How to cook rice
I’ve been surprised at how few of my friends know how to cook rice. It is a core element in much of the worlds diet. Often people remember that rice should be cooked “two to one,” but don’t remember which ingredient is 2 and which is one. Well the best rice is no longer at a 2 to 1 ratio. Here is how almost all kinds of rice should be cooked.
Measure the rice in any kind of cup or jar. Use whatever container will hold the amount of rice you need to cook for as many people as will be eating. One portion is about as much dry rice as you can fit in a fist. Once it is in its container, pour it into a strainer and give it a rinse under the faucet. Rinsing it gets rid of any dust that may be on it, but more importantly it rinses off e
xcess starch that makes the rice gummy once it is cooked. Put the rice in a pot then add one and a half times as much water as rice. Take whatever container you used to measure the rice and fill it once, then fill it again half way. Simple. Put it on the stove, bring it to a boil, then turn it down as low as you can get it and put a lid on it. White rices like jasmine and basmati will cook in about fifteen minutes, whereas brown rice will take closer to 45 minutes before it is ready. Once the water is cooked out of the rice turn off the stove and let it sit for about five minutes so all the steam is evenly distributed. After 5 minutes stir the rice up with a fork, this is called fluffing and prevents clumping of the rice. Then you can serve it right away or put the lid back on until it is ready to serve. Rice goes with EVERYTHING! Eat it all the time. It is great and costs almost nothing. Do it!
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measure
rinse
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add to pot with water
bring to a boil
cover, reduce heat to low
simmer
done when water is all absorbed
Fluff the rice
finished!
rice with chicken and escarloe
Learning Life From Scratch 
I was always taught to use the fingertip method. After rinsing the rice, fill the pot with water up to the first line of your finger with your fingertip touching the top of the rice. Works for any amount and always comes out perfect for us!
Thanks for the tip spooka!
hey mister, will you do one about polenta? i’ve heard so many different methods and i’ve never found the perfect one.
xo
I make a lot of polenta and there are many of methods as you have seen. My favorite way is on the creamy side. I use 2 cups of liquid ( water or stock) to one cup of polenta to start. I like to dice up some onion in a pan and saute in a bit of olive oil for a few minutes then I add the polenta and sort of toast it for a few minutes as well. I find this really brings out a nice toasty corn flavor. Be careful not to burn it, keep stirring till it smells toasty. Add your liquid and reduce the heat. You can simmer and stir for 6-10 min. until the liquid is absorbed. Then I usually add some grated cheese and about a half cup of milk per cup of polenta. Cheese varies from white cheddar to gouda to Parmesian depending on what I have around. Keep stiring every 30 sec. or so till the liquid is absorbed again. Give it a taste. If you like it creamier add more liquid, less creamy cut back the next time. Adjust the salt and serve. I suggest you make it several days in a row till you find your sweet spot. I usually make extra and store it in a rectangular container in the refrigerator. It firms up over night and I can slice it and pan fry it with eggs for breakfast.
good lookin’ out dad.
I have a friend who has always used the finger tip method ( she calls it the knuckle method but same deal) and swears by it. I find I use more water for short grain rice than long grain rice and longer cooking times for brown rice over white. The only exception is wild rice which takes a lot of water and time to get it to “burst” How many times have you had wild rice that is hard as a toothpick? Classy. If you make a rice blend with wild rice I always suggest you cook the wild rice for at least 10 min. before you add brown rice and 20+ for white.