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PEGASUS POST Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz Tuesday <strong>January</strong> <strong>21</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 15 Tasty Bites Cooking rice properly is a no grainer By Ian Knott Rice has the ability to transform a relatively simple dinner into a stunning feast. It’s readily available, inexpensive, filling, and the perfect blank slate for the base of many classic dishes A rice cooker is great if you cook rice regularly and if you’ve got ample storage space. The microwave is an option, too – there are many pre-packaged options for those who are short on time and can afford the premium price of convenience. But you needn’t splash out on any special gadgets or ingredients to serve up a pot of beautifully tender, and fluffy rice. The stove-top method is not as hard as you might think – as long as you remember a couple of simple rules. Not all rice is equal and should be treated differently if you want to get the best out if your preferred grain. Below, I’ll detail how to cook the perfect pot of white longgrain, brown, and aromatic (basmati or jasmine) rice. All the methods use one cup of uncooked rice, which will make three cups when cooked. White long-grain rice Step 1: Rinse, rinse, rinse. Step one is always the same. Unless you want a pot of lumpy wallpaper paste, you must rinse the starch off your rice. STAPLE: Rice is easy to cook, but also easy to get wrong. Make sure you rinse your rice well to avoid it going gluggy. Put the uncooked rice in a finemesh strainer and run it under the cold tap until the water runs clear. Step 2: Bring 1½ cups of water to the boil in a small saucepan with a lid, over a high heat. Step 3: Add the rice and some salt. If you’re feeling indulgent, you can also add a tablespoon of butter at this point. It will add a layer of richness, but is purely optional. Step 4: Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 18-20min until the water is absorbed. Important: Don’t lift the lid to peek, and absolutely don’t stir the rice during the absorption stage. This will break down the grains and release more starch, leaving you with a gluggy pot of white couscous. Step 5: Remove from the heat and let it stand, covered for 10min. The steam will finish off the cooking process. Uncover and fluff your perfect rice with a fork before serving. Brown rice Step 1: Repeat after me: rinse, rinse, rinse. Step 2: In a covered medium saucepan bring eight cups of water to the boil. Step 3: Add the rice and boil, uncovered, for 30-35min until the rice is tender but just a little chewy. Step 4: Drain the rice in a strainer and return it to the saucepan. Cover and let it steam (off the element) for a further 10min. Step 5: Add salt to taste and butter (if you wish). Fluff with a fork and serve. Aromatic rice Step 1: All together now . . . rinse, rinse, rinse! Step 2: Boil the kettle/jug. You’ll need two cups of boiling water for basmati rice or 1½ cups for jasmine rice. Step 3: In a small saucepan, heat some butter and/or oil until it’s just starting to shimmer. Add the uncooked, rinsed rice and some salt to the pan and stir until the water from rinsing has evaporated and the rice is coated in the butter/oil. Continue to saute, stirring constantly (you don’t want it to stick and burn), until a starchy film forms on the bottom of the pan – about 2min. Your rice should have a slightly toasty aroma at this point. Step 4: Carefully add the boiling water and reduce the heat to low. Cover the saucepan and cook until the water is completely absorbed – about 18min. Step 5: Take the pan off the heat and let it steam, covered for a further 10min. Fluff with a fork and serve. www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org.nz