What is wrong with my rice?

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Vanguard
Wash rice in water until the water runs clear.

That doesn't seem like a good thing to do, you are rinsing off most of the nutrients from the rice.

Long long time ago rice used to be kinda dirty and got the occasional sand, so it was prudent to make the stuff clean. Now I think it is clean enough when you buy a pack (or box). Just rinse it off once or twice.

[molly bloom]

Re: What is wrong with my rice?

Originally posted by Starchild


How do I cook perfect rice?

If you're dealing with basmati rice, wash the rice untyil it no longer makes water cloudy, or soak it beforehand. If you soak it (for an hour or so) then give it a good rinse under cold running water, and using the same measurement of water to rice (1 cup for 1 cup) put it on to boil having added a pinch of salt (or spices if you're doing an Indian type thang).

When it comes to a rolling boil, turn off the the heat, and make sure the saucepan lid is firmly on. Leave the rice for about 10-12 minutes, thus ensuring that it should cook in its own steam. Then remove the lid, and run a fork through the rice, separating and fluffing up the grains, and leave for a further minute or two with the lid off.


You should then be able to serve rice that isn't a gluey mess of starchy poster fixative or sperm looky likey.


Sounds like your rice wasn't rinsed or soaked for long enough, or was cooked in too much water.


Of course for arborio or carnaroli or Spanish paella rice, different rules apply.

[SpencerH]

Bah! One cup rice two cups water. Put into microwave (loosely covered with lid). Push "rice" button then start button. 15 or so minutes later its ready.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by SpencerH
Bah! One cup rice two cups water. Put into microwave (loosely covered with lid). Push "rice" button then start button. 15 or so minutes later its ready.

I'm a Luddite and have never cooked a meal in a microwave.

True dat.

[Provost Harrison]

They're quite handy for warming stuff up. I often take food to work when I am on a late shift I most certainly am not going to go to the hassle of preparing a full meal there...

[molly bloom]

Yes, I have occasionally warmed things up in them, especially in work.

My last boss was very fond of sharing a hot buttered soda farl from the Ormeau Road bakery with me, over a cup of Costa Rica coffee.

[Provost Harrison]

I'm sure he was...

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
I'm sure he was...

She, smarmy pants insinuator.

[DaShi]

Add a little butter.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by DaShi
Add a little butter.

Mmm, the Iranians do this oven baked rice dish, where you get this delicious buttery crust....




" Tahcheen-zereshk

(Rice with barberries and chicken)
by
Margaret Shaida

ONE of the favourite parts of any Iranian rice dish is the "tahdeeg", the crusty bottom of the rice. In the recipe below (my personal favourite of all the wonderful Persian rice dishes), the tahdeeg crowns the dish -- is indeed the major part of it. I think that the essence of this dish lies in the perfect balance of its simple ingredients. The golden saffron rice is scattered with the piquant ruby-coloured barberries. Served with chicken lightly poached in onion and flavoured with saffron, it makes a very elegant and typically Persian dish. Do be sure to use a good Basmati rice. Barberries are available from any Iranian store -- called zereshk in Persian. Excellent Iranian saffron is also available from these stores, and is usually very much cheaper than in local supermarkets.

As with so many Iranian rice dishes, this is ideal for entertaining. It can be assembled earlier in the day for an evening meal, so you have only to dish up when your guests arrive. The one disadvantage in the summer is that it needs to be cooked in a very hot oven for two hours! You will need a 2 litre clear pyrex bowl or casserole. If you don't have a rice colander, use a large fine-weave fruit basket.




600 grams/1.5 lbs basmati rice

4 dessertspoons salt

20 saffron pistils

60 grams/2 oz dried barberries

half a teaspoon sugar

2 small pot grams plain yoghurt

2 medium eggs

100 ml oil

3 oz butter

4-6 chicken breasts

2 medium onions

Salt and pepper





1. Wash the rice, cover with water with two dessertspoons salt and leave to soak for a least three hours (preferably overnight). Grind the saffron into a powder, add hot water sufficient to make a rich golden colour.

2. Clean and wash the barberries, leave to soak in a water for a few minutes. Strain, then fry briefly in a little butter, stirring constantly, add the sugar and a teaspoonful of liquid saffron. Stir and remove from heat. Beat the two eggs into the yoghurt, add a teaspoonful or two of liquid saffron and salt and pepper.

3. If you are going to cook the dish straight away, light the oven and set at 200 degrees C.

4. Bring the rice to a rapid boil in well salted water until almost cooked, but not soft (al dente). Strain immediately, rinse with cold water, then lightly toss in the colander to remove excess water. Stir a skimmer of rice into the egg and yoghurt.

5. Pour the oil in to the 2-litre bowl, then add the egg/yoghurt/rice mixture. Add some more rice, and spread the eggy rice up the sides of the bowl. Keep turning the bowl, drawing up the eggy rice round the sides of the bowl, and adding white rice into the centre. Sprinkle the barberries into the centre of the rice, in layers with the white rice, making sure that they don’t penetrate to the sides. Level the rice off and cover with foil. This can be left for several hours before cooking.

6. Place into the centre of the oven, and cook for two hours at 200 degrees C, turning in the middle to ensure an even colour all round.

7. In the meantime, grate the two onions into a saucepan. Cut the chicken breasts into three filets each and mix in with the onions. Add a little water (three tablespoons or so), salt and pepper, and cook on a low heat until tender (about half an hour). Remove from heat, and add the remaining liquid saffron. Stir and keep warm until ready to serve.

8. When the rice is a deep golden, take out of the oven, remove the foil, spread the butter over the rice and replace the foil. Leave for five minutes. Then turn out onto a warmed dish. Serve with the saffron chicken on the side.

9. A green salad with a dressing of lemon juice and oil, scattered with pomegranate seeds is a pretty (though not necessary) accompaniment. "

http://www.gfw.co.uk/recipearchive/recipe0800.html

Oh damn, I haven't yet had lunch, and I'm feeling mighty hungry now....

[SpencerH]

I never cook meat in them but I find that fresh veggies are quicker and better-tasting from a MW than boiling in a pot.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by SpencerH
I never cook meat in them but I find that fresh veggies are quicker and better-tasting from a MW than boiling in a pot.

You boil them ?


You sadist !



Steam, man, steam- then whip the green ones out before they're fully cooked, plunge them into iced water and stop them going that ghastly grey-green colour.

Then when your meat is ready to serve, put the veggies back in hot water, or the microwave, or in a hot sauce.

[SpencerH]

Well thats the thing. Just put em in the MW and steam em in their own juice. The trick is to think in terms of stir fry speed. They can overcook to mush very easily. Carrots require a little water though.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by SpencerH
Well thats the thing. Just put em in the MW and steam em in their own juice. The trick is to think in terms of stir fry speed. They can overcook to mush very easily. Carrots require a little water though.

I'd never cook asparagus in a micro- your tips would get mushy.

But I agree with your point, for many veggies a micro would be a better option.


On the other hand, you don't tend to get steamy windows, allowing you to indulge in a little pre-prandial 'Postman Always Rings Twice' action on the kitchen table.....

[GePap]

In Panamanian speak, if you cook rice and then you get a crust of browned rice at the bottom (a little bit burned really), you scrape that up (its called concolon), and its really good