butter - 30 grams.

In this case, there is no need to wash the grains. The entire amount of rice is poured into a glass of water and put on fire. The cereal must be constantly stirred so that it does not stick to the bottom of the dish. As soon as the water has evaporated, the product is removed from the heat.

Next, add 150 grams of milk to the porridge and bring to a boil. At this time, the rice is also constantly stirred. As it boils, the rest of the milk is added in small portions. On at this stage sugar and salt are added. You can add a little vanilla for a pleasant aroma. Cook the porridge until the grains are completely boiled.

The butter is added after the dish is completely cooked. Milk porridge is very tasty when combined with raisins, candied fruits, nuts, and fruits. If you are cooking about the benefits, then it is customary to add boiled pumpkin.

Preparing rice for sushi

Today, sushi and rolls are very popular. One of the main ingredients of this dish is rice. The ability to make a roll in principle depends on the quality of its preparation. Therefore, cereals are given Special attention. The Japanese use special varieties of rice for this:

Japanese;
Mistral;
Sen Soy.

The classic small, round cereal will also work. Before cooking, the grains must be soaked for 15-20 minutes. They need to be cooked in a ratio of 1 to 1.5 for 15 minutes. After cooking, the rice is dried for the same quarter of an hour. The cereal will be sticky and viscous. This will allow you to make the desired roll without difficulty and special effort. Special sushi vinegar, which is used to sprinkle the porridge, adds even more stickiness.

Rice is loved by many families for useful qualities, mild taste and consistency. Housewives prefer to cook cereal as a side dish, and this is not surprising. Boiled rice goes well with fish, meat, stewed vegetables, mushrooms. Thanks to its versatility, the dish will not leave even the most sophisticated gourmet indifferent. However, during the cooking process, difficulties may arise associated with the heat treatment of a particular variety of rice.

How to cook steamed rice as a side dish

A special feature of this type of rice is its hard shell. First you need to rinse the grains under big amount water. Must be excluded white coating, after rinsing, the water should become clear.
Then you need to soak the rice. To do this, pour the grains into a deep bowl or pan and fill with purified water. The exposure time is 35-45 minutes, during which time the shell will soften.
Now you can start cooking. Pour 500 ml into the pan. water, add your favorite spices if desired or use chicken broth as a base. Salt the liquid and bring to a boil.
For 0.5 l. water is 200 grams. rice grains. Pour them into the boiling liquid and stir immediately. Turn the burner to low and cook the rice, covered, for 20 minutes.
When the set time has elapsed, remove the dishes from the stove, add butter(optional). Close the container with a lid and let the rice sit for a quarter of an hour. Use as a side dish.

How to cook long rice as a side dish

Long-grain rice has a high content of starch and foreign dust, so rinsing is indispensable. Place the mixture in a sieve or bowl and pour water over it 6-7 times. When the liquid becomes clear, proceed to the next step.
Prepare a heat-resistant dish for cooking; it should have a thick bottom and sides. Place 200 g of rice grains in a pan, pour in 450 ml. filtered water room temperature. Do not add salt at this stage.
Place the container on fire and set the power to medium. Bring the mixture to a boil with the lid closed. Now you can salt the rice to taste. Set the heat to maximum, simmer for 5 minutes, reduce to minimum.
Continue cooking the rice for another 12-15 minutes, covered. There is no need to stir the composition, otherwise the grains will stick together and form a porridge. After the allotted time has passed, turn off the burner.
Add a knob of butter if desired. Let the side dish sit for 15 minutes; for best effect, place a towel over the pan. Start tasting.

Cooking begins with preparing the grains. This step should not be skipped, as it sets the tone for the entire dish. To begin manipulation, you need to pour the rice into a sieve, then rinse under the tap 5-7 times.
You can carry out the procedure in a colander. After all actions, the water should become completely transparent. It is this feature that suggests that you can go further.
Now move the grains into a deep bowl or basin, fill with filtered water and wait 20-30 minutes. During this time, the rice will soften a little, making it easier to work with.
You can start cooking. Drain the liquid and rinse the cereal again under the tap. Take a thick-bottomed pan, pour 2 parts water to 1 part rice.
Don’t throw in the grains yet, add salt to the water. Place on the stove and wait until the first bubbles appear. When the salt granules dissolve, add 30 ml. vegetable or olive oil.
Add rice to the boiling liquid and immediately begin stirring. Reduce the burner power to medium and cover the pan with a lid. Cooking time is 12-15 minutes.
During the entire heat treatment, rice should not be stirred. Otherwise, the grains will stick together and you will not be able to use the grains as a side dish.
After the specified period has passed, turn off the heat and do not open the container. Place a towel on the pan and wait a third of an hour. Many housewives prefer to add butter at this stage.

How to cook black rice as a side dish

The cereal must be processed in advance. Rich black rice is difficult to prepare, so stick to basic instructions. Sort out the dry grains, place them in a saucepan and cover with running water.
Wait certain period so that the rice settles to the bottom and the excess dust remains at the top. Drain the liquid, repeat the steps 4-5 more times. Knead the grains vigorously each time you soak. Once all the dirt has been removed, move on.
It is advisable to soak black rice in water at room temperature; it will become softer and more pliable. To do this, pour filtered liquid into a bowl, add grains, and leave overnight (at least 7 hours).
Start cooking on the stove. Prepare a thick-walled pan, fill it with water so that for 1 part of rice there are 3 parts of water passed through the filter. Don't add the grains yet.
Bring the liquid until the first bubbles appear, keeping to the maximum mark. Pour black rice into boiling water and wait for it to boil again.
When this happens, reduce the heat on the stove to low and add salt to taste. Cover with a lid and simmer the exotic cereal for about 25-30 minutes. During this time, the rice will soften and cook.
Remove the dishes from the heat, place the cereal in a colander or sieve. Rinse from a pitcher of filtered water, removing excess starch. Now scald the mixture with boiling water, wait a little, and serve.

Cooking brown rice always begins with pre-rinsing. This must be done to remove dust and starch residues. Place the mixture in a sieve and rinse under the tap. You need to bring the water to a clear state.
Now scald the grains with boiling water to seal useful elements inside the shell. Place the rice in a bowl, cover with purified water, and let sit overnight. If you don't have a lot of time, reduce the duration to 4-5 hours.
Place the soaked rice in a thick-bottomed pan, add 20 grams. salt per 250 gr. grains Now add 650-800 ml. purified water, place the cookware on the stove. Stir and bring to a boil.
Cover the container with a lid and cook on maximum heat for about 7 minutes. Next, reduce the power to between medium and minimum. Stir the mixture, simmer the cereal for another half hour, do not open the container.
After the set period has passed, turn off the burner, add a slice of butter (optional), and place a towel over the lid. Let the side dish sit for 30-45 minutes, then serve on plates.

How to cook red rice as a side dish

Red rice is an unpolished type, so the grains must be sorted before cooking. Remove foreign debris and damaged specimens. For convenience, place rice on the table one handful at a time.
When the entire volume of grains has been sorted out, spread the rice in a thin layer over the work surface. Once again, evaluate whether the composition contains pebbles, crushed elements, or husks. If necessary, eliminate everything unnecessary.
Place the red rice in a deep bowl and rinse under the tap until the water becomes completely clear. You will need 5-8 repetitions.
If desired, rice can be soaked in water at room temperature and left for 2 hours. If you don't have time, start cooking. Pour 0.6 liters into the pan. filtered water, add 0.2 kg. rice, add 10 g. salt.
Place the container on the fire and cook at maximum power. When the water boils, remove the foam, cover the container with a lid, and reduce the burner to low.
After 35-45 minutes, evaluate the consistency of the grains; they should be soft. If the cereal crunches on your teeth, simmer the rice for another 10 minutes. Turn off the burner and leave the side dish covered for a quarter of an hour.
In some cases, the liquid in which the cereal is cooked takes on a brownish tint. In such situations, drain it immediately after boiling, add new water. Salt the dish 5 minutes before it is ready.

The difficulty in preparing wild rice is that the grains are quite hard. The bran-type shell inhibits beneficial enzymes, and the shell does not cook well.
Before cooking rice, you need to soak it. Thanks to this, the water will wash away the starch, making ready dish crumbly and useful. To soak, rinse the cereal under the tap 5-7 times, the water should not be cloudy.
Next, pour the rice into a bowl, cover with filtered water, and leave for 6 hours. After the specified time has passed, rinse the grains again. You can increase the soaking time to 10 hours to get healthier sprouted rice.
After washing and soaking, heat treatment can begin. Pour 750 ml into the cooking vessel. clean water, salt, place the container on the stove. Wait until bubbles appear, then add the rice and cover the pan with a lid.
Cook for 10 minutes, stirring. Now reduce the heat to low and cook the wild rice for another half hour. There is no need to stir it, otherwise it will turn out to be a mess. Readiness is determined by visual inspection; rice grains increase 3-4 times.

Regardless of the type of rice, do not neglect preliminary preparation. You need to rinse and soak the cereal, then you can start cooking. A tasty side dish is made from all varieties of rice grains, but the most useful are the brown, black, wild, steamed and red ones.

Video: how to properly cook fluffy rice

Before learning how to cook fluffy rice as a side dish, I went through all the circles of culinary hell. My first experience of cooking “Saracen millet” happened at a time when the Internet was something ephemeral and not entirely clear. So I stepped on several rakes at once and spent half an hour scrubbing the burnt rice water off the stove. About the fact that fluffy rice is “friends” only with hot water, I, of course, forgot. Or I didn't know. Therefore, without a second thought, I dumped half a pack of cereal into the pan. I turned on medium heat and went with a clear conscience to prepare the salad. By the way, the salad turned out delicious. The same cannot be said about the side dish. I managed to do the almost impossible - cook rice that was half-baked and tightly stuck together into an unappetizing conglomerate. But with experience came skills. Therefore, I suggest that beginners study proven recipes for cooking this “harmful” cereal. But if experienced cooks find something new for themselves, I will be very pleased.

How much water does it take to cook fluffy rice?

Rules for cooking fluffy delicious rice as a side dish

The first and basic rule is that less is better than more. This applies to water. If you pour a lot of water, you won’t get fluffy rice, but a sticky, unappetizing porridge on the side. If there is not enough liquid, add a little boiling water. And bring the dish to readiness. Did you find that the rice was not cooked after turning off the stove? Just leave it to rest with the lid closed.

The second rule is no cold water! For any cooking method, you only need to pour boiling water over the rice.

And the rest of the rules and recipes should be described in more detail.

Cooking fluffy rice with pre-frying

The recipe is suitable for preparing long grain rice, basmati, jasmine.

I really love this method and often cook crumbly delicious rice for garnish directly in the pan.

Before frying the “white grain”, you can chop the onion and carrot. Sauté vegetables in vegetable oil and cook the “pearl grain” directly in it. This can be done either in a frying pan or in a thick-bottomed saucepan or saucepan. Rinse the future side dish thoroughly until the water becomes clear. Drain in a colander. Then place on several layers of paper towels to absorb moisture.
At this time, prepare boiling water.
Pour the washed and dried cereal into the hot oil. Stir until the fat completely covers each grain of rice. Heat for a few minutes, stirring.
Then pour in boiling water. I usually fill the rice with water in a ratio of 1 to 2, and so far there have been no unpleasant surprises. Add salt to taste. You can add some of your favorite seasonings. Stir. Cover with a lid. Set the heating intensity to minimum. Prepare crumbly rice side dish until the liquid is completely absorbed.

The water has not yet been absorbed, but the grains of rice are already soft? Turn off the heat. Remove the lid and cover the rice bowl with a clean waffle towel. This will remove some of the moisture.

Cooking fluffy rice in a pan with pre-soaking

The recipe is suitable for cooking short grain rice, basmati and steamed cereals. Jasmine is not cooked this way.

Thanks to soaking, gluten comes out of the cereal, which “prevents” it from being crumbly. In this way, you can cook rice as a side dish or for preparing other dishes.

Rinse the cereal. Fill with cold water. Soaking time is at least half an hour. Drain the water and rinse the cereal several more times.
Prepare the required amount of boiling water depending on the variety ( correct proportions indicated above). Place the rice in a saucepan and pour boiling water over it.
Add coarse salt to taste.
Turn the heat to high and bring the water in the pan to a boil. Reduce the heat intensity to low and cover the pan with a lid. Cook rice for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. Without lifting the lid, wait another quarter of an hour. During this time, the fluffy rice will reach ideal condition.

Add butter to taste and serve as a side dish.

Cook fluffy rice in plenty of water

The recipe is suitable for preparing fluffy basmati rice or round grain cereals.

It's a win-win option. A large amount of liquid prevents the grains of rice from sticking together, so you are guaranteed a crumbly side dish.

You will need a lot of water. To cook a glass of rice cereal, you will need a three-liter saucepan with two liters of clean water. Additionally, boil a few more liters to rinse the almost finished rice.
Rinse the rice thoroughly, turning the rice with your hands. Change the water until it becomes crystal clear.
Pour the cereal into boiling water. Add a little salt to taste. Cook at the lowest boil for 15-20 minutes. Test for doneness. If the rice is almost ready but a little hard, turn off the stove.
Drain the rice in a colander. When all the water has drained, rinse your future fluffy rice side dish with additional boiled water. This will bring it to readiness.
When the liquid has completely drained, pour the rice into the pan and add butter or vegetable oil to taste. Stir.

The dish must be kept with the lid closed until served.

Recipe for cooking fluffy rice with adding vegetable oil to water

Suitable for preparing short grain rice and basmati.

Even round rice will be crumbly if you use this method to cook it. The perfect crumbly side dish, what can I say.

Rinse the cereal thoroughly. At least 5 times. Then soak it for 20-40 minutes.
It is advisable to use this method to cook rice. aluminum cookware. Boil the water. The ratio of liquid and cereal is 1 to 1 (by volume). Add salt until the water tastes slightly salty. Pour in a tablespoon of odorless vegetable oil.
Pour water from the rice. Place it on the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Over medium heat, bring the water to a boil.
Reduce the fire intensity to minimum. Cover the pan with a lid. Cook until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. Ready!

Bon appetit!

Rice – one grain, many dishes. Crumbled rice as a side dish, viscous or liquid milk porridge, base for sushi or rolls. All this can be prepared on the basis of rice, the main thing is to know the cooking technology to obtain the dish of the desired consistency.

Cooking time and proportions

The characteristics of the finished dish depend on what type and variety of rice is used: whether it will be a crumbly version for a side dish, a viscous or liquid porridge with milk. The use of one or another raw material also determines the ratio of cereals and liquid and cooking time.

More liquid is taken in when cooking long grain rice, as well as wild and brown rice. The ratio of cereal and liquid looks like 1: 2. A similar proportion is also true for the steamed version. If the rice is pre- for a long time soaked in water, the volume of water can be reduced by 20-25%.

Brown rice requires 4 parts water to 1 part rice. And if the latter was not soaked, then the volume of water is increased to 5 parts. Wild rice is prepared at the rate of 2.5 parts water to 1 part grain. It's just general recommendations for the wild and brown rice, usually manufacturers give clear recommendations regarding its preparation. You should definitely use these tips.

Round and medium grain rice require less liquid. For a glass of such raw materials, take 1.25-1.5 glasses of liquid.

For milk porridge, different recommendations should be followed. Liquid porridge is prepared from 1 part rice and 5 parts liquid. The latter involves mixing 3 glasses of water and 2 glasses of milk. If you need to get a more viscous porridge, then the volume of water is reduced to 4-4.5 parts.

Cooking time also depends on the type of rice. So, after boiling, long grain is cooked for 20-25 minutes. Round grains - a quarter of an hour, maximum 20 minutes from the moment of boiling. Steamed rice in a pan cooks a little faster - 10-15 minutes. Wild and brown rice take the longest to cook. Total time Cooking for the first is 50-60 minutes, for the second – 40-45 minutes.

Today there is also rice in bags. Using such a product allows you to quickly determine the exact volume of rice per serving, and also simplifies the process of washing dishes after cooking. You need to cook the product in a bag, adding salt to the water and, if desired, spices. When ready, the bags are removed, cooled slightly, then opened, and the rice is transferred to a plate.

The cooking time for such a bag is a quarter of an hour if it is white rice and 25-30 minutes if it is brown. Typically, the manufacturer indicates on the product label the required volume of water and cooking time. The bags should be placed in boiling liquid.

Preparing cereals

First of all, you should sort and wash the cereal to get rid of rice dust and impurities. You need to wash the rice until the liquid underneath becomes clear. In the East they say that you need to wash the cereal 7 times to get a tasty dish.

You can pour rice into a bowl and pour water into it, and then, shaking the bowl a little or sorting the cereal with your hand, carefully drain the water.

You can use a more innovative method and pour the rice into a suitable sieve, which is placed under a gentle stream of water.

The next stage of preparation is soaking the raw materials. The procedure allows you to remove excess starch from the grains, as well as reduce their cooking time and avoid overcooking the rice. It is highly recommended to soak long and medium grain rice if you plan to get a fluffy mass. Soaking time is half an hour to an hour.

Round grain rice does not need to be soaked if you plan to prepare milk porridge. This kind of cereal is not the best good option for preparing pilaf and crumbly dishes, but if you still plan to cook from it, then soaking will help achieve the goal. It is enough to soak round grains in water for a quarter of an hour.

Be sure to soak the brown and wild species. Otherwise, it takes more than an hour, which negatively affects the quality of the dish. These types of cereals should be soaked for 3-5 hours; you can leave the raw materials under water overnight.

Thus, it turns out that almost all types of cereals should be soaked before cooking, except for one - steamed. If the rice is steamed, then soaking it is not only not recommended, but also harmful. This makes the grains brittle and the dish tasteless. Wash the steamed cereal thoroughly.

Soaking the raw materials should be done in water at room temperature, you can add a little turmeric or saffron to nourish the rice pleasant aroma and give a beautiful yellowish tint.

How to cook correctly?

The cooking method is determined based on the consistency of the mass you want to obtain. It is possible to prepare fluffy rice from long-grain cereals; varieties for pilaf (Devzira, Jasmine, Basmati, etc.) are also suitable. The grains must first be processed. Round-grain varieties are used for milk porridge.

Rice is a grain that requires precise proportions. You should not put the leading ingredients (cereals and liquid) “by eye”. There is a high probability of making a mistake and getting an unpredictable result.

For cooking, you should select a thick-walled pan. This will ensure even heating of the surface and prevent the product from burning. During cooking, you need to tightly close the pan with a lid so that steam does not escape from it. The volume of the cookware should be sufficient to cook rice. The latter increases in volume by an average of 3 times. As a rule, to cook 1 cup of cereal, take a container with a volume of at least 2 liters.

On the water

Most often, fluffy rice is prepared with water, which is served as a side dish with meat and fish, vegetables, and seafood. The raw materials are washed and soaked, after which they are poured into a pan and filled with water. For 1 part of cereal take 2 parts of water. If the rice has previously absorbed a lot of moisture, you can reduce the amount of liquid to 1.5 parts.

Add salt and spices to the water and place the pan on moderate heat. As soon as the water in it begins to boil, you should reduce the flame and simmer the porridge under the lid for about 15 - 20 minutes. There is no need to stir the cereal during cooking, nor do you need to open the lid.

After the specified time, you need to look into the pan to assess the condition of the dish. Readiness is indicated by complete evaporation of water and softening of the cereal. It is more convenient to control the degree of readiness using a pan with a transparent lid. If the rice is not ready and the water has evaporated, you should pour in a quarter glass of water without stirring the dish. If at this stage you find that there is not enough salt, you need to add this ingredient along with the water.

The finished dish does not need to be immediately placed on plates. It is better to turn off the heat, cover the pan with a towel and let the dish stand for 10 minutes. This will allow the grains of rice to “reach”, making the dish more crumbly and the taste more expressive.

You can put the cereal in boiling water. To do this, pour the required amount of liquid into the pan, add salt and bring to a boil. After this, add the prepared cereal, reduce the heat, cover with a lid and cook until tender.

If you notice that the amount of water is not enough, you can add another 50 ml. Rice should always be soaked in hot water. The exception is the white round-grained variety, which is filled with cold water.

Rice for sushi and rolls is also prepared using water. It is better to use varieties specifically designed for these purposes (“Mistral”, “Japanese”, “Soy”). If these are not available, regular round grain rice will do.

The cereal must first be washed and soaked for a quarter of an hour, then placed in a pan and filled with water. For 1 part rice, 1.5 parts water is required. Cooking time is 15 minutes, after which the dish should be allowed to brew for the same amount of time.

The result will be rice that is optimal for rolls and sushi - the grain will not boil or stick together, but will keep its shape when molded and cut. The grains for these dishes are not salted.

With milk

To cook rice with milk, use a mixture of water and milk. If you cook exclusively with milk, the porridge will start to burn. The amount of water should be 10-20% greater than the volume of milk.

Cooking the cereal is also preceded by washing and soaking it. Then it is loaded into a pan, filled first with water, then with milk. This will prevent the latter from “running away”. It is also necessary to add sugar and salt, the latter is necessary to balance the taste. Usually you take 2 tablespoons of sweetener and a pinch of salt for 2 cups of rice, however, the sweetness can be adjusted at your discretion.

Cooking time for milk porridge is about 20 minutes from the moment of boiling. If after this time you are satisfied with the consistency of the dish, then you should turn off the heat and let the porridge brew for 10 minutes. If it seems a bit thick, you should simmer the porridge for another 5-7 minutes. Important point– after removing the pan from the heat and while steeping, the grains will add a little more in volume, that is, the porridge will become a little thicker.

There is another technology for cooking milk porridge. First you need to boil the rice in water until half cooked (for a glass of cereal - 3 glasses of water). The cooking time should be reduced by half of the total cooking time for a particular type of raw material. After this, pour 2 cups of milk into the cereal, in which there is still quite a lot of water left, and cook, with the lid slightly open, until tender.

You should not pour in all the milk at once - the temperature difference will not benefit the cereal. It is better to pour out the milk, dividing the volume into 2-3 portions, adding the next one 5-7 minutes after pouring the previous one. After adding milk, the heat should be reduced and the porridge should be stirred periodically. This will prevent it from burning.

Finally, you can cook the rice until half cooked in salted water (pour in hot water and let it boil), then drain in a colander to drain off excess moisture. At this time, put the milk on the stove, bring to a boil, add sugar and put the cereal in there. Cook for 10-15 minutes until done.

For a couple

Steamed rice retains maximum useful substances and it turns out crumbly and airy. It is most convenient to cook it in a double boiler or slow cooker, however, in the absence of such, an ordinary saucepan will do.

The rice must first be washed and soaked in salted water for 1-2 hours. If you do not add salt to the liquid, the finished dish will turn out bland. After the specified time, place the rice in a colander and let the water drain.

Pour water into the pan; its volume should be sufficient; but when installing a colander on it, the water should not touch the latter. You need to boil the water, then place a colander with rice on the pan. Reduce heat and simmer the cereal for a couple of half an hour, stirring occasionally. To create a greenhouse effect, cover the colander with a lid. After the specified time (it is better to additionally check the dish for taste - it should be al dente), turn off the heat and keep it covered for another quarter of an hour.

Adding table vinegar helps make the cereal crumbly. It is poured with water at the rate of 20 ml per glass of rice. Instead of vinegar, vegetable oil is also suitable - about 1 tablespoon per glass of raw materials. True, when using this method the calorie content of the finished dish increases.

You can also add a little milk to the rice to obtain a snow-white shade of the finished dish. You should take about 50 ml of milk for every 2 cups of cereal. At the same time, it is important not to forget to maintain a balance of cereal and liquid, that is, if a certain amount of milk is taken, then the volume of water should be reduced by the same amount.

Another secret to getting fluffy rice is to pre-fry the grains until golden brown in a frying pan with a little oil. Preparatory stage, as well as the actual cooking, remain unchanged.

If you need a sieve or colander, and the holes in them are too large, you can line the dishes with a layer of gauze, folded 2-3 times. Pour the cereal on top of it: this way the grains will not fall through the holes in the colander.

Instead of water for cooking fluffy rice, you can use vegetable or meat broth, then the dish will turn out more rich and tasty. True, if salt has already been added to the broth, then you should reduce its amount by adding more grain.

You can cook rice without adding salt by seasoning the finished dish with soy sauce, or prepare a more complex dressing by mixing 2 tablespoons of soy sauce with a teaspoon of rice flour.

For piquancy, you can grate fresh ginger (a teaspoon) and crushed garlic (a couple of cloves) into the dressing.

If you have over-salted the rice for a side dish, you can correct this by rinsing it in a colander under cold boiled water. By the way, the water for cooking the side dish can be flavored with bay leaves and spices can also be added. The dish goes well with turmeric, cumin, thyme, saffron, cardamom, and cloves. For a more pronounced spicy taste, it is better to grind the spices yourself, immediately before adding them to the pan.

Vegetable oil helps give the dish a delicate creamy taste. It is recommended to add it along with all the ingredients - about a tablespoon per glass of cereal.

Rice cooked in water can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, placed in a container with a tight-fitting lid.

Milk rice porridge should be seasoned with butter before serving. To obtain a more delicate consistency, the finished dish can be rubbed through a sieve or punched with a blender. Porridge for small children is prepared in the same way. Add sweetness and increase the benefits of dairy rice porridge Adding honey, dried fruits, and pumpkin will help.

It is better to put honey in a slightly cooled dish (its temperature should not be more than 40 C), pre-soak dried fruits for an hour in hot water, drain the water and scald with boiling water, and cut the pumpkin into small pieces so that it has time to cook, but does not turn into puree. For porridge, it is better to take sweet varieties, for example, nutmeg.

An additive option for unsweetened milk porridge is grated cheese, butter, herbs and chopped nuts. For a more harmonious taste, reduce the amount of sweetener.

To learn how to properly cook rice in a saucepan, watch the following video.

It would seem that what could be simpler than cooked rice? Perhaps you are one of those people who manages to cook perfect rice no matter the location, cookware, stove or type of rice. However, chefs, in attempts to create a unified formula for cooking rice, agreed that only experience and numerous experiments will help you find your perfect way. There are too many variables involved in the cooking process.

2. Soak the rice

Soaking allows the rice to cook faster and more evenly. Plus, soaking allows you to not have to think about two variables: curing and drying. Both processes affect the moisture content of the rice - the drier the rice, the more water will be needed to cook it. Since you are often not familiar with this information, soaking rice saves you unnecessary worries.

3. Cold or boiling water?

Depends on the method you will use to cook the rice. Typically, rice is cooked in cold water with the lid closed. When the water boils, reduce the heat and continue to cook the rice with the lid closed over very low heat until the water is completely absorbed. In boiling water, cook the rice with the lid open until the water boils away, then the heat is reduced, the rice is covered with a lid and it is steamed over very low heat. The method chosen depends largely on the type of rice and the dish being prepared.

4. To interfere or not to interfere? To salt or not to salt?

Do not stir or add salt if you want to cook fluffy rice rather than risotto or porridge. Stirring and salt destroy the structure of the grain, making it more sticky.

5. Proportions of water and rice

You can write a “doctoral dissertation” about this, hundreds of pages long, with a bunch of formulas, calculations and tables. I will limit myself to just a few conclusions. The proportion of 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water is far from universal. To prepare fluffy rice with a moisture content of 64%, 145 grams of water are needed per 100 grams of rice with a moisture content of 12%. One glass of rice is approximately 205 g, which means you need 1 glass of water, or 240 grams, to cook it. Provided that the water does not evaporate during the cooking process.

So, it all depends on how much water evaporates during the cooking process and the cooking time itself.

Most varieties white rice cook for 15-20 minutes. If the rice has been pre-soaked, the cooking time is reduced by almost half (but this does not mean that it takes twice as long). less water, since most of the water evaporates).

Water loss depends on two components: the tightness of the lid and the width of the pan. If you cook rice in a deep and narrow pan, you will need less water, and vice versa.

Since it is impossible to predict all these components, then give universal instructions does not seem possible. Therefore, the only way to perfect rice and ideal proportions of water and rice is trial and error. However, let me note that what more rice you cook, the less water you will need. For example, to prepare fluffy long-grain rice (without pre-soaking), the following “golden” rule applies:

1 cup rice – 1 ½ cups water

2 cups rice – 2 ¾ cups water

3 cups rice – 3 ½ cups water.

I hope the above tips will help you improve your rice cooking process and achieve outstanding results every time. And as a bonus, I suggest you watch an exclusive video: 3 brilliant rules, and you will always get fluffy rice!