Wait, you already know how to make rice? Well then go away of you, sillypants. You have other things to read about. But for the rest of you, for whom rice that doesn’t have the word Minute in front of it or that doesn’t comes in a boil-in-bag (NO!) is a total mystery, allow me.
Easy and cheap.
Get yourself some nice, short grain brown rice from the bulk bin. Make it organic if you can. Why short grain? Because it’s nice and starchy and will make you feel so warm and cozy inside. It’s such a comfort food it’s a miracle that it is so good for you. It’ll cost under $2 for a pound of the organic stuff from the bulk bin, and a pound will make a lot of rice.
Once you have your rice, lob it into a pot (1/3 cup will yield about a cup of rice cooked). Here is a picture of the rice all measured up in an actual measuring cup (highly recommended).
It's a whole grain, but who cares? It's DELICIOUS!
You’re really supposed to boil water at this point — about 2 cups for every cup of rice — then add the rice. I’m too lazy/busy for that. I add the rice, use the same cup I measured in to lob in 2.5 cups for every cup (so if it’s 1/3, fill the measuring cup 2.5 times and now it’s almost all the way clean. I told you I was lazy).
Instructions always say to keep the lid on, but whenever I do that the thing overflows with foam. You can avoid that by adding a teaspoon of oil if you like. Instead I leave the lid ajar, balanced on my well-worn wooden spoon. Low heat. Set a kitchen time for about 25 minutes and walk away (not too far).
Check on the rice after the timer rings — the water should be a bit foamy and getting near the top of the rice (eventually you won’t need to do this; you will have ricemaking confidence and you’ll know when to look for this last last bit with the leftover liquid). Set the timer for 15 minutes and run off to do something else you forgot to do (I’m projecting here, but really, could it just be me who forgets?).
I think I steamed the ol' cell phone, but you get the picture: When you tilt the pan, there's a little liquid left. Let it steam for 10 and it will disappear, leaving starchy goodness behind.
When the liquid is closing in on the bottom of the pan (it’s below the level of the rice but not wholly evaporated), put the lid on, reset the clock for another 10 minutes, look over the kid’s homework, the mail, or ponder the wonders of the Universe and then, pow, it’s go time: yummy rice.
Make extra and store in the fridge for a few days worth of delish. Add tofu, beans, ricotta, whatevah.
Ilene Sutter
