Rice on the Stove
I hated rice when I was younger, but later found out it was because my grandma used short grain horrible rice and boiled it. This is how my husband showed me how to make rice.
I hated rice when I was younger, but later found out it was because my grandma used short grain horrible rice and boiled it. This is how my husband showed me how to make rice.
- Carbohydrate 46.6511931257043 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.811003750191569 g
- Fiber 0.954831227108869 g
- Protein 6.01995187513549 g
- Saturated Fat 0.165473250026877 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (203g)
- Sodium 460.637187500366 mg
- Sugar 45.6963618985954 g
- Trans Fat 0.0703136250081159 g
- Calories 223 calories
Step-by-step
- On the stove heat olive oil, to the olive oil add salt, pepper and onion.
- Sweat onion until translucent.
- Add garlic, cook for a few minutes, keep a good eye on the garlic, it has a lot of sugar and burns quickly.
- Add the rice in and stir.
- You will see the edges of the rice turn an opaque white color.
- Some of the rice might even turn a golden brown, that is fine.
- Then add your chicken broth in.
- While the rice is cooking I will warm my chicken broth in the microwave.
- Stir the rice and chicken broth together.
- Wait for it to come to a boil.
- Stir, turn off the heat, cover with a tight lid (if you do not have a lid, cover tightly with aluminium foil) and set to the side for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes take off lid and use a fork to fluff rice.
- It will come out fluffy and light and flavorful.
Boiling dry grains directly in plain water yields a bland, unevenly cooked starch because moisture penetrates without building foundational flavor. Correcting this requires starting with fat and heat. Sweat diced yellow onions in olive oil until translucent, then add minced garlic just until fragrant, watching closely since its natural sugars burn easily at high heat.
Stirring jasmine rice into the warm oil and aromatics initiates a process called toasting, which cooks the exterior starches slightly and creates an opaque white rim around each grain. This toasted barrier prevents the grains from dissolving into a gummy mass during cooking. Ground black pepper and kosher salt go directly into the fat phase so the fat-soluble compounds in the pepper disperse evenly throughout the batch.
Pouring pre-warmed low-sodium chicken broth over the toasted rice maintains a steady thermal environment, preventing the cooking liquid's temperature from dropping abruptly. The ratio relies on 4.5 cups of broth to 2 cups of rice to achieve proper hydration without excess liquid pooling. Bringing the mixture to a brief boil before cutting the heat entirely allows residual thermal energy to finish the cooking process gently.
Covering the pot with a tight-fitting lid traps steam inside for exactly 20 minutes, allowing the starches to set and firm up before fluffing with a fork. Serving this savory, broth-infused base alongside rich roasted meats or acidic pan-juices provides a neutral canvas that absorbs heavy sauces effectively.
