I can't cook ... rice

[Ghuraba]

Hello...I have just accepted the fact that I can't cook and it is not something that comes natural to me.

I just made rice and its horrible...as usual...the rice got all stuck to the pot...the rice is mushy...there is no taste to it even though I put salt...and then I put more and its the same...I'm just no good with cooking at all...

Any advice?

 

[CharlieD]

I'd say start with potato. even thouse of us who can cook, some times have problem with rice. i am one of them. For example do not come close to me with Basmanti rice. I can never get it rite. i do ok with other types and brands of rice, but Basmanti is my bigest problem.

With rice you have to be carefull. Everything matters. The amount of water, the seasoning, the amout of rice, the type of pot you are using, the heat levels, really everyhting.

If you are having problem in general, then you should start with something simple, if rice is your only problem, I'd say switch to some other side dish.

 

[Wyogal]

I guess I would read instructions carefully, first. You might want to check youtube or other how-to videos online.

 

[MostlyWater]

A lot of things that sound easy really aren't. Rice is one of them. I got a steamer years back and that helped a lot. and it beats the taste of instant.

 

[Kathleen]

Learning to Cook

Don't give up! Everyone started somewhere. When my grandmother passed, my grandfather had to fend on his own. My mother found him a small basic cookbook that gave easy step-by-step instructions. He loved it and was so proud of himself when he made something good.

The keys were to get him a cookbook that made simple foods that he enjoyed and to ensure it was not too complex. My advise is to go to the local bookstore and inquire about cookbooks for beginners that has foods that you think you would enjoy. Once you master some basics, then experiment.

~Kathleen

 

[TheNoodleIncident]

for the rice, have you considered a rice cooker? in general, im not a fan of single task appliances (though you can do a few things with a rice cooker) or funky gadgets (say no to garlic smashers, egg slicers, slap chops, avacado/mago knives, etc) that take up space, but i make an exception for rice cookers....they are cheap (a $15 one works quite well, but you can buy more expensive), do the job well, and take alot of the guess work out of the process

then you can move on to other cooking asks...and im sure we can all help

 

[Phil]

I know you are frustrated, but you are no different from any one else. Many a good cook has blown the rice. Check the stores in your area and see if they cary Texmati brand rice. I cook this in the microwave with a safe covered dish. I use chicken broth instead of water. This is a can't miss, unless you misread the directions. The aroma of this product cooking is on the same level as popcorn. It's fantastic. Good luck.

 

[spork]

It's the effort that counts.

Through both successes and failures, through thick and thin, if you always remember to add that as your essential cooking ingredient, you'll surely become a fine chef. Don't worry about it.

In the meantime, whatever your staple of choice - rice, potato, bread, bean, pasta, etc. - go buy whatever tools you need because, by definition, you will be cooking it nearly every single day.

 

[Selkie]

Unless your stove top is busy with a lot of other dishes cooking, you most likely don't need a rice streamer.

All you need are:

A pot with a lid
Wooden Spoon
Measuring cup
Rice
Water

In general, 1 cup of dried rice will turn into 2 cups of cooked rice.
Measure your rice and pour it into the pot.
Measure your water at 1-1/2 times the amount of rice you just put into the pot. (e.g. 1 cup of rice + 1-1/2 cups of water). Give the rice a swirl or two with the spoon. Leave the lid off.
Turn your burner on high and watch for it to come to a rolling boil. (not just little bubbles around the edges.)
Put the lid on and don't peek or take it off until the rice is completely ready.
When it comes to the rolling boil and you put on the lid, turn the burner down to medium low for 6 minutes. After the 6 minutes, turn the burner down to its lowest setting for another 6 minutes. After the second 6 minutes is up, turn the burner off and just let the pot set (the rice is still steaming) for 8 minutes.

Your rice is now ready. And it always works for Japanese-style rice.

 

[Mark Webster]

Rice cookers are great. They work on a timer and most of the cooking pans are non-stick for easier clean up. Also a feature that alot also have is the built in warmer. Once the rice is cooked it changes over from a cooking temp to a holding temp. Its a great no mess method.

 

[bakechef]

rice was a headache for me too, the first thing that I had to learn was to ignore the package instructions and turn the heat down.

Here is my tried and true method.

Preheat a saucepan to medium, add a tablespoon or so of olive oil, veg oil or butter. Add 1 cup of rice cook stirring constantly until the rice starts to look white and chalky. Add 1 1/2 cups water and a few pinches of salt and bring to a boil, cover with a tightly fitting lid and turn the heat to LOW and let cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and leave covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve.

I find that keeping the heat low and using a nice heavy bottomed pan keeps rice from burning, I also don't have issues with sticking, and I don't use non-stick.

 

[vagriller]

Could be that you need to switch the brand or type of rice you are cooking. What kind have you tried?

 

[wanna be]

You can cook!!

Rice is a real pain .I have been useing a pressure cooker with good results.My rice was allways gummy and as you said no amount of seasoning or liquid could save this mess.You only need a basic pressure cooker, and it's alot more usefull than a rice cooker.

 

[luvs]

i'm very glad i dislike most rice! i've attended culnary school, returning soon, & we students were to cook pilaf often, either barley or rice. often, those were watery, or there wasn't enough stock in them, or they wouldn't fluff well, or they were over-seasoned..... easy-peasy recipe, too..... onion, sauteed, rice coated in the fat the onion was cooked in, double the amount of chix stock, chix base in one class & not another, bayleaf, cumin, wht. pepper, salt. cover with foil, bake, fluff in a bowl. adjusted my seasoning & after Chef approved, to the table that went for the others, or to the trashcan! rice is kinda finicky for many of us! doesn't mean ya cannot cook, just not great at 1 food. there's several foods i won't fuss with. & that's with 2 years of formal schooling!

 

[Selkie]

For 2/3 of the world, rice is a daily staple, and rice or other similar grain is cooked about weekly for most of the other 1/3.

Basic White Rice doesn't have to be difficult. It's boiled/steamed until it's done.

While I lived in the Marianna Islands, my Philippino neighbor told me, while complaining about her new granddaughter-in-law, "What ruins most rice is impatience and lack of attention."

 

[larry_stewart]

I have a microwave rice cooker, which cost about $5 and is spot on everytime . Before this I had a rice steamer ( about $40 ) which was also spot on every time.

 

[jessicafox]

Hello...I have just accepted the fact that I can't cook and it is not something that comes natural to me.

I just made rice and its horrible...as usual...the rice got all stuck to the pot...the rice is mushy...there is no taste to it even though I put salt...and then I put more and its the same...I'm just no good with cooking at all...

Any advice?

you are at right track. it is good forum, read other threads also, helps you a lot.

 

[kannan]

If you are cooking rice please check the "Cooking time" of the rice you bought.I used to get into similar issue, when I try out a new brand of rice.My method is as follows.

1)Wash the dry rice well atleast 2 times.
2) Soak it in water for 30 mins to one hour (Optional.It helps to reduce the preperation time thus saving energy)
3) Start boilling the rice in the same vessel.
4)Keep checking the status every 5 minutes to see if it is done.
5)Make sure sufficent water is there always.
6) Remove the excess water finally.
7) You can use this water as rice soup and I love it with some salt.

 

[philso]

How to Cheat

but first, i'll tell you how to cook it right.

as others have mentioned, 1 part rice to 1 1/2 parts water is the standard ratio, plus a little salt and maybe butter. follow the recipe on your rice package though, as different kinds of rice can vary somewhat.

bring the water to a boil, add the rice & salt, bring it back to a full boil and give it a stir to make sure none has clumped together. turn the heat down so that it's barely simmering and put the lid on. after this point, it's important NOT to STIR the rice any more. as the water level reduces, it leaves little vents that allow the water below to steam the rice above. if you stir after this point, there's no way for the water below to reach all the rice above, leaving the rice above under-cooked and the rice below mushy. ideally, the rice will be just perfectly cooked when the last of the water evaporates at the bottom.

time will give you an approximate result, but not necessarily perfect. you may want to visually check the bottom by inserting a chop stick or butter knife along the side of the pan down to the bottom and open a small vent, disturbing the rice as little as possible, to see if the water is gone. if so , let it sit with the lid on for about 5 minutes and then it's ready to fluff and serve. another way to tell if the water is gone, is to listen near the bottom of the pan for a "crackling" sound. this will start after the water is gone. if at this point, the rice is over- or undercooked, adjust the mount of water next time. it should be about right with the standard ratio, though.

it takes practice to get the usual method down, so...

ok. How to Cheat

this way of cooking is sometimes used in restaurants. approach cooking rice as though it were pasta, using perhaps 2 or 3 times the usual amount of water. check it from time to time, and when the rice is cooked al the way through, strain it well immediately, place it in a shallow baking pan , season with salt & butter and fluff, cover with aluminum foil, and leave it in a warm oven for 10 minutes or so before serving. it's also a convenient way to make pilaf by adding some shopped green onion and parsely.

hope this points you in the right direction. good luck in the future.

 

[x7anooonah]

You never mentioned what kind of rice you are cooking that has a lot to do with it. I cook rice almost daily and I use basmatti. If thats what you use I can teach you how to make it perfect.