# Browning rice and pasta before cooking



## Mr_Dove

I spent some time in South America a number of years back.  They have a cooking practice that I never quite understood because we don't do it here in the US.

When cooking rice or pasta they brown it in a pan with some oil before adding it to the water for boiling.

Is there a reason to do this?  Could it have something to do with the way food in South America is produced?  Maybe its different than what we get in the US...?


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## babetoo

i think it is just a matter of taste. never do it with pasta though only rice. i just brown it in skillet with butter. it gives a lot of flavor and a nutty taste to the rice.


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## GB

That is done here in the US as well. I do it occasionally with rice. I do it less often with pasta, but when I cook Israeli couscous, which is a pasta, I brown it in oil first. 

The reason to do this is the same reason we brown meat. It gives it flavor.


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## Scotch

It's normal when making a pilaf or a risotto.


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## luvs

we cook rice pilafs & barley pilafs like that at school. makes 'em nuttier then.


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## TONY SCHAAB

Mr_Dove said:


> I spent some time in South America a number of years back.  They have a cooking practice that I never quite understood because we don't do it here in the US.
> 
> When cooking rice or pasta they brown it in a pan with some oil before adding it to the water for boiling.
> 
> Is there a reason to do this?  Could it have something to do with the way food in South America is produced?  Maybe its different than what we get in the US...?


I noticed a response to your posting stating not to brown pasta.  I often make mushroom "risotto" using orzo instead of arborio rice.  The method is the same as true risotto.  In this application I find that lightly browning 1/4 to 1/3 of the rice adds a very nice additional flavor to the dish.


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## Wyogal

Flavor.


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## Andy M.

I sometimes brown egg noodles in the oven before boiling them.  Then I toss them with butter and serve.

For pilaf, I brown angel hair in butter until both the butter and the pasta are dark brown, then I add the rice and cook that for a bit so it can absorb some fat.

The browning changes the flavor significantly.


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## GB

Andy M. said:


> I sometimes brown egg noodles in the oven before boiling them.  Then I toss them with butter and serve.


I have never heard or thought of doing that. I made egg noodles the other day and my family wanted to know why we don't eat those more often so I said I would start making them more. I am going to try your method next time Andy. Thanks.


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## Andy M.

GB said:


> I have never heard or thought of doing that. I made egg noodles the other day and my family wanted to know why we don't eat those more often so I said I would start making them more. I am going to try your method next time Andy. Thanks.



That's the only way my mom ever made egg noodles.


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## msmofet

i break up angel hair pasta and brown it with rice in a pan with butter before i make my homemade rice/roni.


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## lyndalou

How do you brown noodles in the oven? Sounds like a great idea.


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## Andy M.

lyndalou said:


> How do you brown noodles in the oven? Sounds like a great idea.



Just spread them out on a cookie sheet and put them into a 350 F oven.  Watch them and maybe stir them around once to ensure even browning.  

Then just cook them normally and toss with some butter.  A little grated parm is also good.


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## John V

Browning uncooked pasta is a wonderful method of imparting flavor and visual interest.  When I was a kid 45 years ago there used to be a nice little boxed product called "Iron Skillet Supper".  They don't make it anymore, but I missed it.  It had pasta spirals that you had to brown in a little oil, slivered almonds and a packet of spices and thickener.  It was SO good.  I tinkered awhile and came up with a very reasonable facsimile.  I've never had any left over.  I have an electric stove.   For another dish, I set the heat just a smidgen over med, put a little olive oil and add any kind of pasta.  Brown one side, but do not blacken it.  Add chicken stock to cover and simmer.  If you like, thicken with corn starch, after the pasta is done depending on how much stock you use.  Add some pesto, and enjoy.  Also, I like to brown vermicelli to add to fried rice.  Y'all KNOW you can put ANYTHING in fried rice.  Nothing like the hiss and cloud of steam when adding liquid to hot browned pasta, ya know SOMETHING wonderful is happening!


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## kadesma

I was told when you do this to rice, it opens up and absorbs the liquid better and gives more flavor.
kades


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## Andy M.

kadesma said:


> I was told when you do this to rice, it opens up and absorbs the liquid better and gives more flavor.
> kades



I don't know if that's true because the rice gets coated with fat so the stay separate and don't clump up while cooking.


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## Claire

Hmmmm.  Interesting.  Has no one ever made Rice-a-Roni?  That's the first step in the instructions!

My New Mexican cousin says that browning the short vermicelli that you can buy at Mexican grocery stores is the first step.  I always sautee rice first when making risotto, and while I have a hard time getting just plain steamed rice OK, my risotto and paella (another one I sautee first).  I don't buy Rice-a-Roni much (seems to salty anymore, but it used to be a favorite) but the short Mexican brand vermicelli and rice together (with my  own stock, herbs, etc) work well.


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## kadesma

Andy M. said:


> I don't know if that's true because the rice gets coated with fat so the stay separate and don't clump up while cooking.


I read it in a Mexican cook book of course it's as old from when the Earth was cooling I'll see If I can find it because the old brain needs refreshing
cj


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## Yakuta

In addition to flavor as Andy stated, when you toast rice in some oil or butter or whatever it coats the grain of the rice and it's less clumpy and starchy.  

So I like my rice so that the grains are separated, so I normally wash my rice, strain it, toast it in a little olive oil and then add water and cook it.  Doing this ensures that the grains stay fluffy and don't get mushy. 

This may be true of pasta as well, because that also has a lot of starch in it.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

When you brown rice and or grains in fat before cooking in liquid, that's a technique known as pilaf.  It is a wonderful technique for adding flavor and color to a rice or grain dish.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Nicholas Mosher

Claire - HAHA!  I grew up eating countless boxes of Rice-a-Roni.  It was one of my favorite things to eat as a child.  I remember arguing with people that they needed to brown it longer.  Adults always seemed to get nervous it would burn... 

Of course now I make my own, but I love when I eat over someone's house and they serve up Rice-a-Roni... sort of a nostalgic experience.  Unfortunately most people I know that go for the box purchase the Near East brand products.  I used to love the beef flavored Rice-a-Roni with homemade Salisbury Steaks...


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## jackjonson

Mr_Dove said:


> I spent some time in South America a number of years back.  They have a cooking practice that I never quite understood because we don't do it here in the US.
> 
> When cooking rice or pasta they brown it in a pan with some oil before adding it to the water for boiling.
> 
> Is there a reason to do this?  Could it have something to do with the way food in South America is produced?  Maybe its different than what we get in the US...?



Strange thing!
Nevermind I think it's about the taste...I work in an italian restaurant and if a chief does something like that can loose his job in few minutes! 
But it's a tradition or a way of cooking so i respect!
At home I will try!


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## GB

jackjonson said:


> I work in an italian restaurant and if a chief does something like that can loose his job in few minutes!


How does he make Risotto then? once of the first steps in making risotto is to brown the rice in oil.


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## Andy M.

GB said:


> How does he make Risotto then? once of the first steps in making risotto is to brown the rice in oil.



Risotto recipes I've seen call for coating the rice with the oil/butter but not to brown it.  One recipe I've used specifically tells you the onion and rice should not be cooked to the point adding color.

When I make pilaf, I brown the pasta in butter until both the butter and the pasta are brown, then I add the rice and stir to coat followed by the broth.


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## GB

Yes, I guess you are right Andy. Guess I should read what I post more carefully when I post first thing in the morning  Thanks for catching that.


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## Nicholas Mosher

When I make pilaf I melt the butter over medium heat, and then add the rice and pasta.  Continuing over medium heat, the pasta browns, the rice "opens up" (but doesn't brown), and by this point the butter is also nice and nutty.  Then I toss in the minced onion, which quickly sweats out from the loaded thermal mass of the pasta/rice.  I give a splash of alcohol, add my stock, bring to a simmer, then cover and place in an oven to absorb the fluids.

My favorite way to finish it is with toasted nuts and thinly sliced scallions folded in a few minutes after it's out of the oven.  Sometimes I'll add raisins or dried cranberries depending on what it's served with.  Just on it's own, I often use brown rice.

Another favorite (and totally untraditional!) pairing is with Chicken or Veal Marsala.  I use Marsala in the rice along with ground dried porcini.


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## zfranca

They don't brown the pasta. They simply let the pasta absorb the seasoning of the oil and herbs before adding the liquid. It is the technique used in risotto I am omitting the ingredients and giving you just the directions)
** 
*Directions**:*
Keep the broth on simmer.

In a sauté pan, over medium-high heat, cook the diced onion with half of the butter and oil until translucent (If you want the marrow, add it now, and incorporate it well by smashing it).

Add rice, mixing with a wooden spoon until shiny (about one minute). Add wine and let it evaporate. Add one ladle of broth. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle boiling. When the rice has absorbed all the liquid, add another ladle, and so on, stirring occasionally uncovered. You are allowed _to cheat,_ by adding two or more ladles at the beginning, most importantly is that you do not put a lid on it and that you do not add excessive liquid towards the end. All the liquid has to be absorbed. Taste it, the grain of rice has to be _Al dente_, (slightly undercooked). Adjust salt and pepper if necessary (depending if you have salted your stock or not). You may have some broth left, keep it for future use.

Take off the heat and incorporate the remaining butter and parmesan cheese, serve immediately, or the rice will overcook. This technique of adding liquid in steps will avoid overcooking the rice and will give the rice a distinctive flavor not found in boiled rice. The whole process should take about 45 minutes, less if you use white rice (Arborio).


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