To cook a delicious pot of rice, soft and not too dry or wet, is not easy. For many years of cooking rice, even experienced mothers may not know all the secrets to make the rice soft, fragrant, and delicious. Let’s find out.
Choose fresh rice
Cooking rice for many years but sometimes it’s dry, sometimes it’s sticky, adding this ingredient will make the rice softer and more flavorful – Image 1.
Image: Cooky
To cook delicious rice, the first and most important thing is to choose good rice. Good rice means fresh rice, you should not choose rice that has been stored for a long time because it will lose its nutrients and natural sweetness. When choosing rice, pay attention to the rice grains, they should be even, round, and shiny. Avoid broken, rotten, or yellowish rice grains as they may be of poor quality.
Rinse the rice properly
After choosing good rice, the next step is to rinse the rice. Rinsing the rice not only helps clean the rice but also retains the rice bran, which contains many nutrients. Rinse the rice gently and not too many times to avoid losing nutrients.
Measure the water when cooking
Measuring the water when cooking rice is very important. If you add too much water, the rice will be sticky; if you add too little water, the rice will be dry and may not be fully cooked.
You can use the traditional method as follows: Use your index finger to poke the rice in the pot, the finger should just touch the surface of the rice and not penetrate deep to the bottom of the pot. If the water level reaches the first joint of your finger, it is enough, the rice will not be dry or sticky. Or you can use your entire hand, if the water level passes the back of your hand, it is good. Note that you should gently place your hand on the surface of the rice.
Soak the rice before cooking
This is a step that not everyone knows. Soaking the rice for about 15-20 minutes before cooking will make the rice grains softer, more tender, and fragrant when cooked.
After soaking the rice, you can add a few small pieces of ice, leave it for about 15 minutes, then cook as usual. The cold ice slows down the rice’s absorption of water, making the rice softer and more delicious. At the same time, the ice increases the amount of amino acids and prevents the enzymes from breaking down the natural sweetness in the rice, helping the rice maintain its fragrance and bring out a great taste.
Cooking rice for many years but sometimes it’s dry, sometimes it’s sticky, adding this ingredient will make the rice softer and more flavorful – Image 2.
Image: VTC News
Add something to the cooking water
Not everyone knows this trick, but adding a little salt, or white vinegar, or cooking oil to the cooking water can make the rice more tender and fragrant. Vinegar or salt helps prevent the rice from spoiling, while cooking oil makes the rice grains shiny and tender.
This is the method that the Japanese people have used to create attractive bowls of rice. However, you should note that you should not add oil after the rice is cooked, as it will make the rice oily and give off an oily smell, making it difficult to eat.
Image: foodandwine
Fluff the rice properly
When the rice is cooked, gently fluff the rice to prevent it from becoming mushy and to let the steam escape. This also helps the rice grains stay plump and tender.
Illustration: Asianisration
By applying these secrets, hopefully, you will always cook a pot of rice that is soft, fragrant, and delicious, bringing a delightful taste to every meal for your family.
Source: Đời sống pháp luật
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