Cooking Rice

[casnco]

Okay, I can make regular rice. You know the long grain not instant. But I have been watching food network and the chefs/cooks on the station say to add more flavor to your rice use some broth. Chicken or beef. I have tried this four or five times and each time is a disaster. The rice does not seem to want to soften up when I use broth instead of good old H2O. Has this happened to anyone else? Any suggestions?

[Sientara]

Okay, I can make regular rice. You know the long grain not instant. But I have been watching food network and the chefs/cooks on the station say to add more flavor to your rice use some broth. Chicken or beef. I have tried this four or five times and each time is a disaster. The rice does not seem to want to soften up when I use broth instead of good old H2O. Has this happened to anyone else? Any suggestions?

I cook rice frequently and haven't had this problem, but I do not use straight broth. I take a cup a water, microwave it for 45 seconds and then dissolve in some Better than Bullion. After that it goes straight into the rice cooker. Are you using a rice cooker or on the stove? If you use just plain water does it turn out ok?

[Phyllis28]

I use 1/2 broth and 1/2 water and add salt and pepper.

[kenlove]

Another option would be to use a dried piece of kombu, Japanese seaweed that you can get in most oriental markets.

Most rice in Japanese restaurants is cooked that way.

Ken

Okay, I can make regular rice. You know the long grain not instant. But I have been watching food network and the chefs/cooks on the station say to add more flavor to your rice use some broth. Chicken or beef. I have tried this four or five times and each time is a disaster. The rice does not seem to want to soften up when I use broth instead of good old H2O. Has this happened to anyone else? Any suggestions?

[Mother of Jibril]

Are you sure you're adding enough liquid? I don't think it matters what kind of liquid it is. I use water, but after several batches of rice that were a little too hard (especially as leftovers ), I added more water. Much better.

Incidentally, even if you cook the same type of rice every time (we like jasmine rice), the conditions in which it was grown and processed affects the amount of liquid you need to cook it properly.

Best wishes! After cutting out gluten and corn, rice is my major "safe" grain. A rice cooker is GREAT.

[purple]

When I use the rice cooker, I sometimes use 1-2 cups of broth and the rest water. White rice is always fluffy. Brown rice will be chewy but healthier then white. Brown rice needs more liquid than white and a longer cooking time.

[jerseyangel]

I make my rice with broth frequently. I use Uncle Ben's Converted Rice and Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Broth. I generally use 1 and 1/2 cups of the rice, and about 3 and 1/4 cups of the broth. I combine them in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer--covered--for 20 minutes. Then, let it sit for another 5 minutes in the covered pan off the heat.

It comes out perfect everytime

[missy'smom]

I cook the long grain rice on the stove often and have it down well but occasionally have trouble. Bring double the amount of liquid as rice to a good boil. Add rice and turn down to a low setting to simmer gently for 14 min. Occasionally I don't turn it down enough(I have an electric stove so finding that perfect lower temp. is hard sometimes) or turn it down too much or cook it in a small pan that doesn't have a matching lid so I use another lid that doesn't fit tightly and I think the steam escapes too much or too quickly and I end up adding a bit extra water and cooking a little longer. That will work.

[casnco]

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply to all of you. I really appriciate everyone's input. My 'puter went down right after I posted this question. We had a big power surge and I finally figured out it was the ethernet card that went out. So, now I have replaced the ethernet card and am back on the information highway!!! WaHoo! Man, I am way to dependent on this piece of equipment!!! Let me just say thanks again for all of your suggestions. I will try rice once again with the broth and keep in mind all of your wonderful suggestions.

I cook rice frequently and haven't had this problem, but I do not use straight broth. I take a cup a water, microwave it for 45 seconds and then dissolve in some Better than Bullion. After that it goes straight into the rice cooker. Are you using a rice cooker or on the stove? If you use just plain water does it turn out ok?

Sientara, I use a vegtable steamer to cook my rice. When I use just straight water I never have any problem. That is what I don't understand.

I use 1/2 broth and 1/2 water and add salt and pepper.

Phyllis, That is what I plan on doing the next time but I then am I really going to get the flavor I am looking for?

Another option would be to use a dried piece of kombu, Japanese seaweed that you can get in most oriental markets.

Most rice in Japanese restaurants is cooked that way.

Ken

Kenlove, I have never heard of kombu. is this a leaf or an herb? How big is it? Are you suggesting to use kombu for flavor? I am always looking for new tasty treats.

Are you sure you're adding enough liquid? I don't think it matters what kind of liquid it is. I use water, but after several batches of rice that were a little too hard (especially as leftovers ), I added more water. Much better.

Incidentally, even if you cook the same type of rice every time (we like jasmine rice), the conditions in which it was grown and processed affects the amount of liquid you need to cook it properly.

Best wishes! After cutting out gluten and corn, rice is my major "safe" grain. A rice cooker is GREAT.

Mother of Jibril, Good thought. I will be careful next time to pay attention to that. I have never had a problem based on the amount of liquid I was using before. There is always a careless first time. My poor family!

When I use the rice cooker, I sometimes use 1-2 cups of broth and the rest water. White rice is always fluffy. Brown rice will be chewy but healthier then white. Brown rice needs more liquid than white and a longer cooking time.

Purple, I use equal parts water and rice. Regardless of the grain, white or brown. I use my vegtable/rice steamer. Not sure what my issue is. When I use water this method always works perfectly!

I make my rice with broth frequently. I use Uncle Ben's Converted Rice and Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Broth. I generally use 1 and 1/2 cups of the rice, and about 3 and 1/4 cups of the broth. I combine them in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer--covered--for 20 minutes. Then, let it sit for another 5 minutes in the covered pan off the heat.

It comes out perfect everytime

Jerseyangel, I tried the stove top method once. It was so sticky. Not always a bad thing but that night it was exceptionally sticky. I havent perfected the stove top method either.

I cook the long grain rice on the stove often and have it down well but occasionally have trouble. Bring double the amount of liquid as rice to a good boil. Add rice and turn down to a low setting to simmer gently for 14 min. Occasionally I don't turn it down enough(I have an electric stove so finding that perfect lower temp. is hard sometimes) or turn it down too much or cook it in a small pan that doesn't have a matching lid so I use another lid that doesn't fit tightly and I think the steam escapes too much or too quickly and I end up adding a bit extra water and cooking a little longer. That will work.

Missy's mom, so you can add more water at the end of cooking your rice if it is not the texture you are looking for?

[missy'smom]

Adding water at the end is not ideal but the rice will continue to cook and absorb more liquid if it is still hard. I did it yesterday and with both long grain and basmati rice. I wonder if the salt in the broth etc. is what is causing this problem with hardness. I also have more trouble with pilafs as opposed to plain rice. If I remember right you're supposed to add salt to dry beans at the end of the cooking process because it causes problems with absorbtion of water or something like that. Also salt does raise the temp. of the liquid which is why I wonder if it steams off too quickly.

[kenlove]

Hi,

Kombu is a type of seaweed used to flavor rice. Open Original Shared Link

Gives a nice subtle flavor. Most Asian markets have it. I use it instead of broth in the rice cooker.

Good luck!

Ken

Kenlove, I have never heard of kombu. is this a leaf or an herb? How big is it? Are you suggesting to use kombu for flavor? I am always looking for new tasty treats.

[photobabe42]

My mom's rice always used to come out like a brick. She would get frustrated and refuse to make it. Then some years ago we bought her a rice cooker. It's an amazing little appliance and she's on her second one. Now that I'm gluten-free, we depend on rice for meals that the whole family will enjoy, and rice is easy! Around the holidays you can find good sales on rice cookers and many other kitchen tools.