Our country’s obsession with rice is an open secret to the rest of the world. But if you find yourself struggling to get your rice perfectly made every single time, know that you are not alone. Considering the frequency of times rice is cooked at each of our households, the “rice-related kitchen misadventures” never seem to cease. Nobody wants to serve or get served sticky, lumpy, textured, or unevenly cooked white rice as meals, and therein lays the problem. Believe it or not, there are a handful of very common rules that most of us end messing up while cooking rice. So let’s all take a deep dive into this issue and try to perfect our techniques of “cooking white rice” before firing up the stoves.
Common mistakes
1. Carry over cooking
Most of us don’t let the rice out of its pot after we are done cooking it. This way we end up with overcooked and mushy porridge-like rice on our plates.
2. Stirring
Some people are in the habit of stirring rice continuously while cooking to stop the grains from clumping up together. Stirring forms a layer of starch at the bottom of the utensil causing the rice to stick and burn.
3. Too high heat
Cooking rice at a very high temperature leaves the grains of rice raw in the center.
4. Lifting the lid
Lifting the lid of the utensil now and again causes the rice to lose the extra heat and steam that is necessary for it to get cooked through and reach the ideal texture.
The right way
For the first part, the rice must be washed properly till the water runs clear. Once rinsed, the rice must be and soaked for 20-30 minutes prior to cooking. The ratio of rice to water should be kept at 1:5. Next, this mixture of rice and water should be transferred to a heavy-bottomed utensil and placed on medium heat. The lid of the utensil should be firmly set into place after the water comes to a rolling boil. After about 15-20 minutes when the rice has doubled in volume, it should be taken off the heat. Finally, the starchy excess water mostly accumulated at the top should be drained away by gently tilting the utensil at an angle. The rice should be ready to be served after it has been fluffed up using a spoon or a fork.
The way to safety
For best results, one should always serve rice immediately after it has been cooked. Storing rice in the refrigerator no more than 24 hours until reheating is also considered a great way to enjoy rice.
The product itself
Irrespective of what procedure we follow while cooking rice, choosing the right product makes a world of difference. Pragati rice is the manufacturer of superior quality non-basmati rice that is unparalleled in its flavor, freshness, and fragrance. Now you can get a taste of fluffy and perfectly separated grains every single time just by picking up a pack of Pragati rice at your local supermarket.
Enjoy!!
