Basic Rice
Rice is a plant that absorbs arsenic, a toxic mineral, from the soil and from irrigation water. For this reason, it's necessary to rinse rice thoroughly before cooking.
To make more rice, take the dry measure of rice and use double the amount of water in a liquid measuring cup. So for 1 cup of rice, 2 cups of water.
- 1/2 cup rinsed rice
- 1 cups water
- 1 tsp. salt
Add salt to cold water in a small pot. Bring to a boil.
Add rice. When water returns to a boil, turn heat to lowest setting and put on the lid.
Wait about 10-15 minutes. Rice is done when it is soft and fluffy and all water has been absorbed.
On my stove, the lowest heat can still make the water boil over, so I have to watch the pot. And if I don't and it does boil over, I just add more boiling water from the kettle, let the pot return to a boil uncovered, then take the pot off the stove and sit covered for the rice to finish cooking with the residual heat. Rice is more easily ignored if you use a rice cooker (follow the manufacturer's directions.)
Stirred Rice in a Pot (Risotto)
There is supposedly an art to making risotto. But basically, cook chopped onions in butter, stir in rice, add broth, and keep stirring in hot broth or boiling water about a 1/2 cup at a time till the rice is almost cooked. Then add seasoning and serve when cooked and fluffy.
This recipe makes a big pot of rice, enough for a main dish for 4 adults. Serve with cooked mushrooms, roast chicken, buttered yellow squash, cooked peppers, whatever.
For a good risotto, use about 6 cups of good, seasoned chicken or vegetable stock, heated.
Any-night economy verson: 1 cup of stock (1 stock cube dissolved in boiling water) to start, and just hot water from the kettle for subsequent additions of liquid.
Gourmet version: Use 1 cup of very dry white wine for the first liquid addition, hot chicken or vegetable stock for the rest. Mix 2 Tbsp of the hot stock with a pinch of saffron and add this to the rice with mushrooms (sauteed in butter) when you season the rice.
- Peel and chop 2 yellow onions.
- Rinse 500 grams of short-grained white rice (about 2-3/4 cups) and drain.
- Put 6 cups stock in a pot on the stove to boil, then turn down to simmer and cover.
- Melt a chunk of butter (3 Tbsp butter OR 2 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp oil) in another large pot (non-stick if you have one).
- Stir in the chopped onion and cook briefly, just until translucent.
- Stir in the rice.
- Pour in a cup of hot stock and stir till the liquid bubbles.
- Turn heat down to low. Cover the pan and cook on low heat (simmer) just until the liquid is absorbed. Peek and stir.
- Use a soup ladle to add more hot stock (about 1/2 cup at a time) and stir until the liquid is absorbed.
- Keep doing this until you've only a bit of liquid left.
- Season the rice with salt and pepper (and the saffron mixture if making the gourmet version.) Stir well and add the remaining liquid.
- Cover and cook on low for 5 more minutes until rice is done.
- Options: serve with grated parmesan cheese.
Chinese Fried Rice
Delicious way to use up leftover plain steamed rice.
For variety add 2 cups chopped cooked meat (ham, shrimp, chicken, beef, bacon) or chopped green pepper or shelled unseasoned peanuts or sliced almonds.
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 2 cups coarsely chopped onion
- 2 cups cold cooked rice
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
Heat pan, add oil and fry onions until golden.
Add cold rice and saute.
Beat eggs and season with soy sauce and salt.
Saute until heated through.
