It’s a kitchen basic we all think we’ve mastered, but have you REALLY?
Cooking rice can be hit and miss but with this chef’s tip you can be guaranteed perfect grains every time.
Rice is a cupboard staple that many of us still struggle to get right[/caption]
Chef Manisha showed Cherry Healey her basic method[/caption]
Chef Manisha Bhardwaj schooled presenter Cherry Healey in a rice masterclass.
Firstly, Cherry made rice how she normally does, and how most of us probably do, by pouring about ‘two persons worth’ of rice into a pan, filling the pan with water about a centimetre above where the rice ends, and then putting that pan on the heat.
Uniquely, Cherry then ‘taps’ her rice ‘to see if its ready.’
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Once ‘cooked’ she offered Chef Manisha a very unappetising ‘slice of rice’ which the chef later called ‘inedible’.
But the chef then explained that the secret to fool-proof rice is ‘the absorption method.’
And an impressed Cherry branded the method “very low maintenance” – so here’s how you can give it a go yourself.
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Step 1
The first rule is to keep your rice and water to a 1:2 ratio for the best texture.
“One measure of rice and double the amount of water by volume. That’s crucial.” celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has said.
Step 2
Rinse your rice before cooking it. This gets rid of any remaining starch which stops the rice grains from clogging together when you boil them.
A way of checking if you have properly rinsed your rice is to do it until the water runs clear.
Step 3
Use the right saucepan.
“You want to choose a pan that has a heavy bottom and has a tight fitting lid,” she advised.
The tight lid helps to lock the steam in which is what will cook the rice and help it absorb all the liquid.
“You don’t want any of the steam to escape”, Manisha explained.
Step 4
Once the rice has come up to the boil, take the heat right down and put the lid on.
Leave the rice alone to let the steam do the work.
“You don’t want to lift the lid, you don’t want to peek”
“You just leave it and let it do its thing,” Manisha told Cherry.
After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and let the rice stand for 5 minutes
Then it should be ready to serve.
“Every grain is separate, its all fluffed up,” Manisha said, marvelling at the superior method.
“Its got the aroma, its got the taste and its also got texture,” she explained.
And Cherry was impressed, exclaiming: “It tastes nutty and sweet and lovely.”
The perfect serving of rice is easier than you think[/caption]
Cherry’s home method was similar to the instructions on most bags of rice[/caption]
Letting the steam cook the rice helps[/caption]
A result of the ‘absorption method’ is perfectly textured rice[/caption]
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