# Rice + Water + Time



## mudbug (Oct 1, 2004)

What are your ratios for perfect rice?


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## crewsk (Oct 1, 2004)

2C. water boiling w/1tsp. salt, add 1C. rice & turn down to simmer & cover. Simmer for 20 min.


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## masteraznchefjr (Oct 1, 2004)

1 part rice - washed +1/2 to the rice part example: 2 part rice add 2 1/2 cups of water. 1 cup or 3/4 cup i think in the steamer


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## Alix (Oct 1, 2004)

Zactly like crewsk. We must cook for the same number of people. 2 kids and a husband crewsk?


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## GaArt (Oct 2, 2004)

The same proportions, but I bring to a boil, cover, turn on low and simmer for 15 min.. then remove from heat, fluff with fork and let stand another 15 min  (don't take off the lid except for the fluffing part)

works every time.


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## crewsk (Oct 2, 2004)

Alix said:
			
		

> Zactly like crewsk. We must cook for the same number of people. 2 kids and a husband crewsk?



That's it Alix!


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## scott123 (Oct 2, 2004)

There is no perfect ratio for rice.  Over time, rice (and beans) lose moisture, so older rice requires longer cooking/more water to turn out well.

I buy a big bag of rice.  The first few times I establish the amount of water it needs and then stick to that ratio for the rest of the bag.

Over the years, I've had bags that worked with 1 cup rice/1.5 cups water and other bags that required 2.5 cups water and everything in between.

Growing conditions
The handling of the grower
The handling of the packager
The handling of the supermarket
The manner in which you store rice
Quantity of rice being cooked
Simmering temperature

These all can impact the ratio of water to rice. If you buy small bags from the same supermarket/same producer and use them quickly, cooking the same quantity each time, there's a small chance you'll be successful using the same ratio of water time after time.

Observing the outcome and adjusting your water accordingly will improve your odds pretty drastically though.


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## Pazzo (Oct 4, 2004)

When I lived in Japan for a short while, they made their rice with glutin rice, and with a ratio of almost 1:1.5, with _no_ salt. Salt in Japanese rice is strictly verboten.[/i]


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## Yakuta (Oct 4, 2004)

I agree with scott that there is no exact formula but there are some (like what Crewsk stated) works well. 

I think in general a cup of rice and two cups of water works well.  I normally wash my rice multiple times to get rid of the starch.  I then place it in a saucepan add two cups of water, pinch of salt and 1 tbsp of butter.  I then let it come to a boil and stir it once.  Cover and then let it cook on low until done.  

I use this technique with long grain rice.


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## JohnL (Oct 5, 2004)

I also do the two to one ratio, but I like to put a Tbs. of olive oil in the pot, then add chopped onion, garlic, hot chili's,ect... then add the rice, toss till coated, instead of plain salt, I usually add a boullion cube, then water. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to low, cook for 20 mins. let sit for a bit then fluff with a fork.
Always works for me  
John.


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## puteri (Oct 19, 2004)

I found this new method to cook my rice and it works so perfect that I have not used my rice cooker anymore!
For plain white rice: 2 cups of jasmine or any long grain rice, rinse briefly, put in 2 quart le creuset French oven, pour 3 cups of water, 1 tsp of salt, and a little butter(optinal). stir and cover pan. Put pan in oven. Turn on oven to 350F and put timer to 50-55 minutes. Take pot out when timer done and I can assure you that your rice is nicely cooked, no crust or burn rice!
I have also used this method with cooking with basmati rice. You have to wash basmati really well and then follow as above, putting more butter if you like, some dried onion, cloves and stick of cinnamon. 
Try this and let me know how it turn out.


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## kitchenelf (Oct 25, 2004)

puteri - I do your method with the cloves, onions, and cinnamin when I make my chicken curry.  It's a GREAT combination!!  Except I also put golden sultans in there too.  I caramelize the onions, add the rice and let brown briefly, then proceed.

I also like to (when I do Adobo Chicken - the Filipino version, not the one that calls for Adobo "seasoning") add some fresh thyme sprigs to the cooking rice.  It's REALLY good!

I still like to sautee my rice first until it takes on some color - then I finish by cooking in oven or on the stove.


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## marmalady (Oct 25, 2004)

Cooking rice in the oven is a GREAT way to get it done when you have to cook large quantities; also frees up space on the stovetop when you're cooking a lot for parties, etc.!


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## goodgiver (Jan 11, 2005)

*Rice ratios*

That is how I do all my rices. Doing it the plain way it is tasteless. By doing it pour way it does have some flavor. This is for JohnL


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## Darkstream (Jan 11, 2005)

It entirely depends on the rice you are using. 

Real rice varieties vary wildly, some need to be cooked for 1 1/2 hours or more, others are ready in 15 minutes.

You will have to be more specific if you want any advice from me.


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## mudbug (Jan 11, 2005)

Tell me about the kind that needs to cook for an hour and a half.


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## Darkstream (Jan 11, 2005)

Red Camargue

Also, brown basmatti or brown unhusked risotto type rices need at least 60 minutes in the oven.

Try it yourself and see.


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## amber (Jan 14, 2005)

I can cook just about anything, but for some reason rice is one thing I cant do good at all.  I've almost always used long-grain white rice.  2cups water, 1 cup rice, bring to a boil, add the rice, cover and turn down the heat to med-low.  It either comes out hard, (water boiled off before rice was done), or it comes out mushy after adding more water because the rice was still hard


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## Alix (Jan 14, 2005)

amber, how long do you cook it? And do you leave the lid on for a bit after you turn off the heat?


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## mudbug (Jan 14, 2005)

amber, that's about the same as what I do, but I may try puteri's oven method (see above) the next time just for grins.


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## wasabi (Jan 14, 2005)

Rice + Water + Time= rice cooker. Use mine everyday. Perfect rice, everytime.


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## amber (Jan 14, 2005)

Alix said:
			
		

> amber, how long do you cook it? And do you leave the lid on for a bit after you turn off the heat?



I cook it for twenty minutes, according to the package directions. I let it come to a boil, stir and put the lid on, and open the lid once for another stir, then leave the lid on until done.  I dont leave the lid on after I turn the heat off.  I've heard your not suppose to take the lid off while it's cooking, but what about that fact that it sticks together?


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## amber (Jan 14, 2005)

mudbug said:
			
		

> amber, that's about the same as what I do, but I may try puteri's oven method (see above) the next time just for grins.



It's worth trying!  Is le crueset french oven the same as a cast iron pan?


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## mudbug (Jan 14, 2005)

Well, Le Creuset is cast iron covered with enamel, so you may have the sticking problem again with the cast iron unless it's well seasoned.  You also still need a lid.


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## Alix (Jan 14, 2005)

amber said:
			
		

> Alix said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



OK, I have perfect rice nearly everytime. I use 1 1/2 cups rice to 2 cups water. Boil, pour in the rice, turn down the heat to low/med low, and leave it for 15 minutes. No lid lifting. Turn it off after 15 minutes, take it off the heat and leave it for another 5. Fluff and serve. Give that a shot and see how it works.


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## scott123 (Jan 15, 2005)

mudbug said:
			
		

> Well, Le Creuset is cast iron covered with enamel, so you may have the sticking problem again with the cast iron unless it's well seasoned.  You also still need a lid.



Enameled covered iron is NEVER seasoned.


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## mudbug (Jan 15, 2005)

sorry for the misunderstanding, scott.  I was referring to the cast iron, NOT the Le Creuset, that had to be well seasoned.  Poor sentence structure.  I give myself a D.


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## scott123 (Jan 16, 2005)

Mudbug, sorry, my bad.  I overlooked the previous question regarding le crueset VS. cast iron. Within that context, it makes perfect sense.


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## mudbug (Jan 19, 2005)

Hey, puteri, I tried your method for cooking rice in the oven last night and it turned out perfectly!  Thanks for the new idea.  This technique will come in handy when I've got a lot of other stuff going on the range.


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## Haggis (Jan 19, 2005)

I use a technique that involved placing rice and water in a bowl, then placing the bowl inside of a large pot with the bowl raised off the bottom of the pot with a small amount of water in the pot to provide steam.

The water soaks into the rice while the steam provides an indirect heat to cook the rice. You cant really overcook the rice and will stay relative fluffy as long as you don't add too much water in with the rice.

You don't need to time the rice since you can just leave it in the bowl inside the hot and the steam keeps it hot.


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## mudbug (Jan 20, 2005)

hmmmmmmmmm, Haggis - now that's a new twist!


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## htc (Jan 20, 2005)

Man, I must be in the minority for using a rice cooker and my hand to measure the water! 

I've made rice since I was a kid, but never taught to measure the water with a cup or any sort of container (long grain rice from Asian store, stuff from American grocery store tastes different...don't know why).  Two ways to measure: 1. with the palm of your hand, lay it on the rice, gently, and the water should come up somewhere betwee your knuckle and the middle joint on the finger. option 2 is to stick the middle finger in the water, touching the rice and it should hit in the middle of the two lines in your finger.

Brown rice is different, I usually put more water than I do for white rice.

Probably bad news for me if I ever want to teach someone how to cook rice. :?


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## Haggis (Jan 20, 2005)

Yeah I use the knuckle method as well. However after I switched to that method I mentioned above, considering its boiling water that you put in with the rice to begin with I have...shied away from that method somewhat.


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## LeeAnn (Jan 26, 2005)

I find it very interesting all the different ways of cooking rice, and all this time I figured it was just 2 parts water/1 part rice.  Even though I do the same method each time, it seems hit and miss if my rice comes out right.  From reading these posts, I think one of the things I will change is boiling the water before I put the rice in.  I've been adding it all together and cooking from there.  I think I will make some tonight and see how it turns out.  Thanks everyone!


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