5 mistakes most people make when cooking rice
Rice has undoubtedly earned its place in kitchens around the world due to its versatility, allowing us to enjoy all kinds of different dishes. On top of being an excellent side dish, rice also serves as the base ingredient in many recipes that include paella, risotto, and jambalaya. Despite how common rice is, though, there are still some very common mistakes a lot of people make when cooking it. Let’s take a look at some of the ways we can improve our skills in the kitchen!
1. Not letting it sit long enough
We will start with one of the most common mistakes when preparing rice, and that is not letting sit long enough after cooking. It may sound counterintuitive or unimportant because this is not necessary with most foods. However, when it comes to rice, we should be letting it sit in the pan for about five minutes after it has cooked completely.
2. Using too much water
It is actually quite important to use the appropriate measure of water when cooking rice. To be more precise, there should be 3 parts water for every 1 part of rice. For example, you would add 600ml of water to 200ml of rice. This measure is important because too much water will result in your rice being too soggy and inconsistent, while not enough water makes the rice too hard.
3. Mixing too much
This is a very innocent mistake to make. Naturally, we would want to stir our rice frequently in order to avoid making a sticky mess in our pan or pot. However, excessive stirring actually stimulates the production of starch in the rice. This reaction will end up making the rice very soft, gooey, and not very appetizing.
4. Not paying attention to the different types of rice
If you pay attention at the grocery store, you will notice that there is in fact a wide variety of rice. These different breeds of rice will also require a specific type of cooking style. White rice, for example, is a perfect type for side dishes, while basmati rice is better for sushi. Figuring out the best way to prepare your specific kind of rice is easy. Just refer to the packaging and there should be some simple instructions.
5. Cooking with too much heat
Another one of the more common mistakes we make with rice is using a flame on the stove that is way too high. This is a problem because the water ends up evaporating way too quickly. This will cause the rice to end up undercooked and way too firm. A medium-sized flame should be just fine for maintaining an even and long-lasting boil, thus giving the rice enough time to cook thoroughly.
