Bog-standard plain ol' boiled rice

[Grandma]

Used to do it by the bucketful when the family was here and don't recall having any problems. But - since I've been cooking for one - it's become a real hit-and-miss affair. Either pudden-y or crunchy. (Mostly pudden-y.) Any ideas where I'm going wrong, please?

Can't believe I'm asking this  :o  :-[

[Grandma]

[tim]

So easy! Assuming a typical Basmati?

Say 4floz for one. 1.3floz water. Bring to boil & then simmer on lowest posible for 20 min. Quick stir, put tea towel over & replace lid. Leave 5 min.

Never ever fails. For brown rice - 40 min.

[bennettsleg]

I have the same problem, can't cook it the same twice, can't cook it right most of the time. 

Have tried the absorbtion method, the Hawk-Watching method, followed by the keep nibbling till it tastes right, swill with boiling water, swill with chilled water to stop the cooking then boiling water to re-heat, yada yada yada...

Have gone and bought meself a microwave rice cooker in desperation!  Some friends swear by theirs (as opposed to"at" them) and I've joined their ranks.  It's due to arrive any day now and I'll let you know the outcome of the first cooking!

[tim]

If the absorption method fails, either the lid seal as not good enough or the simmer was too fast. Or you took a peek while cooking? I use the widest pan I have, to keep the contents as shallow as possible.

And the joy is you can use stock to add flavour.

[OllieC]

I add the same volume boiling water as rice, microwave for 9 mins & serve. Works perfectly every time. No draining required.

[tim]

Thanks for bringing me to my senses, Ollie - I meant 4 PLUS 1.3 = 5.3!!

Much easier with the usual 4 place measure of 15+20.

One or two person things are always less forgiving.

[Jeannine]

The Chinese cook their rice by the thumb method, whatever quantity rice you need , put it in a pot and cover with water till the water above the rice is the depth of you thumb knuckle, Don't ask me how it works, but it does, doesn't seem to  matter how much you make, the water displacement seems to work it  out right.

XX Jeannine

[OllieC]

Thinking about it Tim, we're using pretty much the same amount - if I have an inch of a cylinder filled, and add water to another inch above, the water between the rice and then losing a little more through evaporation would account for the 1.3.

[tim]

Clever, isn't it!!

And Jeannine - yes, used the 'bit above' for years until I found the measuring way surer. Otherwise, depends so much upon what sized pan you use.

[Hyacinth]

I use a cup measure....1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water. Always use the same shallow lidded pan. Do the T-towel trick at the end like Tim. No probs 8)

[Mrs Ava]

I do the same as lish measurement wise, but what I do is bring it up to the boil, then turn the heat off and put a tight lid on.  10 to 15 or so mins later, lift lid, fork through, perfickt!

[Jeannine]

This is how I do my rice. I measure 2 level cups of rice and 4 full cups of boiling water. I put an empty pan on a hot gas ring, ptt a tablespoon of oil in the pan, drop in the rice, stir it for about 1 minute on high,  then quickly add the boiling water, put the lid on fast and turn the gas down to the  very lowest it will go.Time for 20 minute,don't look, then turn off,lift lid and fluff with fork.

Be careful it splutters when you add the water and you must put the lid on fast

Don't peep while it is cookin, you will let the steam out.
XX Jeannine

[Rosyred]

This is how I cook mine.

Wash and soak basmati rice this reduces cooking time.

Large pan or trible size of pan to rice. So if only cooking a little use a meduim pan. Put water on to boil, once boiling drain rice and had to pan. Stir so not to stick to bottom. Don't forget it on the cooker so don't go on the computer or watch TV stay around kitchen. Keep tasting rice until its slightly under done and then drain and cover with cling film or a plate. As long as it under done the cling film bit finishes it off.

Can't give times and amounts as I do it by taste. And  rice varies as the basmati i'm using at the mo isn't that good.

May be of some help I hope.

[Grandma]

Thank you all for the tips - no excuse for getting it wrong in future, have we bennetsleg?  :) We're going to be fluffing and forking it up with the best of 'em.

One good think has come out of yesterday's disastrous 'pudden'. When the lump I didn't use had gone cold and totally congealed in the bottom of the colander, I prised the whole thing out and put it en bloc  :-[ on the bird table. I've been royally entertained ever since, watching two hulking great wood pigeons playing tug-of-war with it. Doesn't look as if they've had much more luck separating the grains than I did.

[Jeannine]

 If you have a rice disaster chuck some cream, milk, sugar, butter  and nutmeg in it,run  it in your  food processor  or similar machine , it turns into really creamy ground rice pudding, add a few sultanas and they will think you planned it that way.

PS I never drain water out of rice,if measured right and cooked on very low it shouldn't be needed. I would feel sad about all the goodness going dowm the drain.

XX Jeannine

[Apple Dumpling]

I always cheat and use the easy cook rice. Never fails.