As a kid, I detested boiled rice. The reason was plain and simple. Yes, that was the reason that the rice was plain and simple. I liked the jeera and carrot, peas combination in my rice, that can be eaten with a curry or even standalone. With boiled rice, sadly, that’s not the case. Until recently, that was what I used to believe and well, I should say I wasn’t very health conscious too back then. Now, since the lockdown I have started following an exercise regimen and setting a balanced diet so I am consciously paying attention to fatty foods and eliminating them. One such food item is rice. Honest confession: I can’t give up on rice completely.
So, in order to balance out the starchy aspect, I have switched to boiled rice but in the effort to eat healthy, my mother gets troubled because she has to go through the hassle of making it separately for me and the other kind for the rest of the family. That’s when I decided to boil rice myself, after all how big a deal can it be, right?
Now when I think of it, I laugh at myself because the first few times I made feeble attempts to boil rice, they didn’t turn out great. Learning from my own mistakes and the experienced tips and tricks of my mother, here are some hacks to ace boiled rice perfectly.
1. Rinse The Rice Properly
This step not only ensures that your rice is clean and free from all the dirt and unwanted particles but also removes the excess starch from the rice. Soak up the rice in water for approximately 30 minutes as this will allow the grains to expand.
2. Water Should Be Double The Amount Of Rice
For instance, if you are taking one cup rice then you should measure water using the same cup and pour a little less than 2 cups of water into the rice. Add a pinch salt to it if you like.
3. Using Boiling Water
If you are short of time, then the quickest way to make boiled rice is to add pre-boiled water to it.
4. Use An Air-Tight Lid To Cover The Container
In order to let the rice cook properly, set it at a low heat and cover it with a lid. Stir the rice with a spoon to let the rice distribute evenly and not stick to each other.
5. Check If It’s Cooked
Now, take a fork and without uncovering the lid completely, take a few grains in your palm and press them. If they are soft and break, it indicates that your rice has boiled properly.
Lastly, while draining the water from the rice at the end, make sure all the water gets drained and let the rice sit for a few minutes before eating it.