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Hob Rice

Cooking rice on the hob

  1. Add the water I fill the sauce-pan approx 1/3 full with water for 6 portions.
  2. Add the long grain rice You can add the rice by eye – simply pour the rice into the centre of the boiling water and keep pouring until a tbsp. or so of rice is above the water – like the image above. ☝️
  3. Stir & add the lid Once you’ve added the rice, give it a quick stir and then place a lid on the pan.
  4. Turn the temp down Immediately turn down the temperature (don’t wait to bring it back up to the boil again). For gas, cook at the very lowest temperature your hob can manage. For electric or induction, it may need to be a little higher. I use induction level 5 (of 9) because my lowest induction settings are extremely low heat… You may need to experiment, depending on your electric/induction hob. If you know what number/heat setting you need on your hob to maintain a rolling boil on a pan of water, go about 3 settings lower than that.
  5. Leave it alone! Cook for 20 minutes. This allows the rice to cook evenly, without burning the bottom. Don’t stir or open the lid. You can check once after 15 minutes if you really feel the need, but if you keep opening the pan, the rice won’t cook (remember you’re only using a very low heat). The rice should be done after 20 minutes. If the rice is still hard and there is absolutely no water at the bottom of the pan, just add in a splash of boiling water and put the lid back on again. Don’t worry about overcooking the rice – so long as you haven’t got too much water in there, the rice can take a fair amount of extra cooking – so long as the heat is low. I’ve accidentally left mine for 30+ minutes before now and it was fine.

 

What Type Of Rice Should I Use?

Use regular long-grain white rice – not the easy-cook kind. Easy cook might seem simpler, but because it’s got more of a shiny-non-stick exterior when cooked, it simply won’t be as tasty, and it won’t absorb the flavour of your accompanying sauce as well (also if you’re turning it into fried rice, the non-stick rice won’t absorb any of the flavours as well). I only ever use easy-cook rice for making stuffed peppers – just because it cooks quicker and I want the grains to have a different texture for that recipe. Do I Need to Rinse Rice Before Cooking? No need to rinse it. Some people think rinsing it is a must to remove the starch and any other nasties, thereby making your rice less sticky. If you buy decent quality (store own-brand is fine) rice, you shouldn’t have this problem. Your rice may be a little clumpy, but shouldn’t be sticky. I prefer rice to be a little bit clumpy – and the clumps are easily broken down with a fork.

What Size Pan Should I Use?

Don’t go with too large a pan. You’ll be cooking the rice over a low heat, so a smaller pan is better for even heat distribution. For this tutorial, we’re working on approx 4-6 portions of rice – using a 1.8 – 2.2 litre (approx 1.5 – 2 quart) saucepan. 

Do I Use Cold or Hot water?

Get the water boiling first, and then add the rice. The amount of water you put in the pan will dictate the amount of rice to add. 

What Is The Ratio Of Water To Rice?

If you feel you really need to know the quantities, this is generally one part rice to one-and-a-half parts water.

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