« Learning to Cook Online | Home | Cooking London Broil »
Cooking Rice
By myarticlenetwork | December 8, 2009
Rice is not a rare food type; in fact, it is pretty much a common type of grain. It’s very versatile in the sense that many people from various countries also serve rice. Indeed, rice is a very non-complex food choice. Aside form this, it is also something that is very easy to prepare. For all these reasons and more, rice s thus seen as a versatile and popular grain which greatly adds to our satiety simply because it is a simple carbohydrate. As we all know, simple carbohydrates are carbohydrates that are very filling. It helps keep us full much longer as compared to eating meals without it.
Most of us often eat rice without even trying to exert much effort into finding more about what it really is. Here is some information that we have about rice. Actually, rice is seen as a grain that is separated from the plant covered by a husk. When the husk is present during cooking, the rice is referred to as brown rice. When the husk has been removed, the rice is white or polished rice. Rice is often treated with a substance such as talc to further polish it and improve its appearance after the milling process. This has led to a tradition of rinsing of rice prior to cooking to remove the talc which has been linked to health problems. Most of the rice used in the United States is not treated with talc and even has vitamins added that may be partially removed by excessive rinsing. The best recommendation is the follow the directions concerning pre-rinsing that are on the package.
As previously mentioned cooking rice is a very simple task that entails either boiling or steaming. After it is cooked this way, though, rice can also be served in a different way. A perfect example for this is fried rice, an alternative popular in certain areas such as South America. The most common method of cooking involves a process called absorption cooking. In this method, a carefully measured amount of water is used. The water is absorbed by the rice as it cooks making the grains soft and fluffy. Once the water has been absorbed, steam trapped in the cooking vessel completes the cooking.
In countries where rice is a major staple, electric rice cookers have become popular. In the United States, rice is generally cooked in medium sized cooking pans that have tight fitting covers. Many Americans are a bit nervous and inexperienced in the cooking of rice and this has led to the popularity of instant rice. Instant rice can be quickly and easily prepared, but at a considerable sacrifice of taste, texture, and of course, nutrition content.
Although the boiling method is most common, rice is a grain and as such can be used in a great variety of cooking methods. Fried rice has already been mentioned, but rice can be also be made into a cereal such as puffed rice. It can also be used in the making of Sake, a potent Japanese alcoholic drink. The best advice for cooking rice is to not be afraid to experiment with the more complicated cooking methods. The difference in taste is well worth the little bit of extra effort. Be careful with putting just the right amount of water to cook rice, though, because too much water might make rice too soggy. On the other hand, an insufficient amount of water when cooking rice may make it burn.
Alonzo Bolton is a food and nutrition researcher for http://www.recipeasap.com/. He writes and researches actively on Food Recipe and shares his knowledge at http://www.recipeasap.com/ where he works as a staff writer.
Topics: Cookbooks, Food Rescue, Fund Raising, Raise Money for Your Non-Profit, Recipes | No Comments »