Basic Brown Rice Food

PERFECT BROWN RICE

Steps:

• Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water for 30 seconds. Drain.
• Combine the rice, salt and 2 cups water in a wide, medium saucepan and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

BASIC BROWN RICE

Steps:

• Put water in a medium sauce pan that has a lid.
• Add salt and rice and stir once.
• Heat to a full rolling boil.
• Place lid on pan and reduce heat to simmer (my stove only does a very "high" simmer).
• Simmer for 20 minutes. *Do not lift lid or stir.*.
• Turn off heat. *Do not lift lid or stir.*.
• Let sit at least 10 minutes before serving. The longer you let it sit, the more the rice improves. I often lift the lid and fluff-stir the rice at 10 minutes, then replace the lid and let the rice rest while I prepare the rest of the meal.

PERFECT BASIC BROWN RICE

Steps:

• Rinse the starch off the rice in a strainer under cold water for 30 seconds.
• Bring the water to a boil over high heat in a large pot that has a tight fitting lid.
• Add the rice, stir it just once, and boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
• Pour the rice into a strainer over the sink and drain for 10 seconds.
• Return the rice to the same pot, off the heat.
• Cover immediately and set aside for 10 minutes (this is the steaming part).
• Uncover, fluff with a fork, and season with salt.

BASIC LONG-GRAIN BROWN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid, over medium heat. Add the rice and lemon peel and cook, stirring, until slightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the water and add salt to taste, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until all the water has been absorbed by the rice, about 45 minutes. Please don't lift the lid to give a peek or stir or the rice will not cook evenly.
• Remove the pan from the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 10 minutes?{once again, no peeking. Fluff with a fork, season with salt and pepper and serve.

SIMPLE SHORT-GRAIN BROWN RICE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan with a tight fitting lid, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 50 minutes. Please don't lift the lid to give a peek or stir or the rice will not cook evenly.
• Remove pan from the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 10 minutes?{once again, no peeking. Fluff with a fork and serve.
• Over medium-high heat, let the water steam the vegetables until warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir into hot rice just after fluffing it with a fork.

HERBED BROWN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute until tender. Add the rice and stir until the rice is glossy and coated with the butter. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the stock, garlic and thyme. Cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook 40 minutes, turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Remove the thyme sprigs and garlic. Fluff with a fork and add parsley and green onions.

BROWN BASMATI RICE -- BASIC PREPARATION

Steps:

• First, put the rice in a strainer inside a bowl and wash it well. I usually change the water in the bowl at least 3 times. The water doesn't need to run completely clear, but it should not be very cloudy or brownish when the rice is washed. Leave the rice in the strainer to drip out for at least a few minutes.
• Put the rice and water in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and bring just to a boil over high heat. You don't want it to really boil, as soon as you start to see the bubbles, put on the lid and turn the heat down to very, very low (on my electric stove, I put it between "lo" and 1).
• Resist the temptation to take off the lid and check the rice too much. After about 25 minutes you can check it once and see how much water is left. I do this by sticking a wooden spatula down into the rice and pushing it to the side a little. If there is still water, push the rice back together, put the lid back on, and let it cook a few more minutes. Do not stir or disrupt the rice any more than you have to. It will take about 30 to 35 minutes for it to finish cooking.
• When all the water is absorbed, there will still be sort of a mushy layer at the bottom of the pot. Take the pot off the heat and leave undisturbed for at least 10 minutes. You can really leave it there as long as you like -- the moisture at the bottom will even out and the finished rice should be slightly al dente with all the grains separate.If there are a few clumps, just break them up with a fork or your fingers before serving or storing.
• If you plan to use the rice for fried rice, I would recommend refrigerating it for at least 6 hours, but overnight is better, so plan ahead!

SIMPLE BROWN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Mix chicken stock and next 5 ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Add rice, return mixture to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes (for instant rice-- follow package recommended cooking times for other brown rice varieties).
• Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
• Fluff with fork.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

BROWN RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In a small skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until onion is golden, about 5 minutes.
• Add rice and sauté for 1 minute.
• Add broth, and season with salt and pepper to taste; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low.
• Simmer until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 45-50 minutes. Check rice occasionally and add water if necessary.
• Uncover and let rice stand for 5 minutes before serving.