When I was young, I always took "plain" white rice for
granted because we ate it so often. But when I was a teenager and
ate at friends’ houses I realized how awful rice can be if
you don’t treat it right. There’s nothing easier and,
in some ways, more satisfying than good white rice. Trust me on
this one.
½ cup canola oil
4 cups long grain white rice
Water or broth to cover the rice (about 5 cups)
3 tablespoons salt
Makes 8 servings
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven, or a smaller vessel with a heavy
bottom, over medium-high heat. Add the rice and salt, stirring to
coat the rice with oil. When the rice starts to appear opaque and
chalky, add enough cold water to cover the rice by the width of
two fingers (about one inch). Bring to a rapid boil, and boil—without
stirring!—until the water level reaches the level of the rice.
Stir the rice once and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and
cook until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed, 20
minutes. Stir the rice gently from bottom to top to fluff it up
and serve. Perfect rice!
Making Rice
I use long grain rice (like Carolina brand). Short grain rice
has a different taste and texture; it is chewier. Some people rinse
their rice one or more times before cooking it. I never do, and
it seems to come out just fine. Storing rice is never an issue in
our house; we go through it fast enough that it’s not a problem.
If you’re keeping it, make sure it is in a cool place in a
tightly covered container, like a large plastic storage container
with a tight lid.
If you skim through these recipes, you’ll see different seasonings,
but always the same techniques. Here they are in brief.
Cook the rice in oil over fairly high heat, with or without seasonings,
until the rice turns chalky.
Pour in enough water or liquid to cover the rice by the width of
two fingers (about 1 ¼ inches). I have never used the “two
parts liquid to one part rice” rule and, until I wrote my
book, never thought about it at all. The two finger rule always
worked out. Turns out, when I started measuring things in the process
of writing this book, I use a good deal less water than two times
the amount of rice. I put quantities of water or broth in the recipes
as a guideline only, the amount of liquid you will actually add
depends on the size and shape of your pot. My favorite rice pot
holds 6 quarts and measures about 10 inches wide by 4 inches high—yours
can be any size, but it should hold the finished rice comfortably
and should be wider than it is tall.
Bring the liquid to a boil and boil until the level of liquid meets
the top of the rice.
Give the rice a big stir, lower the heat to low and cover the pot.
Set the timer to 20 minutes and walk away. Do not uncover, think
about or, most definitely, stir the rice.
Uncover and fluff. You can leave the rice covered in a heavy pot
and it will stay hot and in good shape for about an hour.
To reheat rice that’s been refrigerated I prefer the microwave.
Put the rice in a bowl, sprinkle a little water over the top, cover
the bowl with plastic and cook until hot. You may also reheat rice
in a skillet with a tight fitting lid. Add a couple of tablespoons
of liquid and cook over very low heat until hot.
