The Gentle Boil Method for Cooking White Rice

Heather says:

I’ll never make it as a hippie. . . I don’t like brown rice. I’ve tried to like it, but I just don’t.

For whatever reason cooking white rice seems to frustrate some people.

My favorite way to cook rice is to use a 2:1 ratio, water to long grain, white rice. I add a small amount of salt to the water, bring it to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. I then cook it over low heat for 20 minutes, keeping it tightly covered the entire time. *This is key, never lift the lid to stir or check the rice, this lets the steam escape.* The pot is then removed from the heat and allowed to stand for 5 minutes, before the rice fluffed and served. Remember, for this method to work you must use a pot with a thick bottom and a tight fitting lid. If the steam escapes you’ll end up with crunchy rice. The thick bottom helps prevent scorching.

I should note, some people use a 1.75 : 1 water to rice ratio. The theory behind this is that modern rice may not be as dry as it used to be.

Another option is to use a rice cooker or steamer, both of these work well.

Finally, there is the gentle boil or pasta method which is quite easy.  Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add the rice, and adjust the heat to keep the water at a simmer. If you need a quick refresher course, I’ve previously written about the difference between boiling and simmering. Boiling the rice will break some of the grains, changing the texture significantly.

After 12 – 15 minutes, strain the rice through a colander and serve. Higher elevations may need slightly longer.

This method is slightly less nutritious than the standard preparation, but healthier in most cases than the drive through.

Good luck.

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