Check out these tips from chefs on how to cook perfect rice every single time.
Before you ruin another beef stroganoff or Sri-Lankan Prawn Curry, you better rethink how you cook your rice. I’m Asian – specifically Chinese – so I have grown up eating rice … way before I was eating sandwiches or roast pork, so suffice to say, I know how to cook fool-proof rice.
In my opinion, you should invest in a good rice cooker* because life is too short to go through trial and error in the kitchen. Simply wash the rice, measure out the correct amount of water and push a button. Done!
If you do decide to cook rice on the stove, you need to know the ratio of water to rice so all the liquid is absorbed and you don’t end up with congee.
Rather than touting about how great I am at cooking rice, I’ve asked my favourite chefs to help me with their tips, secrets and know-how when it comes to cooking the perfect fluffy white rice.
All these wonderful chefs are in my upcoming book, Chefs Collective and this is just a sneak peek as to why you should pre-order the book, Chefs Collective (another plug!).
CHEF Ayoung Chang
Top tip for cooking perfect rice?
Wash three times. Soak in water 20min. Perfect amount water(1:1). Heat until the water boils before lowering the heat down right away and cook further for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Don’t open the lid and don’t stir it, just simply leave for 5 minutes before enjoying (Very important!!).
What’s your favourite rice cooker?
Korean ceramic
Favourite recipe with rice?
If u don’t want sticky rice u can add some oil when u cook rice. U can add vegetables, beans, grain, seafood, meat and some time add vinegar and salt.
Chef Akira Back
Top tip for cooking perfect rice?
– High quality rice makes a big difference…..spend the extra few dollars for better quality rice. It yields a better final product.
?- When buying rice in the stores, it is better to use the instructions on the package when cooking the rice. General suggestion is to use equal parts rice and water.
How do you prepare rice – quick steps?
-Carefully and thoroughly wash the rice in cold water until the water runs clear (careful not to over work the rice…..breaking the individual grains is damaging to the final product)
-Place rice in your rice cooker and cook per the “cooker’s instructions”
-Place cooked rice in a non-reactive bowl (stainless steel bowl or a “Hangiri” – round, flat bottomed wooden tub or barrel used in the final steps of making sushi rice)
-Lightly fluff the rice using a fork or other utensil that is similar
What is your favorite rice cooker? Or rice hack?
Electric Rice Cooker – “Zojirushi” OR Gas Rice Cooker – “Rinnai”
CHEF Shota Nakajima
Top tip for cooking perfect rice?
Never over wash rice. Rice is like any ingredient, when you wash it too much your washing all the flavors away and be gentle with it when you wash it so you don’t crack the rice.
How do you prepare rice – quick steps?
We wash only three times very quickly with minimal scrubbing. Then I rice three times to get the water clear. Let it sit in water for 20 min in 15C water before I cook it.
What’s your favourite rice cooker? Or rice hack?
Favorite would be with a stone pot because of how the heat holds itself but nowadays there are extremely high quality rice cookers. Always Japanese makers though.
*My personal favourite is Tiger – the products are made in Japan and the innovative technology cooks perfectly cooked rice all the time
