Cooking rice

MegS

I've read several threads about freezing ready cooked rice, how do you re-heat it without a microwave please?

abbecer

I would fry it in with some veg and spices.

Rebecca x

patchwork_cat

Hi
I wonder if I could hijack this thread as I was hoping it would be about something I have been trying. When we get an Indian takeaway the rice is longer and slightly nutty. We use Basmati rice, but it just doesn't come out like theirs. Anyone know how to do it? TIA

V.Lucky

Be really really careful when reheating rice in the microwave. It is easy not not do it properly and you end up giving yourself/family food poisoning (happened a few time to me over the years).

I just don't freeze it or keep it in the fridge anymore - not worth the risk (or maybe I'm just a bad cook lol).

scrimperjan

I don't have a microwave, but I sometimes buy Patak's frozen curries (only when they're on offer of course) and I just put the curry in one pan and the rice in another, still frozen, with a few tablespoons of water, and then heat gently until thawed & simmering. The extra water soon evaporates as the rice heats up. You have to keep an eye on it though, and add a bit more water if it looks like boiling dry. I don't see why this shouldn't work with rice you've frozen yourself.

stuart264

Basmati.

Actually I do know how to cook Basmati like the indian restaurants do, if you like a long grain then soak the rice for 30 minutes in water beforehand if you like a shorter grain then dont, then cook the rice in boiling salted water with a spash of oil in it as the oil stops the rice absorbing as much water and it comes out al-dente.

If you want the "yellow" colour then its add saffron (if you can afford it :eek: ) to the cooking water if not then add turmeric.

Fried Rice

To make good fried rice like you buy in the chinese takeouts you need to firstly beat 1-2 eggs and then scramble it gently in the wok until its very underdone, then keep it warm, then in the wok gently fry the rice (with any cooked vegetables or meat) over a medium heat and add a good spash of soy sauce and add the "secret ingredient" a sprinkle of white pepper (dont be tempted to subsitute black pepper as it wont work) until the rice and veg is cooked through and has changed colour slightly and for the last couple of minutes add the partly scrambled egg back into the rice to reheat and cook through.

If it still doesnt taste "quite" like the Chinese Takeout version then its probably because you havent added MSG which is available from most asian stores.

catsneel

what's MSG? by the way?
Thanks for the recipe

stuart264

Monosodium glutamate its used in some asian dishes and chinese takeouts do tend to favour using it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_Glutamate

rjh090384

You Can Get Saffron Oxo Cubes Too. Caus Ei Cant Afford Real Saffron!!!!

I Never Knew U Could Get Food Poinsoning Through Rice!1 Kinda Worried Now

stuart264

Its the storage thats important. More details are here
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/asksam/keepingfoodsafe/asksamcooking/

GardenMillie

Didn't know you could get saffron oxo cubes, I love the idea and will look out for them the next time I go shopping.

Thanks for the tip.