Steamed rice is a great side dish! It has plenty of carbs so you’re full of energy after eating steamed rice. Rice is also a grain so there are great amounts of fiber in it that will result in a fuller stomach. The whole continent of Asia swears by this grain because it is a staple to the diets of many countries, cultures and religions.
The best way to prepare rice is to steam it with a rice cooker or in your Teflon pot. But there are ways to still get the goodness of steamed rice even without a steamer.
You’ll need the following items if you want the goodness of steamed rice but don’t have a rice cooker:
Colander or strainer (always use steel mesh for this as you will be putting the colander or strainer in a hot pot. You need to pick a colander or strainer where the rice grains won’t fall through)
Large stock pot
Stock pot’s lid
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Aluminum foil
Salt
Understand rice to water ratio. You’ll need water to cook the steamed rice and the common ratio is 1 cup of water for every cup of rice you intend to cook. Refer to the rice’s packaging instructions for details and correct ratio information.
Fill the pot. Take your water and pour them into the stock pot. For every six cups of water, add a tsp. of salt.
Set the pot to heat. Put your stock pot on one of the stove’s burners and put it above medium heat. Bring it to a boil.
Prepare the rice. Pour your rice into the colander or strainer. Sift through the rice grains and remove any stray unhusked grains or pebbles.
Place colander on the stock pot. Place the strainer with the rice above the stock pot. Make sure that the colander makes a seal on the lip of the pot so that the moisture and steam do not escape. Make sure that the water level in the stock pot do not come up to the colander or strainer.
Place the lid. Take the stock pot lid and put it above the colander or strainer. If there is steam escaping from anywhere on the lid, use the aluminum foil to seal it in. The rice needs whatever steam and moisture generated by the boiling water to cook it and you need to seal those in so that the rice cooks evenly.
Cook it well. Lower the heat to medium low then allow the rice to cook for 20 minutes to about an hour. Resist the temptation to peek inside by lifting the lid as you need the steam and the moisture inside to cook the rice evenly. Uneven cooked rice will have soft grains and crunchy ones in each spoonful so its best you leave it alone until after an hour.
Remove only when ready to serve. For best results, only uncover it when everyone is at the table and ready to eat.
Steamed rice is best for salty dishes or those with heavy cream-based sauces. Usually a spoonful of rice on a dish is enough so server your guests accordingly.
