How to cook rice?

Rice is very popular in all countries of Asia. In China and Japan, the crop of this crop is harvested several times a year.In Russia, it is grown in warm regions such as Astrakhan, Rostov Oblast, as well as Krasnodar and Primorsky Krai.

In our country, this culture was cultivated by order of Peter I in the seventeenth century. Then it was called Saracen wheat. India is considered its birthplace. There rice appeared more than 7 thousand years ago. Alexander the Great from India brought it to Europe. At that time only very well-to-do aristocrats could afford it.

Since then, rice has become a very popular cereal. Europeans prefer brown and red varieties. Asians and Russians eat white rice. The leader in growing this crop is China, and in Europe this title rightfully belongs to Italy, which is famous for its large and fertile rice fields.

There is a huge variety of cereal varieties. Besides the traditional white rice, there is also yellow, red, brown, black and even purple. The grain shape of rice is round grain, long grain, and medium grain.

Rice is definitely a nutritious and healthy product. It is rich in carbohydrates, so it quickly satisfies hunger. This cereal contains in its composition vitamins of group B, E, PP. It is widely used in dietary dishes for patients with gastritis and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Rice decoctions well envelop the mucous membrane of the digestive organs and have a beneficial effect on the microflora.

Potassium, phosphorus, magnesium - only part of the minerals, which is in the grass. Untreated grains contain many beneficial substances that eliminate toxins and other decomposition products. Starch, which is contained in them, fills a person with energy, which is why rice is present in diets for athletes, as well as for those who are struggling with excess weight. Thanks to the B vitamins, the cereal has a positive effect on the central nervous system and increases the functioning of the brain structures. Brown rice varieties contain so-called neurotransmitters that block the development of certain diseases of the nervous system. Rice strengthens it, reduces the level of cholesterol, and also keeps the heart muscle in good shape.

Rees also helps in the fight against other ailments:

• with bronchitis helps in removing mucus from the lungs and bronchi;
• in angina, pneumonia is an antipyretic agent;
• in case of poisoning it helps to eliminate toxins and carcinogens;
• with swelling removes fluid from the tissues;
• in diseases of the heart strengthens the heart muscle due to potassium;
• with gastritis and ulcer envelops the mucous and creates a protective film;
• in neurological diseases, it normalizes the functions of brain structures and metabolic processes in brain tissues.

In addition to these qualities, the brown variety has its advantages:

• cleans vessels;
• improves the functioning of the thyroid gland;
• reduces acidity in the stomach;
• normalizes carbohydrate-fat metabolism;
• blocks the development of diabetes.

Grains of rice before packaging are specially processed, namely:

• splitting up;
• steaming;
• polishing;
• grinding.

Very often in stores and supermarkets you can see steamed rice on the shelves in the cereals section. It undergoes heat treatment before removing the shell, and therefore all the nutrients during steaming fall into the grain of cereal.

This treatment option has many advantages:

• less time is spent preparing such rice;
• steamed cereal contains less starch, and therefore, at the end of cooking of this type, a crumbly side dish will definitely turn out;
• when steam processing starch forms glucose, which is easier digested by the body;
• All nutrients under the steam go to the center of the grain.

Rice relatively dietary product.

It contains 116 kcal per 100 g of product, of which:

• 9 g of proteins;
• 5 g of fat;
• 62.3 g of carbohydrates;
• 9.7 g of vegetable fibers;
• 14 g of water.

The vitamin content of the cereal per 100 g is as follows:

• 0.1 mg of vitamin B;
• 0.4 mg of vitamin B1;
• 0.5 mg of vitamin B6;
• 0.8 mg of vitamin E;
• 1.5 mg of vitamin B5;
• 1.9 mg of vitamin K;
• 5.1 mg of vitamin B3;
• 19 mcg of vitamin B9.

It also contains many minerals, namely:

• 0.3 mg of copper;
• 1.5 mg of iron;
• 2.1 mg of zinc;
• 3.8 mg manganese;
• 12 mg of sodium;
• 23 mg of calcium;
• 23.4 mcg of selenium;
• 25 mg of chlorine;
• 46 mg of sulfur;
• 142 mg of magnesium;
• 220 mg of potassium;
• 330 mg of phosphorus.

Along with positive rice has a number of negative properties.

This cereal can not be added to the menu for people suffering from persistent constipation. Also, from rice you can easily gain weight, if you eat it in unlimited quantities. Individual intolerance to cereal is also included in the contraindications for its use in food.

Pregnant rice is allowed in limited quantities, because the cereal increases the risk of developing trophoblastic disease.

Brown rice, too, should not be carried away, because the phytic acid contained in its shell inhibits the normal absorption of calcium and iron. As a result, osteoporosis and anemia may develop.

Not many people can boil rice so that it is tasty and crumbly. Often there is a problem that rice is boiled soft. There is also the difficulty with the fact that rice is not obtained by the air.

Cooking time depends on the type of rice. For example, wild rice is cooked for a long time, and the process of its preparation for cooking is rather long.

Depending on the variety and method of processing grain, rice is cooked:

• white - 20 min;
• steamed - 30 min;
• wild - up to 60 minutes;
• brown - 40 min.

As for the proportions, the amount of cooking water depends on the type and shape of the grains:

• wild - 1 to 3.5;
• round grain - 1 to 2.5-3;
• middle grain - 1 to 2-2.5;
• long grain - 1 to 1.5-2;
• brown - 1 to 2.5-3;
• steamed - 1 to 2.

During cooking, rice is increased several times, and therefore the standard volume of rice side dish for 4 people is about 300 grams or 1.5 cups.

To make the rice crumbly, you just need to rinse it in a small sieve under running water several times. Thus, the starch, which is responsible for stickiness, is washed off from the grits. If sticky rice is necessary for a dish, for example, for sushi, then it is not necessary to wash it. It is possible to speed up the preparation of cereals, if soaked in advance for 1-2 hours in water.

If the cereal is boiled in a saucepan, boil the water in which it is supposed to boil, and then pour the cereal into it. Then you need to mix it well in order to avoid sticking the particles at the beginning of the process. After boiling, you need to cover the pot with a lid, reduce the heat, and do not raise it until the end of cooking. If the consistency is supposed to be crumbly, do not mix rice to avoid damage to the cereal. Otherwise, the starch will start to stand out, and the texture will become sticky. The finished rice is removed from the heat and left for 10 minutes under the lid closed. If there is still liquid in it, it is drained and covered with a saucepan with a towel.

If you are not sure that the side dish will turn out crumbly, you can simply boil the grains until half cooked, and then, with the lid on, let the side dish stand for about 20 minutes. The main thing is not to overdo it so that it does not stick together. Otherwise, you will have to repeat the procedure again.

Groats are also cooked in a frying pan. The difference in cooking is that it is pre-fry for 2 minutes so that the grains are covered with oil. After roasting it is poured with boiling water and prepared as described above.

Round grain cereal is usually prepared for risotto and sushi, that is, for those dishes that require tackiness of the grains.

But there are tricks of cooking round grain cereals and in crumbly form:

• rinse the grain several times in cold water;
• 100 g of cereals need to take 300 ml of water;
• when water boils, add seasonings and spices;
• after the spices, pour the cereal and a spoonful of olive oil into the water;
• Cook the rice for 20 minutes on low heat.

Ingredients:

• rice - 300 g;
• butter - 2 tablespoons;
• water - 600 ml.

Cooking:

• wash the grits to clear water;
• boil water and cover rice grains;
• on high heat, boil for 7 minutes, then on slow - 10-15 minutes without stirring;
• after the time has elapsed, turn the stove off, put butter in a saucepan and let the rice soak for about 15 minutes.

Brown rice is very popular in China and Thailand.

To prepare it in crumbly form, you will need:

• water 750 ml;
• brown rice 300 g;
• salt and spices to taste.

Cooking method:

• rinse the cereal under running water;
• pour over the grain with boiling water;
• take a tall glass, pour out the washed grains, fill with water and leave for 6-8 hours;
• then the grains, which are sent to the pot with boiling water, boil over high heat for 7 minutes;
• turn on the heat and cook for another 30 minutes with the lid closed;
• at the end, turn off the hotplate and leave the rice under the lid for 15 minutes so that it absorbs the remaining water.

Wild rice is quite an exotic product for our country, and it is mainly consumed by a small mass of the population. He has a very interesting taste. It goes on sale mainly in a mixture of white and brown varieties.

Ingredients:

• rice - 200 g;
• water - 600 ml;
• salt and spices to taste.

Before cooking, wild rice should be filled with water for 12 hours to soften it. After preparing the cereal, pour water into the dishes, salt and put on the stove before boiling. Then pour the grains into boiling salted water and simmer for 35-40 minutes, stirring it from time to time. During cooking, wild rice increases in volume by 4 times.

You can cook rice not only in a saucepan, but also in a slow cooker.

To do this, wash the grits well, fill the bowl with it and pour water so that it covers the grits 1-2 cm above the grain level. Boil it in the “pilaf” mode for 30 minutes.

In a double boiler, rice is no less crumbly, and the largest number of useful minerals is stored in it. Groats laid out on the lower level with water in the ratio of 1 to 1.5. Spices and salt in this case are added immediately. On the "rice" mode, the side dish is cooked for about 40 minutes.

Fried rice is not such a healthy dish as boiled, but it is a very tasty dish, especially in combination with vegetables and spices.

Ingredients:

• rice 200 g;
• water 400 ml;
• carrots 1 pc .;
• 1 onion bulb .;
• tablespoon of tomato paste;
• canned peas 100 g;
• canned corn 100 g;
• 70 ml of olive oil;
• salt pepper to taste.

Cooking:

• fry grains in a pan with butter until golden brown for 5 minutes;
• pepper and salt it a little more than usual;
• after gaining rice color, pour tomato paste, add vegetables and fry for another 5 minutes;
• pour 400 ml of water and cook over medium heat without covering with a lid;
• after all the water has evaporated, cover with a lid for 5 minutes, reducing the heating temperature.

Rice when cooking is very demanding. Not complying with the rules of cooking, it is easy to get glued, boiled over and burned side dish.

To eliminate such consequences, you must follow all recommendations for cooking.

• If you cook rice on the stove, then if you oversight it will easily burn. Therefore, it is worthwhile for him to take dishes with a non-stick coating.
• You should always pour the cereal into boiling water or pour boiling water over it.
• Do not pour less water than it should be.So the rice will turn out undercooked and will be tough.
• Similarly, you can not add too much water. The grass will take all the water poured into the pan, so the result of such cooking will be a boiled-out side dish.
• If it is clear that rice is ready, and all the water has not evaporated, then there is a chance that it will boil down. But you can save the side dish by taking a sieve and filtering the cereal through it.
• If the grains stick together, then the problem is in the frequent mixing of the grits. This should be done only 1 time after boiling. Then, closing the lid, you do not need to mix it, otherwise you can provoke the release of starch, namely, it makes the rice sticky.
• Any variety before cooking is washed and removed all litter, as well as pop-up grains.
• To rice was airy and crumbly, you can use the method of passaging. It consists in the fact that before cooking the rice is pasted on the oil, evaporating all the moisture, and then pour the browned grains into the pan with boiling water for further preparation.

In cooking rice, too, has its own tricks.

• If after all the manipulations the rice cannot be crumbly, you need to add a spoonful of vinegar while cooking it.
• The grass absorbs not only water, but also all smells from the products with which it is prepared together, for example, vegetable flavors. Only raw rice should be added to vegetables, otherwise it will remain tasteless.
• Rice will be tastier if it is not cooked in water, but, for example, in chicken broth.
• Herbs are combined with such spices as zira, saffron, cardamom. When cooking, you can add citrus zest and herbs to boiling water.
• Salt cereal during cooking should be at the very beginning, when it only begins to absorb water. If you salt it at the end, the grain of rice will not be salted, and it will not get a salty taste.

The storage of this culture also has its recommendations. The shelf life of the cereal depends on the climatic zone in which it is supposed to be stored.

For the Far East, the Baltic States, the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia, the ideal storage periods are as follows:

• for polished varieties - 12 months (18 months for other regions);
• for crushed varieties - 10 months (16 months for other regions).

When sending cereals for storage, it is worth observing the following recommendations:

• the best temperature for storage of cereal - from +5 to +15 degrees C;
• before buying it is necessary to carefully examine the composition indicated on the package
• When buying rice, it is necessary to make sure that there are no traces of moisture on the box;
• after opening the bag with the rump, it must be poured into a hermetically sealed container;
• stored cereal away from sunlight and in places of low humidity.

Before sending the cereal to storage, it should be heated. This will protect the rice from the institution in it of various insects. You can also hold it for some time in the freezer. To protect against bugs will help even hot pepper or garlic, which should be put directly into the jar with cereals.

From moisture can protect a small gauze bag with salt, which will pull the drops of moisture from the cereal.

Starting cooking, you need to inspect the grain, as well as understand what the smell of cereals.

• An unpleasant smell of mustiness will tell about the development of the fungus.
• The fact that parasites are bred in the croup can be recognized by the black dots in it.
• If confused strange color of the grains, then this is a clear sign that the product is spoiled. It must be disposed of immediately.

Boiled garnish clearly should be stored only in the refrigerator. The time of its use expires in 4-5 days. It must be kept in a closed container, because the rice absorbs all odors. Cooked rice can also be stored in the freezer. There he will continue for 35 days. True, some exotic varieties, such as rice shirataki, even in the freezer are stored no more than 7 days.The remaining varieties are kept the same as normal.

To learn how to cook rice, see the following video.