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How to Make White Rice

How to Make White Rice
Learning how to make white rice is pretty easy, so why am I dedicating an entire post to recipes that use rice? There’s no denying it, autumn is officially here. Summer produce has long-since waned and I’ve start digging out my scarves and fuzzy socks.

This time of year, right around Columbus Day, my culinary choices turn to more comfort-type foods: grains, meats, legumes, and root vegetables. I start contemplating beefy stews, dreaming of thick bean-based soups, and searching for the perfect recipe for braised pork shoulder over thick, juice noodles, lazy Sunday spent wrapped up in a blanket on the couch.

But while these projects tug at my gastric yearnings, they are, after all, projects. All of them take hours to produce – worthwhile hours, I swear – and sometimes you just want something simple, easy, and comforting.

That’s why fall is time to celebrate rice, the perfect autumn food.

How to Make White Rice – A Primer

Years ago, when I had no idea how to make white rice, I actually had to ask someone how to do it. (I had a big container of bulk rice with no instructions.) Then, once I knew how to make the rice, I had to decide what I was going to do with it.

That long ago, I had to hunt all over to find recipes that used white rice in interesting ways, but the cooking gods have bestowed upon us this lovely thing called the internet, and it has quickly become the ultimate cooking tool. Don’t get me wrong–I’m still a complete cookbook nerd; I literally have thousands of them, lining the walls of my apartment. While I still dig into them almost every day, this website had become a repository for some of my favorite recipes that can’t be found in books.

In celebration of autumn, I’d like to present you with my favorite recipes from The Culinary Life archives, specially picked for when you learn how to make white rice. This humble little grain can be gussied up in all sorts of incredible ways, so take advantage of the stash you’ve inevitably got hiding in your pantry!

A Treasury of Recipes that Use Rice

Ayurvedic Mint Rice Recipe
Simple Mint Rice – This incredibly tasty rice dish is packed with mint and cilantro, creating a fresh, green dish that will lighten up any dinner. A healthy dose of Indian spices add a little heat, bringing this recipe to perfect Ayurvedic balance.

Risotto Carbonara Recipe
Risotto Carbonara – Casey Barber’s favorite pasta dish turned into her new favorite risotto. The deeply browned pork fat on the bottom of the saucepan makes for a deep, almost beefy sauce, while the high-starch rice contributes crucial creaminess without adding a drop of heavy cream.

Easy Tilapia Recipe with Rice
Easy Tilapia with Spiced Brown Rice – Once you learn how to make white rice, it’s time to master brown rice. An easy sautéed fish with an easy side of spiced rice. Can dinner get any better?

Congee Recipe
Congee, the Perfect Cold Season Soup – Congee is quite possibly the most warming, comforting dish on the planet. White rice is slow cooked to cream perfection, then topped with savory accoutrements of your choice. WAY better than Chinese takeout.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Martha Stewart’s Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe – Guest blogger Brette Sember presented us with a wonderfully rich rice and meat-filled stuffed cabbage recipe, compliments of Martha Stewart. There is nothing more wintery than a heaping plate of stuffed cabbage; you can almost picture yourself sitting in at a freezing cold table in Poland, enjoying your gołąbki.

Cooking with Whole Grains
Healthy Eating for the Weak and Weary: Tips for Cooking with Whole Grains – If you want to start eating healthier but don’t have the time to invest in cooking all those whole grains, here are some tips to up your fiber intake while chiseling away at your hours spent in the kitchen.
How to Make White Rice
 
Author: 
Recipe type: Side Dishes
Cuisine: Asian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
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Learn how to make white rice. This simple rice recipe makes for the tastiest white rice you've ever eaten, and if you like, add a few simple spices to take it to the next level!
Ingredients
  • 2 teaspoons butter or oil of your choice
  • 1 cup dry white rice
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
  • 2 cardamom pods (optional)
Instructions
  1. In a pot with a snug fitting lid heat the butter or oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add rice and fry, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
  2. Add water and stir well. Allow water to come to a boil and add salt. Stir in spices, if using.
  3. Turn heat to low and cover pot, leaving the lid slightly askew to keep it from boiling over. Let simmer for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit, covered for another 7 minutes. Fluff rice gently with a fork and serve.
Notes
This content was originally posted on FearlessFresh.com.
 

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Comments from other ninjas:

  1. I’ve been making a lot of rice dishes lately. I try to make a lot and freeze it or keep it in the fridge, but my kids are always eating it for lunch and snacks!

    Reply

    • Seriously! It seems a lot easier to make a bunch and then stash it for later. It’s also better for fried rice when it’s at least a ay old.

      Reply

  2. As I eat less and less meat, I’m finding myself at a loss for interesting rice and grain recipes. It seems like I just make vegetable fired rice all the time! I’m definitely going to try the cabbage rolls one of these nights.

    Reply

    • I’m eating less meat these days, too, and making sure what I do eat is of high quality. I’m really liking interesting grains these days, and I think that any one of these dishes could easily be swapped out with a variety of grains.

      Reply

  3. Mmmmmm!! your photos look delicious:) Really enjoyed your thoughts on autumn weather and thanks for reminding us that there is lots to celebrate!

    Reply

  4. Growing up, my mom always heated up leftover rice with milk and maple syrup – kind of like rice oatmeal soup. I know it sounds kind of gross, but it’s still one of the most comforting tastes to me.

    Reply

  5. Thanks for the inspiration! Doesn’t fall just put the spring back in your pots and pans? Hooray for rice, the hearty, versatile dish that is still good enough for you to eat every day! All hail whole grains…..

    Reply