rice.
riiiiiice.
everyone sitting in a circle together says, rice.
some people in the group are holding kleenex up to their eyes trying to hide the tears. another person is biting their lip looking forlornly out the window as a lone tear streams down her face.
this is a group for those who are ashamed that they can't cook rice correctly.
ok, i'll stop with my pretend therapy group. but don't you feel kind of better?! no? m'kay.
i hate making rice. i have burned the hell out of rice many-a-time and i mean...i don't know...i feel bad because my husband is asian and he grew up eating rice. so i need to get this right. i can't let my mother-in-law win this one. just kidding, amelia.
or am i?
so i was watching a cooking show and sara moulton was like, i under or over-did rice until i learned to cook it like pasta. and the sun shone on my face and the Lord spoke through the TV. and the angels did sing a glorious song.
duh. cook it like pasta. you don't have to worry about not having just the right amount of liquid or only opening the lid once to fluff the rice or what exactly does "simmer on medium low" actually mean? i don't know! let the world know. i am ashamed.
anyway, here's what you do:
fill up the pot with a good amount of water. exact measurements don't matter here.
bring the water to a boil.
drop your rice in.
add some salt. 1 tsp per cup.
stir it occasionally as it boils for 17 minutes. or longer if it's brown rice. but you can check it along the way and see if it's not squishy enough.
then drain it in a colander.
there are no mistakes! except that your kitchen isn't clean for pictures.
boom. perfect rice. much easier and certainly less stressful.
and then i freeze it. so i can just pull it out whenever i'm making mexican food or chicken and rice casserole. when i'm in a hurry and i don't plan dinner, i want everyone to think that i slaved over rice-making all day. but no. really, i just have a few magic tricks in the freezer.
i had a roommate who was Chinese who couldn't believe i didn't have a rice cooker so she bought me one from Target when she left. best $20 i've ever spent. you can make any kind of bean or grain in it as well if you want to be super healthy. this is the one i have- http://www.target.com/p/rival-6-cup-rice-cooker-red-rc61/-/A-10266987#?lnk=sc_qi_detaillink
ReplyDeleteI just started making mine IN THE OVEN! I just googled "how to cook rice in the oven" and up popped a miracle. You just put rice, water, and butter in the oven for about 40 minutes and perfect rice comes out. SO easy!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea you could just freeze bags of rice. This will also revolutionize my world.
I have never thought of freezing rice. You're awesome.
ReplyDeleteno you are.
Deletegirl...you need a rice cooker!! ;) you just thrown in the water and rice and BOOM...perfect rice every time. one half of my family is asian and no asian home is complete without one...haha!! love the tutorial though...i think if i ever lost my rice cooker...i'd have to revert back to the stove! =)
ReplyDeletewow! this is totally unconventional to how my (vietnamese) boyfriend taught me how to cook rice! first we rinse 3 times, then add enough water to the pan so that when you stick your finger in, half of what's submerged is rice, half is water. bring to a boil while stirring, then cover and turn to low (like barely a flame) for 23-25 minutes. turn the burner off and let sit for at least 10 minutes, still with the lid on. this resting time is when the rice gets "unstuck" from the bottom of the pan. i've never had a bad batch of rice since!!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.beyondthestoop.com/2011/06/rice-demystified.html
cheers :)
I am a missionary to Japan. I am a long time reader, first time commenter. Anyhow, I too was scared to death of rice but now I cook it every day and love this idea. I also freeze rice. Something I have learned is to use chicken broth or vegetable broth instead of water or with your water. It flavors the rice and my kiddos love it!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your awesome posts!!!
Two Words for you...rice cooker. Perfect rice-every time.=)
ReplyDeleteI JUST mastered rice this year! I have made the most disgusting GLOPPY rice for years, and my husband has always made perfect rice! It took him being all bossy and "DONT TOUCH IT BEKAH!" and then the heavens opened and my rice was perfect. Phew. Its a tough art, that of the rice cooking.
ReplyDeleteYou need a rice cooker girl! My Filipino husband is very picky about his rice and it's the only way he'll eat it! They are like 20 bucks and sooo easy... Put the rice and water in.... And in 15 min you get perfect fluffy rice.
ReplyDeletelet's start a " we have filipino husbands" club. very exclusive.
DeleteThats genius! I've spent the past 8 years learning how to cook rice and get right maybe 5/7 of the time. But every time I don't I get frustrated. Peruvians eat rice with everything. I mean every.single.day. You would think I would be professional by now. But no. I actually hate rice now. But maybe this trick will save rice from my wrath. ha
ReplyDeleteboom. your childhood friend pulls through again!
DeleteWhat a great tip! I never thought about freezing rice. That's a good tip too. BTW - I can't cook rice either so I went to the thrift store and picked up a steamer for $3. Just dump the rice in the top tray, add some water, set the timer and that's it. No messy boil-overs or burnt rice.
ReplyDeletewhoa. freeze cooked rice?? mind blown up to the possibilities...thanks yo. :)
ReplyDeleteworld. changed.
DeleteHave you ever tried to use a rice cooker? Super easy and it "dings" when it's done! Fool proof!
ReplyDeleteOh me gee!!!!!! You just saved my life. Like. Really! I hate making rice because I always end up with crunchy, sticky grossness!! I'm totally doing this! Thanks so much!!
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of rice are you using? The semi-cooked kind or the not-at-all-cooked-harder-than-Legos-at-midnight kind?
ReplyDeletethe not at all cooked. just cheap and regular.
DeleteDid this! It was amazing! Thanks so much.
DeleteI have never been able to cook rice on the stove correctly. So this is a great tip! My family bought me a rice cooker years ago and it is a great invention! So so so easy and takes 20 unattended minutes before it's ready! I have the cheap kind from Walmart that makes about 6 cups of cooked rice but it's lasted a good 5 years so far!
ReplyDeleteso timely! i had a total over-emotional preggo moment last night when i burned the rice. hubs started to make a comment about what a pain it is to clean burned rice and there came the tears. lots of tears. i'm forwarding this to him now! :-)
ReplyDeletethis has totally happened to me like 500 times!
DeleteOoooh, cool idea. What's the best way to warm up the rice when you take it out of the freezer?
ReplyDeletei just put it on the stove in whatever i'm making. if it's taco night it goes in with the beans. if it's in a casserole i throw it all on the stovetop anyway before it goes in the pyrex dish.
Deleteare you referring to minute rice? I'm assuming so, based on the "simmer blah blah and fluff with a fork" reference. But very important to know! Love the geniousness. Thank you from another rice botcher.
ReplyDeleteFrom one fellow rice-challenged cook to another: RICE COOKER. Magical. Or (and I know this isn't the most economical way to do it, especially when you're feeding a few mouths), Trader Joe's sells little packages of pre-cooked frozen brown rice that you pop in the microwave for 3 minutes. $3 for 3 packs, I think. I'm not usually one for microwavable things, but that shiz is good! And ridiculously easy. I'm sold.
ReplyDeletewell aren't you just good at everything now?! amazing. i'm jealous. : )
ReplyDeleteyes i am good at everything...sigh. lol. NOT
Deleteyou're so cool.
ReplyDeleteHaha. This post cracked me up. I've always been able to cook rice ... (I am SO superior to you!) but I never did think to freeze it. DUR. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletecooking rice is super magical when you have a fancy japanese rice cooker. i promise it will change your world and your husband will worship your rice making feet. 20 mins and the house smells fabulous and you can even make brown rice with it too.
ReplyDeletefancy.
ReplyDeleteyour mom's fancy.
DeleteI never would have thought to freeze rice!?
ReplyDeleteboom! life changed.
Deletei've been married to an asian longer, so i'm technically more asian than you (you like that?) so i'm gonna pass down my words of wisdom for you:
ReplyDeleteget a rice cooker.
but then i would have to buy one. i mean, we got one for our wedding and i gave it to my in-laws.
DeleteI just read Emily's comment and laughed.
ReplyDeleteI'm also a little ashamed to say that I am truly Asian and cannot cook brown rice to save my life (we have a rice cooker but it only cooks white rice). My mom is the only one who has mastered this life skill and I think she's keeping it a secret from the rest of us. Maybe she'll spill the beans once we all move out? Either that, or she'll be making brown rice deliveries.
But I just wanted to say that I seriously loved this post. And it'll make me feel a little bit better if I burn/overcook/undercook/do something wrong with my next pot of rice.
"overcook the rice? jail. undercook? jail. overcook or undercook? believe it or not... jail. you are late to the dentist? jail. we have the best patients in the world... because of jail." parks and recreation - anyone??
ReplyDeleteHilarious. I suck at cooking rice too. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteI love Sara Moulton... she rocks. As for Rice, I have owned a Rice Cooker for years. It is a cheap and Fabulous invention.... Perfect rice every time.... F A B.
ReplyDeleteFreezing Rice, I have to give that a try.
totally agree - the rice cooker is a life changer. I can't make rice on the stove to save my life, but the rice cooker - that sweet little baby makes it perfect every time
ReplyDeletehi :) i just wanted to say that your playlist...i don't exactly have the words...its just amazing. i've been listening to it ALL week NONE stop. telling friends about it left and right. i mean, you are just GENIUS!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteand i love your blog a lot too. and your babies. and your story.
and the rice :)
but the MUSICC...omg. the music. thank you.
This is awesome! I bought a Pampered Chef microwave rice cooker cuz I couldn't figure it out, but this is genius! xoxo
ReplyDeleteohhh husband called and wants fried rice for dinner so i'm trying this tonight. also FREEZING RICE HELLO why did i never think of that!? GENIUS. thank you.
ReplyDeletealso a lot of these comments have convinced me i need (NEED?) a rice cooker. i don't even have an asian husband. does cuban count?
I love rice cookers. Have ruined TWO of them somehow! But I NEVER thought of freezing it! Genius!
ReplyDeleteBy the way...it appears we have a mutual friend! (Ashley Rapley. She knows my real name...haha) Small world!
Girl!!!! number one, just found your blog and am loving it! truly, love your honesty! and number two, I feel your PAIN! I am a rice farmers daughter and for like ALL my life (so far), I could never cook rice. admitting that was like suicide to people, ha! but guess what...a rice cooker is like THE BEST THING EVER! I am fully capable of pouring rice, clicking a button, and then viola, having perfect rice! woo hoo for that! excited to follow:) love Katie
ReplyDeleteamen praise Jesus. i learned how to make it that way on accident when making jasmine rice. i thought surely the rice company had it wrong. nope.
ReplyDeleteand, you can use the water for rice milk in cereal, if you're off dairy!! i use the rice cooker, too, but have been wondering about how to save the h2o.
ReplyDeleteSoooo...I totally just tried this after I remembered reading the post a while ago. I can now make rice better than my husband who grew up eating rice with every meal. muhahahahahahahahahahaha
ReplyDelete