Tips for Cooking Rice

I do not know about you, but I am one person who can never seem to master the art of cooking rice. My rice always turns out undercooked and hard in the center, or so sticky that you can not even get it out of the bowl, off of the spoon, and onto your plate. This causes some problems because rice is such a great food, and goes so well with many different meals. Below are some ways to cook rice that will impress even the greatest of critics.

Before you attempt to cook your rice, you need to make sure it is washed. Here is one simple way to wash your rice:

-Fill a deep pot with clean water
-Put your rice into a colander
-Place the colander into the pot
-Rub the rice between your hands, being sure to get it all
-Remove the colander and dump out the water, exchanging it for clean water
-Repeat these steps until the water runs clean

One of the greatest, most common ways of cooking rice is by placing it on your stove, in boiling water. The rule of thumb is that for every one cup of rice you want to cook, you use two cups of water. This is because the rice absorbs the water, and swells. Usually you need much less rice then you would think because of how much it grows during the cooking process. One way to stop your rice from sticking is to add oil, butter, or margarine to the water while it is boiling, along with a little bit of rice. These also help give your rice some much needed flavor.

Another great way to cook rice is in your slow cooker. I can not necessarily tell you exactly how to cook the rice, because it usually depends on what you are making, and what the recipe calls for. One reason cooking the rice in a slow cooker is so great, is because you usually have some leeway with time. Often times your meal may focus around the rice, for instance, when you are cooking a stir fry to go over the rice. If the rice is not done when the stir fry is, it is rather annoying. Usually your stir fry will end up going cold before the rice is done. In a slow cooker that is not the case because chances are your entire meal is in the slow cooker staying warm.

We all know that rice, while small, is a filling addition to any meal. If you plan on serving your family a nutritious meal, with rice on the side, you need to be sure and cook it properly. No one likes undercooked or overcooked rice. If you follow simple instructions, you can usually create a meal fit for a king. Well... at least fit for your family!