Help! for cooking rice

[Guest guest]

I need HELP! Every time I cook rice (all types except wild rice) it turns out mushy. YUCK! At restaurants, work, and at the co-op, theirs are all separate grains. I always ask how they cook it so it comes out so well. They look at me like I'm nuts because everyone should be able to cook rice, right? That's the way I like my rice, not mushy. I cook on an electric stove. I don't own a pressure cooker (except for big one for canning foods) or a rice cooker. I don't have the $$ for a pressure cooker but could possibly get a rice cooker soon if they work and not too costly. Not only what I'm doing wrong but how can I cook it right? HELP!

Elizabeth

[Guest guest]

, " Elizabeth Husberg " <chfeliz wrote:

>

> I need HELP! Every time I cook rice (all types except wild rice) it turns out

mushy. YUCK! At restaurants, work, and at the co-op, theirs are all separate

grains. I always ask how they cook it so it comes out so well. They look at me

like I'm nuts because everyone should be able to cook rice, right? That's the

way I like my rice, not mushy. I cook on an electric stove. I don't own a

pressure cooker (except for big one for canning foods) or a rice cooker. I don't

have the $$ for a pressure cooker but could possibly get a rice cooker soon if

they work and not too costly. Not only what I'm doing wrong but how can I cook

it right? HELP!

> Elizabeth

>

 

If it's mushy it sounds like you are not rinsing your rice prior to cooking or

you're overworking your rice when you cook it. Put it in a pott with a lid and

walk away. We cook rice almost everyday and we use the basic Panasonic rice

cooker($25) and it comes out perfect everytime.

 

I suggest you rinse it a few times to remove the starch, generally at the third

rinse the cloudiness with be gone. Use 1 cup to 2 cup of water ratio and cook

till water is absorbed.

 

DDH

[Guest guest]

On Tue, Apr 7, 2009 at 1:08 PM, Elizabeth Husberg <chfeliz wrote:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I need HELP! Every time I cook rice (all types except wild rice) it turns out mushy. YUCK! At restaurants, work, and at the co-op, theirs are all separate grains. I always ask how they cook it so it comes out so well. They look at me like I'm nuts because everyone should be able to cook rice, right? That's the way I like my rice, not mushy. I cook on an electric stove. I don't own a pressure cooker (except for big one for canning foods) or a rice cooker. I don't have the $$ for a pressure cooker but could possibly get a rice cooker soon if they work and not too costly. Not only what I'm doing wrong but how can I cook it right? HELP!

Elizabeth

Mushy rice (and I'm assuming you're talking about brown rice here - white rice)  is usually the result of too much water, too much stirring during cooking, or introducing the rice into the water too early -- before the water has been brought to a boil.

I use a scant 2c water for each 1 c rice.  I bring the water to a boil, put in the (rinsed) rice, cover the pot, and turn the heat as low as I can get it.  In around 30-45 mins. the rice is perfectly done -- but cooking time also depends on the volume of rice you are cooking; the less rice, the more careful you need to be about watching the time.  I generally use 1-2 cups of dry rice (with 2c water for each c) at a time.

Here's another nice trick, discovered by my sister when, after putting rice on to cook, she had to run out of the house for an emergency.   She had just brought water to a boil, put in the rice, and covered it.  A minute or so later, the emergency happened, and she simply turned off the stove and ran out of the house.  When she returned, a few hours later, the rice was done, and perfect.

I have used this method myself ever since, when I want rice for breakfast.  I simply put it on the night before, and, once it has reached the boiling point, I turn the stove off and go to bed.  In the morning, the rice is sitting on the stove, perfectly done, and waiting for me.

Hope this helps-MEC  

 

[Guest guest]

Rinsing the rice will give the grain a shinier smother finish. By rinsing the

rise you are removing the left over rice powder left from processing that gives

the rice a stickier duller appearance. This is more true for white rice than it

is for brown rice.

 

, " Elizabeth Husberg " <chfeliz wrote:

>

> I need HELP! Every time I cook rice (all types except wild rice) it turns out

mushy. YUCK! At restaurants, work, and at the co-op, theirs are all separate

grains. I always ask how they cook it so it comes out so well. They look at me

like I'm nuts because everyone should be able to cook rice, right? That's the

way I like my rice, not mushy. I cook on an electric stove. I don't own a

pressure cooker (except for big one for canning foods) or a rice cooker. I don't

have the $$ for a pressure cooker but could possibly get a rice cooker soon if

they work and not too costly. Not only what I'm doing wrong but how can I cook

it right? HELP!

> Elizabeth

>

[Guest guest]

Wow, my grandma brought me up using 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water, put them both in the pan, boil, turn heat down immediately and cover with foil under the lid - 20 minutes for white and 50 minutes for brown - DON'T LOOK AT IT EVERY and make sure your heat is LOW but not DEAD - I put it just under "2" on my electric stove burner indicator.JTOn Apr 7, 2009, at 12:07 PM, deviantnotion wrote:Rinsing the rice will give the grain a shinier smother finish. By rinsing the rise you are removing the left over rice powder left from processing that gives the rice a stickier duller appearance. This is more true for white rice than it is for brown rice.--- In  , "Elizabeth Husberg" <chfeliz wrote:>> I need HELP! Every time I cook rice (all types except wild rice) it turns out mushy. YUCK! At restaurants, work, and at the co-op, theirs are all separate grains. I always ask how they cook it so it comes out so well. They look at me like I'm nuts because everyone should be able to cook rice, right? That's the way I like my rice, not mushy. I cook on an electric stove. I don't own a pressure cooker (except for big one for canning foods) or a rice cooker. I don't have the $$ for a pressure cooker but could possibly get a rice cooker soon if they work and not too costly. Not only what I'm doing wrong but how can I cook it right? HELP!> Elizabeth> jennifer trumpjennifur

[Guest guest]

On Tue, Apr 7, 2009 at 1:08 PM, Elizabeth Husberg <chfeliz wrote:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I need HELP! Every time I cook rice (all types except wild rice) it turns out mushy. YUCK! At restaurants, work, and at the co-op, theirs are all separate grains. I always ask how they cook it so it comes out so well. They look at me like I'm nuts because everyone should be able to cook rice, right? That's the way I like my rice, not mushy. I cook on an electric stove. I don't own a pressure cooker (except for big one for canning foods) or a rice cooker. I don't have the $$ for a pressure cooker but could possibly get a rice cooker soon if they work and not too costly. Not only what I'm doing wrong but how can I cook it right? HELP!

Elizabeth

Mushy rice (and I'm assuming you're talking about brown rice here - white rice)  is usually the result of too much water, too much stirring during cooking, or introducing the rice into the water too early -- before the water has been brought to a boil.

I use a scant 2c water for each 1 c rice.  I bring the water to a boil, put in the (rinsed) rice, cover the pot, and turn the heat as low as I can get it.  In around 30-45 mins. the rice is perfectly done -- but cooking time also depends on the volume of rice you are cooking; the less rice, the more careful you need to be about watching the time.  I generally use 1-2 cups of dry rice (with 2c water for each c) at a time.

Here's another nice trick, discovered by my sister when, after putting rice on to cook, she had to run out of the house for an emergency.   She had just brought water to a boil, put in the rice, and covered it.  A minute or so later, the emergency happened, and she simply turned off the stove and ran out of the house.  When she returned, a few hours later, the rice was done, and perfect.

I have used this method myself ever since, when I want rice for breakfast.  I simply put it on the night before, and, once it has reached the boiling point, I turn the stove off and go to bed.  In the morning, the rice is sitting on the stove, perfectly done, and waiting for me.

Hope this helps-MEC  

 

 

[Guest guest]

I never cook rice on the stove - it never turned out "perfect" for me that way. I love my steamer. it's a veggie steamer/rice cooker. I think I've had it for - say - 15+ years! a cheap Black and Decker. I use the measurements in the book that came with the steamer and my rice is perfect every time. I often use it to steam veggies when not eating raw or cooking another way. very fat free!

 

sandy

 

--- On Tue, 4/7/09, Elizabeth Husberg <chfeliz wrote:

Elizabeth Husberg <chfeliz Help! for cooking rice Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2009, 10:08 AM

 

 

I need HELP! Every time I cook rice (all types except wild rice) it turns out mushy. YUCK! At restaurants, work, and at the co-op, theirs are all separate grains. I always ask how they cook it so it comes out so well. They look at me like I'm nuts because everyone should be able to cook rice, right? That's the way I like my rice, not mushy. I cook on an electric stove. I don't own a pressure cooker (except for big one for canning foods) or a rice cooker. I don't have the $$ for a pressure cooker but could possibly get a rice cooker soon if they work and not too costly. Not only what I'm doing wrong but how can I cook it right? HELP!

Elizabeth

[Guest guest]

>I need HELP! Every time I cook rice (all types except wild rice) it

turns out mushy. YUCK! At restaurants, work, and at the co-op, theirs

are all separate

 

Along with what everyone else has said, let me add that the *type* of

rice you use makes a big differences. Long grain rice seems to stay

separate much better than medium or short grain rices do.

 

 

 

Sue in NJ

[Guest guest]

If you try this method, you will stick with it:

In a pot: 2 cups of rice. Cover with cold water.

After an hour has passed, pour into a strainer.

Drain (in the strainer) for another hour.

Pour the drained rice into the pot, and add three cups of cold water.

Place on the stove, on high. Watch it carefully. As soon as it begins to boil,

turn the temperature to simmer and cover the pot.

After 40 minutes, remove from heat, and set the pot aside for another 10 minutes

(with the cover on....don't peek!)

Then carefully scoop the cooked rice into a large enough deep dish, gently

separating the grains with a fork (as you spoon it out of the pot). Allow to

cool. It can be used immediately, or refrigerated, or frozen.

The grains will be separated,and not mushy. It works great with brown or white

rice.

 

Norm

 

, " Elizabeth Husberg " <chfeliz wrote:

>

> I need HELP! Every time I cook rice (all types except wild rice) it turns out

mushy. YUCK! At restaurants, work, and at the co-op, theirs are all separate

grains. I always ask how they cook it so it comes out so well. They look at me

like I'm nuts because everyone should be able to cook rice, right? That's the

way I like my rice, not mushy. I cook on an electric stove. I don't own a

pressure cooker (except for big one for canning foods) or a rice cooker. I don't

have the $$ for a pressure cooker but could possibly get a rice cooker soon if

they work and not too costly. Not only what I'm doing wrong but how can I cook

it right? HELP!

> Elizabeth

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for ALL the hints on cooking rice. I will try them soon.

THANKS!

Elizabeth

 

 

 

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