# How to par-boil brown rice???



## bigbubbacain (Sep 9, 2007)

I really love brown rice and I'd like to figure out how to make tabouli out of it because I think it would be better for me than bulgur wheat. Normally, when I make tabouli, I parboil the bulgur wheat and then soak it in cold water for a few hours. I know things would be different for brown rice because the grain is a lot different. Does anyone have any ideas for parboiling brown rice? How long it should go, etc.? I don't want to boil it entirely because I want it to soak in the lemon juice and olive oil later so it will have better flavor. Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks!


----------



## kitchenelf (Sep 9, 2007)

I'm not sure why you don't want to use the bulgur wheat - it is extremely good for you.  I have never soaked my bulgur wheat in cold water.  I've always mixed equal parts of boiling water and the bulgur and let sit for maybe about 30 minutes - or until absorbed.  Then make tabbouleh.  

I don't know about parboiling the rice unless you just want to keep an extra amount on hand for other things.  Once the rice is cooked I don't see why you can't just make the tabbouleh then.  I think the lemon would soak in quite nicely while it was still warm.


----------



## bigbubbacain (Sep 9, 2007)

kitchenelf said:


> I'm not sure why you don't want to use the bulgur wheat - it is extremely good for you.  I have never soaked my bulgur wheat in cold water.  I've always mixed equal parts of boiling water and the bulgur and let sit for maybe about 30 minutes - or until absorbed.  Then make tabbouleh.
> 
> I don't know about parboiling the rice unless you just want to keep an extra amount on hand for other things.  Once the rice is cooked I don't see why you can't just make the tabbouleh then.  I think the lemon would soak in quite nicely while it was still warm.



Thanks for responding! As for bulgur wheat, adding boiled water always makes the grains too fluffy and soft. I have friends from Lebanon who always joke that this is "white man's tabouli". (no offense intended) I was corrected by them that most Middle Eastern cultures consume the grains on the firm side. When I soak it in cold water instead of adding boiling water, I find that it's not too tender and the small amount of water that mixes with the lemon juice and olive oil don't turn murky and cloudy. After all, it's tabouli and NOT Cream of Wheat! LOL I only added this post because I just wondered what it would take to soften brown rice without cooking it entirely. Any suggestions?


----------



## kitchenelf (Sep 9, 2007)

It still has "tooth" the way I do it - certainly not anything like cream of wheat.    Why not use hot water then?  I'm tempted to make it the way you make yours - see what the difference is.  

Why can't you just under cook the brown rice a bit?


----------



## TATTRAT (Sep 9, 2007)

You can find, more often then not, the rice that is already par boiled.


----------



## bigbubbacain (Sep 10, 2007)

kitchenelf said:


> It still has "tooth" the way I do it - certainly not anything like cream of wheat.    Why not use hot water then?  I'm tempted to make it the way you make yours - see what the difference is.
> 
> Why can't you just under cook the brown rice a bit?



Give the cold water a try. According to the recipe I follow, you soak the grain in cold water- anywhere from 30 minutes (eek!) to 2 hours. Keep time so you know when it reaches your desired tenderness. Then, drain through cheese cloth (I use a screen mesh collander lined with paper towel-cheaper) After this, the grain is ready for whatever you do in your recipe. Hope you like this.


----------

