Brown rice

[nvictor]

I heard that they were good for health, better than white rice. Nobody mentions that they were difficult to cook. I have tried 5 times without success. I adjusted all that I could, quantity of water, quantity of rice, heat power. No luck. Now I've bought two bags instead of my white rice bag, and the first one is not middle empty.

Help

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[WanderingOak]

Brown rice is actually quite simple. You don't need a rice cooker or any other gadgets.

Start with 1 cup of brown rice, 1/2 t salt, and 1 2/3 cups of water (or broth/stock/etc). Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring with a fork to ensure that the rice isn't sticking to the bottom. Reduce heat to simmer, and put a tight fitting lid on the pot. Let simmer with the lid on the pot for 45 minutes. Keep the lid on, no peeking! Turn off the heat after 45 minutes, and keep the lid on until you are ready to serve. Lightly fluff the rice when serving.

[Mark Lapierre]

What method did you use when you got your best results, and what was the result? Also, what type of rice, long/medium/short grain?

Here's the method I use:

2 cups of rice to 4 cups of water

Rinse the rice a few times until the water runs clear. Usually takes 2-3 rinses. Drain well.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy pan on high heat. I use coconut oil 'cos it's healthy and tastes great. Add the rice and stir constantly until most of the remaining water on the rice evaporates. This is usually when the hissing has almost stopped. Be sure to not burn the rice! The rice also starts to smell nutty, and that mixed with the coconut oil smell is delicious

Pour the water over the rice, put the lid on, then let the water start boiling fast. Once it starts boiling fast, turn the heat down as low as you can. Don't touch it for 45 minutes.

After the 45 mins are up, turn off the heat and let the rice sit for about 10 mins.

It takes friggin' ages, but it's worth it.

When I first started cooking rice this way, I was too scared to leave the rice alone for the full 45 minutes, so I had to check a couple of times to make sure the rice wasn't burning. It never did, but nothing bad happened when I checked either.

Edit: And WanderingOak's post just goes to show that it is possible to get good results using different methods...

[Vanilla]

What brand brown rice are you using?

[nvictor]

Mark, WanderingOak,
both of your methods suggest 45min without peeking (which I do ); the directions on the bag containing the rice also suggests 45min. I've never it for 45min, so maybe my problem comes from that.

Vanilla,
don't really remember, it's something from morroco or india or something like that.

Thanks a lot for your methods

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[gberardi]

I have a bag of brown rice that suggests 30-45 minutes. I apparently don't have tight-fitting lids for my pots, so the bubbling water eventually gets out if I don't lift the lid every once in awhile.

After about 30 minutes, it is done along with my stir fry, and I can eat it. I messed up brown rice just once, but it was only the bottom part that was burnt. It was otherwise fine.

I believe I put 1/2 cup of rice with 1 cup of water. Or maybe that was my oatmeal, and it is 1 cup of rice with 2 cups of water?

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Hey, thanks for starting this thread. I have always eaten brown rice at restaurants, but stuck to white at home because I could never seem to get the brown right. I will try some of these ideas.

[Steve Pavlina]

Here's the most efficient way I found to cook brown rice on a stove. It takes about 35m total.

Put brown rice and water together in a pot with a lid. Use the ratio of 1.5 cups water to 1 cup rice. I normally make 3c rice with 4.5c water.

Bring the rice/water to a boil uncovered. Once it starts boiling, put the lid on the pot, and reduce the heat to low/simmer. Let the rice simmer for 20m.

After 20m of simmering, turn off the heat, and let the rice sit in the covered pot for another 10m. Then remove the lid from the pot.

Eat and enjoy.

This works for white rice too.

You know... as simple as this is, I think I'll post it in the blog, since I know a lot of people have trouble making brown rice.

[Dimitry]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

This works for white rice too.

Do you only end up eating brown/whole grain rice or do you mix in white rice once in a while too? I'm asking because it does get a bit expensive only eating the high quality stuff and would be great since eating white rice once in a while would be more economical also.

[Steve Pavlina]

I don't normally eat white rice unless someone else has cooked it. I vastly prefer the taste and texture of brown rice -- it's probably something of an acquired taste though.

Normally I buy organic brown rice from Whole Foods, which currently costs $0.89 per pound. The organic peppers are usually $4-6 per pound.

[Dimitry]

Taste wise I'm actually a convert myself also as I preffer whole wheat, brown rice and any multi-grain style rice a lot better than white.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I guess the only times I recall eating white rice myself was when someone else cooked it or if I'm eating out.

I guess the next question to answer is exactly how "bad" white rice is or if it's simply deficient in certain nutrients that other rices would have.

[Steve Pavlina]

I just made a blog post on this topic here:
How to Cook Brown Rice

[absvan]

I use Uncle Ben's brown rice. It takes me only 10 minutes in the microven for one serving.

[WanderingOak]

Originally Posted by absvan

I use Uncle Ben's brown rice. It takes me only 10 minutes in the microven for one serving.

Whatever was healthy about that brown rice was destroyed when Uncle Ben 'Converted' it. What is 'converted rice' anyway? Did the rice join some odd cult that forces it to cook faster?

[ChrisCountryGirl]

I used to make rice but don't anymore because it takes too long to cook. By the way, I used brown rice since I refused to eat white rice.

[absvan]

What do you mean by converted rice??

I use the Natural brown rice from Uncle Ben's. Are you trying to say that its original brown rice but that they have added something to it????

[Jon]

I'm a fan of brown rice, but I like Quinoa much more. It cooks similarly as rice and is probably more nutritious overall. Do try.

[WanderingOak]

Originally Posted by absvan

What do you mean by converted rice??

I use the Natural brown rice from Uncle Ben's. Are you trying to say that its original brown rice but that they have added something to it????

That shows how long it's been since I have actually paid attention to a package of Uncle Ben's. It used to be marketed as 'Uncle Ben's Converted Rice', and I was lead to believe that it was pretty much the same thing as 'Minute Rice' (i.e. convenience antifood). I buy my rice in bulk from a Health Nut store. The next time I'm in a grocery store, I'll have to look it up to actually see what it is. Does anybody know if there is a food/nutrition Wiki?

[Dimitry]

WanderingOak, it's most likely this Uncle Ben's Original Brown Rice - Brown Rice Recipes, Cook Basmati Whole Grain White Rice

[absvan]

Yes the link provided by Dimitry is the one that I use. I think its good. Let me know what you guys think about it.

[The Nourisher]

In traditional cultures, grains are always soaked overnight if not fermented for a number of days to prepare them for consumption. Never have grains been harvested and ground without some time spent wet. Before industrialisation, grain sheafs were left in the field to gather dew before they were stored or used. The reason for this is simple yet vital.

Nature is very intelligent, as we all know. She has created in the seeds of all plants a defence against fungus, bacteria and even some insect life. “All grains contain phytic acid… in the outer layer of the bran. Un treated, phytic acid combines with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc in the intestinal tract and block their absorption. This is why a diet high in unfermented whole grains may lead to serious mineral deficiencies and bone loss. The modern misguided practice of consuming large amounts of unprocessed bran often improves colon transit time at first but may lead to irritable bowel syndrome and, in the long term, many other adverse effects.” says Sally Fallon, ancient food ways researcher.

Soaking begins the process of germination. A seed will not grow until there is adequate water for the plant to thrive. So too will you if you soak your grains for at least 12 hours. All Grains, even rice.

Once you've soaked, all you need do is cook the rice for 10 to 15 minutes. You won't feel like a cow chewing your cud, it virtually melts in your mouth.

I have a recipe for dosas, traditional to indian culture, made from lentils and rice it's fermented and delicious.

Dosas

A good source of protein for you vegos and won't steal minerals from your body.

Good Luck

Blessings

The Nourisher

[m0vingon]

I've never been much of a fan of the measured means of cooking rice. Maybe I'm just lazy I cook all my rice (brown, wild, aromatic) the way I cook pasta- just boil it in lots of water and drain. It works for me.

[Dimitry]

The Nourisher...so you're saying all rice should be soaked for at least 12 hours before being cookeD?

[The Nourisher]

Yep. All grains, including wheat, oats, millet, even quinoa are soaked in traditional cooking.

Characteristics of Traditional Diets

[nvictor]

The Nourisher... what if nutriments component goes into the liquid you soak your grains in?


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