Perfectly Cooked Brown Rice

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All of us at home are big fans of rice. I L.O.V.E khichadis, biryanis and most things made of rice. If rice would not have been so carb-laden I would have happily spent my life eating just that.

While white rice is staple in most households irrespective of cuisine,brown rice is not so popular. Its rich in fiber and magnesium. So a small helping can keep you full for quite sometime.

Brown rice (or "hulled rice") is unmilled or partly milled rice, a kind of whole, natural grain. It has a mild nutty flavor, is chewier and more nutritious than white rice (Source Wikipidea)

More about why brown rice is healthier here.

There are several varieties of brown rice - short grain , long grain, medium grain,aromatic. Brown rice versions are also found in the popular varieties like Jasmine rice, arborio rice, basmati etc. I have used brown  basmati rice and short grain brown rice so far.

Selecting and Storing Brown rice

Brown rice gets rancid faster than white rice. I generally get a pound at a time since we have it once a week for lunch/dinner. Our current stock is the short grain brown rice from Whole Foods. Its a dollar more than the one at Walmart but so worth it. Also I can buy in smaller quantities without paying a dime for packaging. I store it in a plastic jar in a dry place along with the lentils etc. Keep away from moisture and it should last well.

Cooking brown rice

There are several ways to do this. I attempted 2-3 of them and have finally settled down on the following one. This method has never failed me, specially when I used it to make the rice for fried rice. 

1 C brown rice

4 C of water ( Yes, it in 1:4 ratio)

salt to taste
1 tbsp olive oil (optional)

• Wash the rice several time with water. Place it into a big pot / rice cooker with the salt and olive oil. 
• I do mine in a electric rice cooker.
• Let it come to a boil. This will take around 20-25min.
• Check to see if its tender and cooked. If not give it another 5-10 min.
• Else drain the whole thing into a colander. 
• Then put the rice back into the cooker and cover with a tight lid.Switch off the cooker.
• Leave it alone for 10min or more. Fluff with fork and use.

Apparently this method is very versatile and would work for most brands and varieties of rice. No guesswork on how the rice would turn out. I used it to make the rice for my fried rice. You guessed it, that's coming up in the next post.