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Old 12-01-2009, 14:22
Starpuss
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Apologies if this has been asked before but I need help!

I am hopeless at cooking rice. I follow the instructions but it still sticks together and goes soggy. I love those rice dishes you get that are cooked with veggies and spices.

Any suggestions of where I might be going wrong?
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Old 12-01-2009, 14:23
mathertron
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I'm crap at it too
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Old 12-01-2009, 14:24
missloo
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I find using cheap rice always goes wrong for me so i just stick to using uncle bens and it seems to go alright!
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Old 12-01-2009, 14:26
mathertron
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All I can suggest is rinse it will before hand and drain it well after.

Apparently steaming rice works really well.
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Old 12-01-2009, 14:29
Lainiomonkio
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Hiya

Check out this thread - lots of suggestions... http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...highlight=rice

Good luck!
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Old 12-01-2009, 14:29
Starpuss
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All I can suggest is rinse it will before hand and drain it well after.

Apparently steaming rice works really well.
I try to rinse, but maybe I do it wrong. Annoyingly when I lived abroad the rice I used there could just be slung in the pan and boiled and it was ok. Now I am back in the UK all the packets say to rinse etc
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Old 12-01-2009, 14:53
Starpuss
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Hiya

Check out this thread - lots of suggestions... http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...highlight=rice

Good luck!
Thank you! Loads of great stuff on there. I will read and give ideas a try.

Be warned though....I am moving on to polenta next.......
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Old 12-01-2009, 14:55
RAINBOWGIRL22
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Uncle Ben's express rice for me all the way.... 2 minutes in the microwave - sorted!!!

Although to be fair I rarely eat rice (maybe once or twice a month)
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Old 12-01-2009, 14:59
Starpuss
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Uncle Ben's express rice for me all the way.... 2 minutes in the microwave - sorted!!!

Although to be fair I rarely eat rice (maybe once or twice a month)
Uncle Ben's is marvelous but I am trying to cut the monthly food bill so one packet of 'ordinary' rice goes further then the lovely, easy, fluffy Uncle Ben's...
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Old 12-01-2009, 15:51
weateallthepies
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Good quality basmati rice.

Lots of boiling water.

Keep checking it.

Keep checking it.

Keep checking it.

Keep checking it.

Drain.

Mostly it goes soggy if it is either a) cheap or b) over cooked.
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Old 12-01-2009, 15:55
Starpuss
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Good quality basmati rice.

Lots of boiling water.

Keep checking it.

Keep checking it.

Keep checking it.

Keep checking it.

Drain.

Mostly it goes soggy if it is either a) cheap or b) over cooked.
Now this is where I will show how little I know but.......what is a good quality rice. I usually buy Sainsbury's. Is this not good? I am quite willing to buy a better brand if it cooks well.

And by checking it do you mean tasting it?

And...thank you for replying..
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Old 12-01-2009, 16:10
RAINBOWGIRL22
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Now this is where I will show how little I know but.......what is a good quality rice. I usually buy Sainsbury's. Is this not good? I am quite willing to buy a better brand if it cooks well.

And by checking it do you mean tasting it?

And...thank you for replying..
What about a boil in the bag rice then? Cheaper than the Uncle Ben's and easier to cook I would imagine?
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Old 12-01-2009, 16:18
weateallthepies
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Now this is where I will show how little I know but.......what is a good quality rice. I usually buy Sainsbury's. Is this not good? I am quite willing to buy a better brand if it cooks well.

And by checking it do you mean tasting it?

And...thank you for replying..
Sainsbury basmati isn't too bad, it's the value stuff or the budget supermarket stuff that is often really dirty (in terms of excess starch). You can clean up the cheap stuff but depends how much your time is worth.

Yes keep tasting it. Lift some out on a fork and just have a taste. You want to drain it whilst it is cooked through but still has some firmness. It only takes a minute for it to go from cooked to way too soft and release loads of goo.

There are loads of methods for timing it and only using enough water to absorb but I've found the simplest method is just to use loads of water and keep checking. You soon get to know just by looking and how long it takes. Basmati doesn't take long to cook so it's not much hassle so I can just cook it whilst I'm finishing off the main.

Having said that, there are some good methods for doing it in the oven with lots of spices which work quite well.

EDIT: draining slightly early and then steaming in the colander over a pan with a little boiling water is very good for fluffy rice.
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Old 12-01-2009, 16:27
Tess-g
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I try to rinse, but maybe I do it wrong. Annoyingly when I lived abroad the rice I used there could just be slung in the pan and boiled and it was ok. Now I am back in the UK all the packets say to rinse etc
Buy the 'Easy Cook' rice......it's already been washed.

Loads of boiling water - rice in and a quick stir to seperate the grains - lid on - turn the heat right down - 14 mins on a timer - when the time is up, remove from the heat and allow to stand for a few minutes - drain into a collander and serve. Do not rinse after cooking or stir the rice again after the first quick swirl around. Perfect rice every time!
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Old 12-01-2009, 16:37
Lemonhunny
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Again, Easy Cook Long Grain Rice.

1 cup of rice
2 cups of water
salt if required.

Bring to the boil, and then simmer slowly till all the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy when you "fork" it.

This has never failed for me - it's foolproof.

*and I have NEVER drained rice in my life - taught by an Iranian hubby Even with easy cook basmati it works every single time.

Last edited by Lemonhunny : 12-01-2009 at 16:38. Reason: add a bit
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Old 12-01-2009, 16:42
DaisyBumbleroot
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1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water
rinse
boil
simmer on low for 12 mins - do NOT take lid off
fin

perfect
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Old 12-01-2009, 16:47
liquidJP
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I used to be crap at cooking rice but then i had a flash of inspiration and read the instructions!!

ratio of 1 1/2 volume water to rice... genius!
Oh and simmer never boil it.
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Old 12-01-2009, 16:58
KFA
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I honestly find Tesco's rice (not the value one, the one in the blue bag) is just as good as Uncle Bens.
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Old 12-01-2009, 17:15
ardwark
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Again, Easy Cook Long Grain Rice.

1 cup of rice
2 cups of water
salt if required.

Bring to the boil, and then simmer slowly till all the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy when you "fork" it.

This has never failed for me - it's foolproof.

*and I have NEVER drained rice in my life - taught by an Iranian hubby Even with easy cook basmati it works every single time.
^ Fool proof method. Never had this go wrong.

If you are using significantly more water to cook it then drain it, only stir it once when it has come back to the boil, turn down and simmer.
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Old 12-01-2009, 18:12
Lemonhunny
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I lied in my post above - hubby just reminded me!

The first time I cooked rice for him, I did the boil and drain method - it was disgusting. It tasted of nothing, just water.

THAT was when he taught me how to cook it

I also had a rice cooker that came from Iran and was marked with a colour chart from golden to dark brown for the tadiq
The rice cooker I replaced it with - a Kenwood - is rubbish and you don't get the crispy crust on the bottom.
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Old 12-01-2009, 18:42
Starpuss
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Thank you everyone! There are some great tips here and I am going to give it a go. I did intend to do something ricey tonight but hubby announced he wanted fish and chips! I think he knew what I was thinking and couldn't face the usual 'one sodden lump of rice or two?' question he gets at mealtimes....

I will suprise him though!
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Old 12-01-2009, 19:52
whoever,hey
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rinse starch off a bit at the beginning too help with stickyness.
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Old 12-01-2009, 20:22
shackfan
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Tesco basmati.
Rinse in cold water.
100g per person
Large bowl, 1 chicken stock cube, large pince of salt and about twice the quantity of rice in boiling water.
Cover in microwave for 14 mins. leave a min or so. Done.
I never measure the water but one day I WILL work out the exact amount I need
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Old 12-01-2009, 21:27
Starpuss
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I have just spoken to my husband about the rice dishes he is going to have to endure until I get it right. He looked a bit scared.

I can cook other stuff well, honest!
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Old 14-01-2009, 11:33
sherer
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i tried the express rice and found it was rubbish and all stuck together. As express rice takes 2 mins and the normal rice takes 10 + plus getting the water to boil I stick to the normal rice.

I use Uncle Ben's Long grain and that works fine for me, half a cup of rice plus full cup of water and is great for me. Get a bit stuck to the pan at the bottom but that is fine.

Now I just need to learn how to do lemon rice or something else a bit more interesting
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