| So all this talk of rice is getting me hungry, so it's a good time to post about how to prepare it. It's pretty much the staple food of any Asian-inspired cuisine, be it steamed, fried, or molded into handheld snacks. Either long or short grain, sticky, or even white or brown, "Fresh rice is quite tasty, but you can't eat it raw; it needs to be cooked." (according to an interview with Takane Shijou in The IdolM@STER anime) So how is it exactly prepared? According to one of my friends who is an expert sushi chef of 10 years, this is the methodology of how he cooks his rice. 1. Measure out the amount of rice you want to cook and pour it into a small bucket (or your cooking container, be it a pot or a steamer bowl for a rice steamer.) Have a mesh strainer over the drain in your sink. 2. Fill the container with water halfway. Shaping your hand like a claw, wash the rice by picking it up and crushing it in your hands repeatedly, then physically swirling it with that claw-like hand in a small tight circle. The water should turn into a cloudy white color. 3. Drain the water into the strainer (this is to prevent you from wasting any rice that may fall out of the container.) 4. Repeat the process until the rice no longer leaves your water a cloudy white. Rice manufacturers intentionally coat the rice with a coating for this specific reason; so you know your rice is properly washed before use. 5. Measure and use equal part water in ratio to your rice for steaming. (If you used 2 cups of rice, use 2 cups of water) Using too little water will leave your rice undercooked, dry, and crunchy. Conversely, using too much water will leave you with a glue-like mush. 6. If you're using a rice steamer, just put the container in, close the lid, and press the button. The machine will automatically stop cooking when your rice is finished. 7. If you're using a stovetop method of cooking, make sure you leave your lid partially open so steam can escape. DO NOT BOIL! Your rice will be burnt onto your pot. Instead, heat until water will start to boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Glass lids usually have a small hole for ventilation. Another advantage of a glass lid is you can actually see your rice cooking so you don't have to guess when it's done or not. On average though, it should be done in 20 minutes from simmering. 8. I like to leave my rice sitting on the "Keep Warm" setting for an extra 10 minutes or so before anything. Really fresh rice will fall apart in your spoon if you try serving it right away. Letting it finish a bit more will guarantee your rice is cooked properly. Also another good reason is so you don't have to remove the lid, letting all of the hot steam out and increasing your cooking time. From here on, your rice should be ready for serving. If you're preparing rice strictly for frying, add a tablespoon or two of margarine. This will ensure your rice won't stick to your pan. Also if you like you can season your rice with some sea salt and pepper. This method works best with white rice, either sushi or any other kind. Brown rice I believe can be cooked straight from the bag. As I did before cooking brown rice, I sauteed some diced onions for a bit before adding rice to my pot along with a bay leaf, coating all the grains with the oil. Afterwards I added chicken stock and covered my pot with a foil and left it simmering for 15 minutes, checking on it briefly. Brown rice has a different consistancy so it's a little more dryer and harder. But still, you'll be able to tell if it's cooked. Anyway, I hope this helps out with your rice methods. I've been cooking it this way for years with no problems yet, but as always, keep practicing at it. And have fun! |
| My guess is that the coating is there to keep the rice moisture-free when it's stored in factories. Since it turns your water white then I'm guessing it's kind of like a thin coat of powder. Another reasoning I have is that when it does sit around it can collect dust and dirt, and that coating protects the rice from actually touching that dirt and in transfer from place to place during packaging. But all the same, it's usually a good thing to do so, and since it's on the package anyway to do so then may as well. |
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