In order to cook rice you need to combine rice, water, salt and butter. The salt and butter are optional, so only rice and water are essential. The proportions are generally two to one: two cups of water to one cup of rice.
Butter is an absolute flavor powerhouse and should be used to make rice taste more buttery and rich, which, in turn, makes other foods on the same dinner plate, taste that much better as well.
First, rinse the rice with cool water to remove some of the starch before adding it to the pot. Coat the rice cooker pan with a little oil or add it directly to the rice and water mixture.
Once the water is boiling, add in your rice. Stir it a couple of times to keep the grains from sticking together, but don't over-stir – once or twice should do it. TIP: add some butter (about 1 tbsp) to the pot when you add the rice.
Use olive oil to prevent stickiness
Not only will a teaspoon of nice olive oil add a wonderfully bright and earthy aroma to an otherwise plain grain, but it will also help keep your rice from becoming too sticky.
Rinsing the rice removes excess starch, which is what causes clumping. You can also add a touch of oil or butter to your pot to help prevent sticking even further.
Let the rice sit in the cooker for about 5-10 minutes after the machine tells you it's done. If you're in a hurry you can eat it now, but waiting lets the moisture evaporate a bit, and along with the heat, distribute evenly through the grains. Then open the lid, use a rice paddle to fluff it up a bit before serving.
Directions. Bring water, butter, and salt to a boil in medium saucepan. Stir in rice and return to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid, 16 to 18 minutes (check only toward end of cooking time).
Rice is like pasta—you have to salt the water, or else you'll have bland rice. I put a ½ tsp. to a tsp for each cup of rice."
What about substituting oil for butter? Depending on the type of oil, it can add complex flavor and welcome moisture to your baked goods. A good rule of thumb is to replace about 3/4 of the butter in a recipe with olive, canola, or vegetable oil (if the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use ¾ cup oil).
First, rinse your rice under running water before transferring it to the rice cooker; this washes away excess starch and helps make the rice less sticky. Second, let the rice rest after cooking for at least 10 minutes with the lid on before serving.
Some people also like to add a small drizzle of oil or a pat of butter to help soften the rice and prevent sticking — this all depends on personal preference, so it's totally your call.
Rinsing rice before cooking is a must to wash off excess starch. Otherwise, the cooked starch will create a sticky consistency, instead of the coveted fluffy, separate grains. For best results, rinse the rice under water until the water runs clear.
Mushy or soggy rice is simply overcooked rice that has absorbed too much water. Water over-absorption causes the rice grains to split open, ruining the texture and creating a starchy, gummy result.
If you want soft and fluffy rice, you should add the rice to cold water and bring it to boil. Use a tight-fitted lid. Use a good lid so the steam and moisture don't escape during the simmering cook time. Cook the rice on low heat.
Sticky rice gets its infamous stickiness from starch; or rather, one type of starch in particular. Other starchy foods contain two starch components—amylose and amylopectin. Sticky rice, however, is mostly amylopectin and while it does contain trace amounts of amylose, it's an insignificant amount.
Most recipes get it wrong because it's not widely known that jasmine rice is softer than most, so you need LESS water than normal white rice so it's fluffy rather than gummy. Use just 1 1/4 cups water for every 1 cup of jasmine rice (the standard for typical white rice is 1 1/2 cups water to 1 cup rice).
Like many other types of rice, jasmine rice is made up of two types of starches: amylose and amylopectin. The more amylose starches the rice has, the more separate the grains will be after cooking. Amylopectin starches gelatinize during the cooking process and contribute to the overall sticky texture of rice.
Add some butter, garlic, turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon to the rice cooker before you begin the cooking process, and replace the water with soup stock. If you have a few extra minutes, sautée the dry ingredients in a pan to enhance their flavours, then add them to the rice inside the cooker.
Adding olive oil to rice during the cooking process improves the texture of the rice while adding flavor and moisture. Add olive oil to the water before adding the rice.
Yes, just add the seasonings (garlic powder, thyme, crushed red pepper, and salt) to the rice maker along with the rice and water, then use the rice maker as you normally would.