Cooking Brown Rice Methods - Which Do You Choose?

When you're cooking brown rice, does it come out mushy or lumpy? When you follow the brown-rice instructions, do you get inconsistent results? Despite what everyone on the internet says, there is more than one way to achieve firm but fluffy results when cooking brown rice.

All the brown-rice instructions on the internet will say their method is the best. Ultimately, it's up to your own tastes and desires how you like your grains cooked. A perfect method for one person may be unacceptable to another. Understanding HOW the rice cooks will lead you to the results that fit your tastes.

Rice

Brown rice differs from white rice in that it's less refined. The outer skin or "bran" is left on. It's like a scuba suit for the rice, making it harder for water to enter. Thus, you must find a way to crack that outer layer, or unzip the scuba suit.

Cooking brown rice will generally take you in one of two directions. Either bring the liquid AND the rice together to a boil, OR boil the water first and THEN add the rice. What's the difference?

The science of cooking behind rice is "gelatinization of starches". At 150F (65c), starches will begin to absorb liquids and swell. This is how sauces are thickened, and why the water disappears and the rice gets bigger under cooking.

Different rices have different starch contents. Sushi rice is very sticky. Jasmine rice is very fluffy. Once the bran is cracked on brown rice, the starches gelatinize and make them stick together in lumps.

You can avoid lumpy rice by adding acids or fats in the cooking. Whether you choose to boil your liquid separately from the rice, or together, you can inhibit gelatinization and stick-factor.

If you coat the grains in fat, as in making Risotto, they won't be as sticky. Try a simple sauté method with butter before adding hot liquid. Acids like rice wine vinegar are often added to sushi rice to reduce sticking and add flavor.

When you're cooking brown-rice, you have the options and the power. Experiment with different methods and decide which is best for your tastes. Brown rice instructions can't always tell what is unique about your kitchen and cooking style. Your tastes should be reflected when cooking brown rice.

Cooking Brown Rice Methods - Which Do You Choose?

See the complete Cooking Brown Rice video at: http://www.webcookingclasses.com/cooking-brown-rice/cooking-made-easy/. Chef Todd Mohr is a classically trained chef, entrepreneur and educator. Chef Todd's philosophy is simple - "Burn Your Recipes" and cook like a chef, with basic cooking methods and the ingredients you desire. His online cooking classes have freed thousands of people all over the globe from the frustration of recipes and can free you too.

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Rice Cookers - How to Choose The Best Rice Cooker For Your Kitchen

Rice cookers are best for preparing steamed rice and keeping them warm even after cooking. They have an insulated case with a removable cooking pot and a heating element that controlled by a thermostat is located between the two containers. The cooking pot is calibrated to ensure proper proportions of water and rice.

How rice is cooked

Water and rice are poured in at the start of the cooking, and the water is heated to boiling point so the rice can absorb it to expand. After the preset time, the remaining water is boiled away and the machine switches to "keep warm" mode or shuts down. Here are some models and the ways on how they cook your rice:

Basic cookers

Also called as on/off rice cookers, they automatically shut off after the rice cooks but they have no indicator lights and their pans are regular aluminum, not non-stick. They are cheaper but have fewer featuers.

Cook/keep warm

These cookers switch to lower temperatures after cooking to keep the rice warm. They have steamer baskets for cooking other foods along with rice.

Fuzzy logic

Basic ones can also be used for other recipes like sushi, brown rice, and porridge since they can be set to cook different rice textures like soft and hard rice. They also have keep-warm modes, bigger steamer baskets, and automatic timers.

Induction heating cooker

Another fuzzy logic rice cooker that conducts heat from the bottom upwards. They compensate for measuring errors and provide even cooking. They are also efficient since the power is used for cooking and not for generating heat.

Buying rice cookers

In buying a rice cooker, check the material (non-stick or Teflon-coated), the indicator lights, and safety features. Remember that aluminum, stainless steel, and copper pots are not suitable for induction cookers. Clear glass lids are ideal if you want to monitor the cooking.

Shopping help / Consumer information

A complete Guide to RICE COOKERS is available in Picky Guide, one of the fastest growing online magazines giving free consumer advice and product information.

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How to Choose a Rice Cooker

One of the most useful small appliances that you will ever buy is a rice cooker. A rice cooker can do much more than cook rice and is useful in both the kitchen and the dorm room.

Rice cookers can cook rice of course, but they can also cook other hot cereals, steam vegetables, cook deserts and even cook stews and soups. While not all rice cookers can do all of these tasks, many are able to do most of them.

Most people that use rice cookers swear by the ones that are made in Japan. While less expensive brands are available from other countries, the Japanese make the best machines by far.

You will find rice cookers range in size from a three cups to ten cups. Buy the size that is closest to the amount of rice you normally cook. While larger cookers will cook smaller amounts, they work best at full capacity, but not over filled.

Additionally, you need to know that a Japanese cup is six ounces as compared to the American cup size of eight ounces. Be sure that you adjust recipes by remembering that the cups from the rice cooker are only three quarters of an American cup.

In Japan, the favorite size of rice cooker is the five-cup one.

One feature that you will find very important for easy cleanup is the non-stick pan. This is a very high quality non-stick coating and rice literally slides out of the pan. A quick rinse and you are ready to cook the next batch.

There are three basic types of rice cookers, the on/off models, the keep warm models and the fuzzy logic models.

On/off models cook the rice and then turn off automatically. There may not be an indicator light but these inexpensive models are very versatile and do a great job at cooking rice.

Keep warm models cook the rice and then after it is done maintain the rice so that it is warm when you are ready to use it. Just be sure that you unplug the rice cooker when you are finished with it since there is no off position.

The most expensive rice cookers offer fuzzy logic. They have different settings for soup, brown rice, texture of rice and some even offer the setting for sushi rice.

Some of the newest models of rice cookers offer induction heating. They make perfect rice every time and compensate for variations in water or rice measurements and for different types of rice.

If you want a rice cooker that is also a steamer, be sure to look for the plastic steamer tray. This tray allows you to make perfectly steamed vegetables very quickly.

If you have a college student who will be living in a dorm room a small (three to four cup) rice cooker is the perfect gift. It allows the student to have rice, steam vegetables and warm soups. It is a great way for the student to have healthy meals and avoid eating only fast food.

John McKeen, A chef and a Chinese restaurant owner who love to cook. Check out his rice cooker reviews blog, to read more about his rice cooker guides and best rice cooker recommendation at his blog.

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How to Choose the Best Electric Rice Cookers

Back in my college days, whenever my friends came over to my dorm room they would always ask me "What's that short white round bucket looking thing plugged into the socket?" My usual response is "That's my rice cooker". I know it sounds crazy. But if rice is not a staple diet for you then you may not know there were such things as a rice cooker. But rice cookers have been around for quite awhile, even before microwaves. But somehow rice cookers were shoved into obscurity as fewer people back then ate rice.

Today with the help of the Food Channel and celebrity chefs such as Rachel Ray, Bobby Flay, etc. rice has gained popularity in regular everyday households. With so many brands of electric rice cookers choosing one can be quite tricky.

To start off on which type of electric rice cooker you should choose, figure out how many people you will be cooking for. For instance if you are cooking just for yourself and your room mate then a 3 Cup rice cooker is will suffice. Electric rice cookers have a capacity that can go up to 10 Cup, so there are units for every family household size. Keep in mind the larger the the capacity the larger the rice cooker, so choose a size that will fit your kitchen accordingly.

You should also look for a electric rice cooker that is easy to clean. If you have a habit of cleaning your pots the next day you will be surprised at how day old rice can stick to the rice pot. Rice cookers these days have a removable rice pot for ease of cleaning. Typically the rice pot is made of steel or aluminum. Non stick surfaces for rice pots are available as well but keep in mind it will cost more. So if you want to save a bit of cash just make sure you clean out the rice pot every night, or fill it with water and so it'll be easier to clean the next day.

Finally I believe in purchasing items that are multi taskers. This is especially true for kitchen utilities since the majority of people have small kitchens such as students living in college dorms. Today electric rice cookers have become very sophisticated. They have built in sensors that adjust temperature as well as settings for cooking different types of rice grains. For a decent price you can pick up rice cooker units that can steam food and double as a slow cooker. Certain models can even make old fashioned oat meal ready for consumption when you wake up in the morning. You can set it the night before at the same time you're setting up your coffee machine.

Electric rice cookers are priced for all types of budgets. But don't buy one that is too cheap. If you're tight on budget aim for a model that cost around $25 bucks. Units in that price range usually have a capacity of 3 to 5 cups, which is suitable for more households.

Whichever model you finally decide to choose, be at ease knowing that when you use an electric rice cooker you will never have to worry about burned rice. You will never have to worry about shutting off the stove because all electric rice cookers have built in timers that will shut off the cooking process yet keep your rice warm.

For more great information on different types of electric rice cookers check out How to Choose Electric Rice Cookers.

© Copyright 2008 Edwin M. Clark

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Looking For the Best Spanish Rice Recipe? Choose From Two

If your feckless search for the perfect Spanish rice recipe has drawn a blank, you have reached the right place. Here is not one, but two tantalizing rice recipes that compliment any delicacy perfectly- steak, Tacos, enchiladas or chicken.

Defined By Delightful Aromas And Colors

For some it's the nutty aroma that ignites their imagination, for many it's the rich flavor of homemade chicken stock that makes this dish simply irresistible. But what really helps the rice dish acquire a stronger cachet is the method of preparing it- the process of first browning the rice with onions and garlic and then letting chicken stock and tomato take over the proceedings is simply sensational.

A Beacon Of Hope

The basic rice recipe is extremely simple, and hence promises to go down well with people with rudimentary culinary skills. Here's what is required:

½ cup rice

¼ bell pepper

¼ onion

Butter

Fresh garlic

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon of tomato paste or 1 cup of fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained

Brown the rice in a skillet with butter, onion, garlic and pepper. When the rice turns a lovely golden brown, stir in the chicken broth and tomato paste. Cover and cook over medium heat till the rice is cooked. Needless to add, serve piping hot.

Aiming At A Size-Zero?

Here's another recipe especially for those engaged in an interminable battle with the bulge. The ingredients include:

1 cup uncooked instant rice

1 cup chopped onion

T cup chopped green bell pepper

½ teaspoon prepared mustard

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 can of whole tomatoes, chopped and undrained

1 can of tomato juice

1 vegetable cooking spray

First, coat a large skillet with vegetable cooking spray. Heat it a little, and then add the rice, onion and bell pepper. Sauté for a couple of minutes. Mix the rest of the ingredients and allow it to simmer uncovered for a while, or until the liquid is completely absorbed.

Relish each serving without any guilt, it contains just 180 calories, remember?

All ready to say Hola to these recipes? You'll never say Adios, though.

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How to choose the best electric rice cooker

Image : http://www.flickr.com

Back in my college years, when my friends came to my dorm room, they would always ask me "What is the quick turn white bucket, looking for something plugged in?" My usual answer is "This is my rice cooker." I know it sounds crazy. But if rice is a staple food so it is possible that there was something like a pot of rice. But rice cookers have been for some time, even first microwave. But anyway, rice cookers have been pushed into oblivion, that fewer people ate rice at this time.

Today, with the assistance of the Food Chain and famous chefs like Rachel Ray, Bobby Flay, rice, etc. families has gained popularity in everyday life. With many brands to choose electric rice cookers can be quite difficult.

In preparation for this type of electric rice> Plates, you must choose how many people are cooking. For example, if you cook for you and your roommate's bed, then 3 cup rice cooker is a sufficient condition. Electric rice cooker has a capacity of up to 10 Cup, there are units for each format Appliances family. Remember, the greater the capacity of most of the rice cooker, then choose a size that is customize your kitchen accordingly.

You should also look for the rice cooker is so easy to clean. If you have the habit of cleaning your pots for the next day, you will be surprised to see one day a dish of rice, rice stick. Rice Today rice cooker is a removable tray for easy cleaning. Typically, the pot is made of steel or aluminum. Nonstick surfaces Dishes> Rice are also available, but please note that it is more expensive. So if you want to save a bit ', be sure to clean the plate of rice every night, or filled with water and then it is easier to clean the next day.

Finally, I think, for the purchase of items that are multi-tasking. This is especially true for kitchen utensils, since many people have small kitchens, as students living in dormitories of the college. Today electricity> Rice cookers have become very sophisticated. You have built grain sensors adjust the temperature settings and different types of cooking rice. For a decent price, can collect the units of rice cooking, food and steam can be doubles, a crock. Some models can be old fashion oats loans even when you wake up in the morning. You can do the day before at the same time you have configured your coffeeMachine.

electric rice cookers are sold for every budget. But do not buy one that is too cheap. If you are on the budgetary target for a model that costs about $ 25. Unit of this price range generally have a capacity of 3-5 cups, which is likely to more families.

For the model you finally decide to choose, I am well aware that if you use a rice cooker you are worried about the rice never burns. You'll neverConcerned about the oven stops, because the rice cooker process is still set up for the timer Keep your rice warm.

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