cooking rice - boil / microwave?

want2bmortgage3

i find it slightly long winded cooking dried rice, weight it out, rinsing it, then boiling and draining, and makes a fair bit of mess. but obviously cheaper doing is this way. does everyone do the same or anyone use the microwavable pouches for convenience? or are there any other alternatives?

davelewis

Get a rice cooker - about £20 in Argos (though often on half price special offer) - they are fantastic - just put the rice in and add water and then leave the cooker to its magic. It will even switch from 'cook' to 'warm' when the rice is done.

RHemmings

davelewis wrote: »

Get a rice cooker - about £20 in Argos (though often on half price special offer) - they are fantastic - just put the rice in and add water and then leave the cooker to its magic. It will even switch from 'cook' to 'warm' when the rice is done.

This week Aldi are selling a rice cooker for £13 something. I've bought one, and have cooked one batch of rice in it.

welshlil

The easiest way I find to cook rice is is the microwave. [I use tesco value was 55p a bag] Put rice, [around 3 mugs] unwashed, in a large bowl, [I use a mixing bowl] salt,teaspoon, pour on plenty of boiling water, microwave for 11mins, check if done.800w If not a few more minutes. Top up bowl with cold water, swirl around with a fork. Tip through a sieve,(making sure the holes are small enough to retain rice, I lost mine down sink using the wrong one! repeat once or twice, using cold water. Put rice back in bowl microwave to reheat rice and dry it. Perfect fluffy rice, and much cheaper than the prepacked stuff. Freezes well. Don't keep warm for long periods of time or in fridge, prone to bacteria. If you are not all eating together, it reheats very well with individual portions on a plate.

PasturesNew

I always use the microwave.

I used to use the big full-sized microwave steamers, just drop the rice in and cover it with just enough water, instructions would say do 5 mins/stir/5 mins, but I used to find it would work better if I did 3/stir/3/stir/3.

The trouble I found with those is they would bubble up and spill over, all gooey it was.

Recently I stumbled across a smaller microwave unit. About the size of two saucepan lids (so half the height of the other one). It said it does 2 servings, but it actually does 3. With that one I have to weigh out 6oz of rice and it says if you do that much it won't spill over at all - and it never does. I cook basmati rice and it's perfect and fluffy every time. With this one it's 6/stir/6.

I'll never boil rice again because: it creates too much steam, it takes longer, it's more hit and miss, the saucepan takes some washing up and then takes up half the draining board.

P.S. I picked up my new/smaller microwave steamer for £4 from a cheapo shop, but then I picked one up in Tesco at Xmas for £3 for somebody.

paigexstewart

Hi,

I use the microwave puches. 2MINS job done!

I think they are brilliant, but wouldn't suggest the cheaper ones. Just a personal preference mind.

Uncle bens are yummy!

siaoeh

you can get special microwave rice steamer that does the job very well. I bought mine from Lakeland abt 10 yrs ago, its still going. its basically a 'basket' type bowl set in another bowl with a lid so the rice half steams to give you fluffly results! proper instructions says to cook for 7 mins then stir and another 7 mins, but sometimes I just bung it in and do it for 14 or 15 mins without the stirring in between and its been fine. timing depends on the power of your micro and the type of rice obviously.

something I feel I should mention though... please always rinse your rice before cooking. I've seen the way rice is processed and I definitely don't want to be eating what's on it. In fact, people in rice eating countries (Asia, China, Japan, even Portugal) rinse their rice a few times till the water runs almost clear.

seraphina

I also use a microwave rice steamer - a few £ from Lakeland and it's fab. No washing etc necessary - chuck in rice, boiling water from kettle, 5 mins on high, stir, 6 mins on high, drain, stand for 2 mins and eat!

I do find the quality of rice makes a huge difference to the need for washing/rinsing/fluffiness etc - I will now only by Tilda basmati but I buy it at the Asian cash and carry so you can get 10kg for about £12.

Girl_least_likely_to

I could never cook rice properly, be it on the hob or microwave, so I bought a rice cooker and have never looked back. I get perfect rice everytime and it freezes will too

Pyewacket338

If you're cooking it in the microwave, place the dish onto a large plate, then if it spills over, the plate catches all the mess and it saves cleaning out the microwave every time.

desdemona01

this is the method I use and it always produces perfect rice without the need of special equipment: heat a little oil in the saucepan of your choice, pour in 1 measure (i.e. cup, eggcup, whatever) of basmati rice. Stir this around until the grains are coated in the oil, about 1 min. Add 2 measures of water, boiling or cold it doesn't matter, bring to the boil, stir & boil for 3 mins. After 3 mins stir the rice again, put the lid on and take the pan off the heat. Leave for 20 mins without taking the lid off! You will have perfect rice that doesn't need draining or rinsing, just fluff up & serve.