It was said in a whisper, a tone somewhere between a secret and a confession.
“I can’t even make rice…”
Staring, us ladies sat for a moment unsure of what to say. And then it began, a rush of exhales and a chorus of “Me either!” “Same here!” and “I thought it was just me!”
So many of us have struggled through the years to find that perfect balance of tenderness and starch. Perfecting the art of cooking rice may be easier said than done, but with the guidance of some experienced experts we’ve been picking up some real tricks of the trade lately.
For that gal who first outed herself at our girls’ night, it was Laura Esmaili’s stew recipe here on Just A Pinch Recipes that put her on the track to basmati salvation.
“This is just a great stew for spring and summer,” says Laura of her Blue Ribbon Asparagus and Lamb Stew dish.
With tons of fresh meat and veggies, the sleeper star of Laura’s recipe is that supple, savory rice. How does she do it? Rather unconventionally! She starts with well-salted water and boils it for just 15 minutes. The par-boiled rice then gets a quick bath in cold water before it’s returned to its pot for a toss with olive oil and 20 minutes of covered cooking! The result is a perfectly tender grain of rice without any of that dreaded starchy mush.
Home cook Carol Junkins has been collecting rice recipes and tips like these in her online discussion group devoted to all things rice.
“This is a great group for us all to share our favorite rice recipes,” explains Carol in the description of her chat group, Rice Is Nice. “[There are] so many great recipes, please share yours with us!”
Within Carol’s group you can find recipes for everything from rice pudding made in the Crock Pot to traditional curries that have been passed down through generations. The common bond is the members’ shared love of cooking with rice.
“I just wanted to share this,” said group member Joanna Hatcher of Hartford, AL. “It has helped me get super-fluffy, non-sticky rice time after time!”
The “it” Joanna refers to is her own super easy, super reliable method for turning out well cooked rice. Her secret starts with uncooked grains that have been well rinsed to remove some of the starch. Cook as you normally would, but leave the lid slightly ajar. When holes or “craters” begin to form within the cooking rice, pop that lid on tight and turn the heat down to low for another fifteen minutes or so. Before you know it, voila! Perfect rice every time.
So many great rice recipes, so little time! These days that’s the only problem we have cooking rice.. keeping up with all the terrific dishes! Here’s a peek at what we’ve been dishing up: >> Rice Recipe Sampler!