Been using HF for a while a loving it, and I’m still pretty new to cooking in general.
I’ve tried two dishes with rice now, and both times the rice came out totally screwed. The first time it was undercooked I’m pretty sure, it was just slightly hard still but not inedible. Tonight, I tried making the Thai coconut ginger curry. I followed the instructions exactly, and the rice came out burnt as hell. I checked on it about half way through and it looked like this. I had it on a low simmer per the directions.
Should I have added more water or something? The instructions said 3/4 cup but that didn’t seem like a whole lot. I trusted the process though.
Thanks!
by Scrufflyupagus
45 Comments
I’ve never been able to cook rice on the stove (except for Mexican/Spanish rice) everything else I use a rice cooker
After it starts to boil, cover it and turn it all the way down to low
2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice on high until boiling cover and lower all the way you’ll have perfect rice eveytime. I tend to put butter around the pot before so it doesn’t stick. Don’t get discouraged just keep trying
Use the smallest pot you have (sauce pot) if you use too large of a pot it doesn’t cook correctly.
I could never get rice to work on the stovetop, so we bought a rice cooker and as one would expect it cooks the rice perfectly every time.
We got a Zojirushi rice cooker at Costco, but I am sure there are many good rice cookers out there.
Absolute lowest setting and smallest pot. And don’t check on it too often.
Wow thanks everyone!! Lots of good advice in here, I appreciate it.
I’ve found that their instructions for rice can be off in measurements. What I’ve started doing is opening the bag of rice into a measuring cup, whatever the amount of rice, I double the amount of water. Once the water is boiling, add the lid, turn down the burner down all the way and it should be done in 15-20 mins. Never had a problem since…just don’t forget to season to your taste.
Edited: forgot words 😂
If it makes you feel any better, I consider myself a fairly experienced home chef but I can’t cook rice either lol
We made this very same meal last night and just used a rice cooker instead of the recommended “small pot” or whatever.
It’s definitely worth investing in a rice cooker even if you only cook rice once or twice a month. You literally just pour the rice and water in, push a button, and perfectly cooked rice comes out!
I follow what it says for water to rice, stir together, and cook on med until boiling. Then I put a lid on it and turn it to.low and set the timer for 18 min and don’t look at it until the timer goes off.
Bring twice the amount of water to boiling (with rice in is fine). So if you’re doing 1 cup of rice, use 2 cups water. Add a Tbsp or two of butter, some salt, stir and let come to boil again uncovered. Lower heat to lowest setting and cover pot. (Watch so it doesn’t boil over while heat is lowering – if you can, use two burners instead.) Set timer to 15 minutes and leave covered. When timer dings, remove from burner (still covered) and leave covered for 5 mins. Perfect every time.
I use a 2 cup saucepan for rice. I bring to a boil then quickly turn it down to the absolute lowest my gas stove can go. Then start the timer for 15 minutes.
Rice cooker is a game changer.
Increase the water in their recipes by 50%.
Get a real rice cooker.
Honestly, a japanese rice cooker is the best way to go, but that if you want to invest into it.
For jasmine rice from Sam’s club we do 2 cups rice/3 cups water. Rinse rice until water runs clear, add your 3 cups of water/salt, put on stove, cover and bring to a rolling boil. I let it boil for a minute or two and then turn heat down to low for about 10-12. Remove from heat and let sit covered for a few mins and voila.
I’ve noticed a lot of the instructions say to cook various things (like rice) on “medium high heat” and that is entirely too hot for my gas stovetop. I’d recommend the 2:1 water/rice ratio as well as others have mentioned. Bring rice to boil, then cover while boiling, then immediately turn heat down to low and let simmer until all water is absorbed & rice is fluffy. Try some & if you think it’s slightly undercooked, you’ll still need to turn off heat (or it’ll scorch as your picture shows) and leave covered to steam until fully cooked.
Our rice is almost always done 10-11 minutes on low… way less than any of the directions say
My secret to rice is to use a smaller pot, melt 1tsp of butter to the pan before you add the rice, mix the rice in with the melted butter, then add your water. Bring the rice to a boil. Once it’s boiling take your heat down to medium-low. DO NOT REMOVE THE LID AT ANY POONT. Once the rice has finished cooking and the water is evaporated, remove it from the heat source but do not take the lid off the rice yet. I let mine sit for about 5-10 min or untill the rest of the meal is done, then take the lid off and fluff with a fork! I hope this helps! 🙂
Once it boils i cover it tightly with aluminum foil before i put the lid on. And then i set it to just above the simmer setting. And i only leave it on the heat for the minimum recommended time. Never open the lid
I tried to cook the smaller 2 person amount of rice and it failed. I normally cook the four person serving. I think because my “good” pot was too big. So try using a smaller pot & if your lid isn’t great put foil and then the lid
I HATED cooking rice and always burned it til i realized the steam cooks it, not the heat if that makes sense. I have an electric stove so i cook it til it boils then turn off the burner then move it to another burner on low.
Making rice is easy but all the people who make rice use rice cookers. Zojirushi is one of the better brands, but any basic unit will be more consistent than a pot.
Got a mini rice cooker at target. I start my rice before all my other prep and once everything is done the rice is ready to go
1:1.5 ratio for rice to water. So if it’s half a cup of rice, you’d put a three quarters a cup of water. Cover it, put it on high until it boils, once boiling turn heat all the way down to lowest setting and let it simmer, set timer for 20 min. After 20 min turn off heat and let it rest for 10 min. After that it’s good to go.
In your case … I’d start with water
I use my instant pot. Equal parts water and rice, 4 minutes on pressure cook setting, then natural release for 10 minutes.
There are some good suggestions already but if they don’t work try boiling the rice like pasta. 15 minutes is when I check to see if it’s done. Good luck 🙂
Follow the directions to a T.
If you can afford it, a rice cooker. Even a $15 one. Game changer.
Buy a rice cooker, it’s one hell of an investment
I couldn’t cook rice either! Until I learned that you can actually cook it the SAME WAY YOU COOK PASTA! Changed my damn life.
Buy a rice cooker
white rice- 1:1 ration rice and water and add both to a pot. turn burner to high, no lid on. Once the water boils put a lid on the put and turn the burner to low. 20 min timer and its done.
What elevation above sea level are you at? If you’re more than 1000 feet above sea level you have to adjust cooking time and maybe water.
I only use an instapot to cook it! 6 mins high pressure. Never burns anymore.
Yes, a rice cooker. LOL.
RINSE YOUR RICE FIRST!
Put it in a small strainer and rinse it under cold water, then set that in a bowl of water for five (5) minutes and rinse it again. Add it to the pan once the water is boiling. If there is a lot of rice, I add an extra few Tablespoons of water per cup, as well, and never have gotten bad rice since my wife showed me that trick.
Yup. My zojirushi rice cooker.
Instant pot. 7 minutes. Everytime.
Buy a Japanese rice cooker and you will have perfect rice every time.
I just cheat and use my rice cooker 🙂. They are fantastically easy to use
I usually end up needing more water than they say! Keep it on low, and if the rice isn’t done when the water’s almost gone, add more water a few tbsps at a time
Are you using a gas stove or electric? The temperature’s too high. If you’re using gas you can buy a ‘diffuser’ or put your pot off centre so it only gets half the flame. Try looking up absorption method. An easy way to do it is to turn the stove off and cover it with a lid wrapped in a clean tea towel BUT you need the measurements and timing to be correct.
Small to medium pot
1 cup uncooked rice, make sure you rinse until the water is clear
For every cup of rice, add two cups of water
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-11 minutes with lid on. I usually check after 10.
Perfectly cooked rice!