Cathy, Non stick pans are great for rice. There are usually instructions for cooking each type of rice on the package. But, almost all require you put the rice and water and some salt if you like into the pot, bring to a boil, stir, COVER and reduce the heat to very low and simmer slowly, for about 20 minutes, taste at 15 minutes to be sure it's cooking well, stir it. When the water is absorbed and rice cooked, remove from the heat, let sit a couple of minutes and it's done. Some require that you rinse prior to cooking.

We cook all varieties of rice, following the instructions on the package, in a regular, i.e., not non-stick, 1-1/2 Qt All-Clad MC saucepan. It never sticks. It never burns.

I just couldn't live without my fuzzy logic rice cooker. If you cook rice frequently, consider getting one.

I've heard the Le Creuset's do nicely as rice cookers as well.

I use a small Aroma rice cooker that I picked up for $20. I cook rice a lot, so it was a good investment. The bowl that the rice cooks in is not nonstick by any means, but I have never had the rice stick unless I let it sit in the bowl too long after it is done cooking. It usually comes out with ease! So I agree that if it is sticking, that is not right.

If you cook rice a lot, consider a rice cooker! I love it because it is SO simple -- put in 2 cups of rice (or whatever you want) and add water up the line in the bowl that says "2". Put in in the cooker, put the lid on, and press the button down. I wait 15-20 minutes (which is usually when I am making the rest of the meal) and my rice comes out perfect every time!

dereckbc's method is the one I use. My Chinese friend told me years ago how to measure the water. Put the rice in the pan, put your index finger on top the rice and fill with water to the first knuckle! Has worked well for me most of the time, tho at times vary a little with the type of rice. Have also found that on my new smoothtop I may have to remove the pan from the burner after the 20 min. and allow it to sit to the side to keep it from sticking some. On my old coils, it would be perfect and no sticking with leaving it on the burner to rest.

As I suspected I was doing soomething wrong. MIND you this is the way my mother thought me how to make rice BUT where I come from is OK to have the bottom get a little burn people over there Actually like that part (my father loves it, don't ask me why) but my mom used this big aluminum pot for it would stick to the bottom. They liked it that way so that's all I knew.

I am going to try some of your suggestion because I really don't like the burn part lol

Gosh I need some cooking classes so BAD LOL

I'll post again if I get better results :o)

BTW we eat rice maybe once a week in this house.

Cat

I call this recipe "Forum Rice" cause I learned it here on the Cooking Forum and its no fail -

2 parts rice
1 part water
bring to boil
cover
simmer for 15 minutes
turn heat off
let sit for 10 minutes
fluff with fork (not spoon!)

I learned over 20 years ago that the best way for me to cook rice is the same way I cook pasta. Put a big pot of water on to boil, add salt and the rice (works with all varieties) and cook until rice is almost tender, but not quite, (al dente). If using basmati it will only take about 7 to 8 minutes. Drain well and put the rice back into the pan, cover with a tea towel or papertowels and the lid and let sit for at least 5 minutes. The rice will continue to cook from the heat and the towels will absorb any excess moisture and the rice will be fluffy and the grains separate every time.

Ann

I make my rice in the oven just like the recommendations for measuring with your finger and using cold water and rice. I usually add some coconut milk or just plain. It sits in the oven for 20 -30minutes and fluff with a fork.

Good luck!

Woodie, do you really use two parts rice to one part water? Isn't it the other way around?

Ann

I use a microwave rice cooker... makes the best rice and so easy, then I throw the cooker in the dishwasher. I got mine a few years ago but pampered chef sells one now also.

the chinese restaurant

I often make dishes that need white rice but I've never been able to make a good white rice so I always by it & it's soooo cheap!

Rice cooker. Set it and forget it (not from Ronco, LOL!).

The method a couple of people have related is pretty foolproof: one part rice to 2 parts water, bring to boil, add a little salt and/or butter if desired, turn heat way down and cover, and don't peek for 20 minutes, fluff with fork. Works for white rice okay, not for brown. Brown needs more liquid (about 2.5 cups water per cup of rice) and more time(40-50 minutes).

Agree that if you do a lot of rice, an automatic cooker is worthwhile if that's the kind of sticky rice you like...consider getting one with a nonstick bowl. They have them at oriental and mexican markets.

But my favorite way is really not that hard and makes excellent fluffy long grain rice. (This will work for long grain white rice, not arborio or risotto type rice.) You'll need a saucepan that has a steamer insert.

Put about 3 cups of water per cup of rice in the saucepan. Add a little salt if you want. Bring the rice and water to boil. Boil at a moderate boil for about 8-9 minutes. Over the sink, pour the rice into the steamer insert. Run the hot water from the tap into the rice for a minute or two to get rid of excess starch. Run about an inch of water into the saucepan. Place the steamer insert on top of the saucepan (over the hot water), cover the whole shebang, put back on the burner on high until you see it boil (steam comes out) and then turn it down to low for about ten minutes. Fluff with fork, add butter if desired.

Basically boil for 8, rinse and then steam for 10. Makes very fluffy rice, not sticky, each grain nice and plump and separate. Once you try this way you won't go back. Note that this way makes it very fluffy: the yield in volume of cooked rice is greater per cup of raw rice than in the previous methods.

Now if you really want to see how great rice can be, go to an Indian restaurant and get an order of basmati. They rinse it, then soak it, then cook it in the water it has soaked in...it's the pinnacle of rice cookery. I thought I knew about rice, growing up in South Louisiana. But I stand correctd. Basmati, properly cooked, is magnificent.

American long-grain rice is two parts rice to one part water.
The first-knuckle method mentioned above works perfectly for Asian rice, such as Basmati and Jasmine. Put in the rice, fill with water to rinse five times, then add the cold water (or chicken stock, or whatever) using your finger as a guide. The first finger rests on the top of the rice and you fill the water to your first knuckle. I lived in Korea for two years and everyone measured rice like that!

Woodie's portions are backwards, I believe. I make rice nearly every night, using the same method pretty much, except that it is 3 parts water to 2 parts rice.

Hubby likes his rice fluffy, so we use long grain rice (Jasime is our favorite). I have a rice cooker, but do not use it. I like Le Creuset enameled cast iron MUCH better, since it keeps the rice hot forever.

My method is as follows:

Rinse rice in cold water to remove the starch (prevents it from getting sticky)

Bring salted water to a boil. Add rice, turn to simmer, cover and leave alone for 15 minutes.

When time is up, take off burner and let set with cover on for 10 minutes or more. When ready, remove cover and fluff with fork.

I start my rice process about 45 minutes prior to dinner time. Once done, I set the pot on the table (love Le Creuset for this purpose) on its trivet and forget about it. It comes out hot, fluffy, and perfect every time.

Lynne

How embarrassing! I came over to look something up and found that I made a typo. So sorry! Glad some of you found it and brought it to attention, I'd hate for someone to make rice the way I suggested and hate me cause I ruined their pot forever.

I only use my microwave. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a covered glass bowl. (I use one of those Corning casseroles with a glass lid.) Add 1 cup Basmati rice (sometimes I wash and soak it to remove the outer starch; sometimes not) and simmer 14 min. Always fluffy; never sticks to itself or to the bowl.

I have a $10 chinese rice cooker that was a housewarming gift 20 years ago. It has no frills, just an on/off button and a steel pot. It has made perfect rice for those 20 years without fail and is still going strong.
If you want to learn to make different kinds of rice and other grains in your rice cooker or on the stove, check out "The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook" by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann. They give great instructions on how to cook grains perfectly and lots of great grain recipes too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cookbook Link

I learned how to cook rice from an old Joyce Chen cookbook.
Put as much rice as you need in a saucepan. Shake to level it out. Put your finger into the rice and measure where it comes up to on your finger. Mark it with another finger. Then put the finger on top of rice, add water to the mark you are still holding with your other finger. Bring to boil and lower heat to low, keep lid on, and cook for 20 mins. Turn off heat and let sit for 10 mins. Do not lift the lid. Perfect every time and no expensive rice cookers and no fancy measuring.

This is the funniest forum I've visited! When I hear trained chefs like Sara Moulton on the TV Food Network admit she can't cook rice and treats it like pasta by draining it, I'm shocked. Agree with the posters who suggest that short and long grains have different tolerances. I'm a long grain person (less starch I think) so I espouse 2- 2 1/4 C liquid (I like non-fat chicken stock or water) in a nice heavy sauce pan, bring to a light boil, then add 1 C rice, stir, turn down heat to simmer, and simmer covered for 20-25 minutes -- no peeking! When you can peek, the rice should appear dry on top and, when you stick a wooden spoon handle or chopstick into the rice, you detect little, if any, liquid -- in which case turn off the heat for 5 minutes (covered), then fluff and serve. If you detect more than a small amount of liquid, continue on the simmer mode 3-5 mins more and follow the same instructions.

I will hold my rice up to anyone for being well-prepared. If you want to make a pilaf, I'll share a similar recipe.

Always make sure you have a heavy-bottomed pan with enough surface (8-9 inches). If you cook rice as a pilaf in a skillet, you may need more surface temp and therefore the cooking time reduces 3-5 mins. Beware of alot of alternative cooking instructions -- there are too many variables. Do try cooking your rice with non-fat stock and no fat -- flavorful and delicious! I swear by Swanson. If you're watching calories, add chopped celery, onions, crrots, broccoli or such to the top of the steaming rice in the last 5-6 minutes. When time is up, turn off, wait about 5 min and fluff. If you have failures, call me. I will post my phone if you really need help. Also, I hear rice cookers are good. But my, why?

Do yourself a favor and get a rice cooker, I have been using the same rice cooker for 7 years, I have the Tiger brand. The rice cooker came with it's own measuring cup, the easiest way that I do it is like this, if you put 2 cups of rice, (there will be lines inside your cooker) then your water should be just below the #3 line, your rice will taste like Korean/Japanese rice, sticky.
When buying rice, choose jasmine - extra fancy, they taste really good, any Asian store have them.

Why a rice cooker? Because I can put the rice on to cook as soon as I get home from work, and I don't have to stay in the kitchen and wait for water to boil. I sometimes put up brown rice to cook before I've even decided what else I'm making. It cooks itself while I do other things. I have a really cheap one - it doesn't make the best, fluffiest rice, but it's quite good enough for family meals.

Zojirushi

I cook my rice like pasta, too if I want plain white rice. I make it ahead of time. Rinse it w/hot water when done, drain for a few minutes. Toss it with a little butter/oil, salt/pepper. Put in a buttered dish, cover, pop in a warm oven. It will stay fluffy until ready to use. Most of the time, I saute rice in some oil, until it starts to change color, add minced onions, cook to soft.Then add broth, water or tomatoes, to cover,herbs,spices, cover and cook until done.

A dedicated rice cooker is probably best.

We happen to use the microwave and a big covered Corningware dish. The microwave turns itself off so the rice never burns. The kids can cook it, too.

I used to use a rice cooker, but I didn't think the results were ideal for long grain rice. Then one day I decided to try using the microwave. I use a covered pyrex bowl, which is also the serving bowl. My microwave is old, but it does have a special setting for rice and you just enter the number of cups and off it goes. Perfect rice every time.

Used a rice cooker for years. Thought it was idiot-proof until my DH helped one night. Smoke and fire!!!

(Zojirushi is a great brand, I'd probably start there if I bought another.)

Started using 25 yr old heavy Calphalon pot. Perfect ever since and frees up counter space (more important to me than burners on rice nights).

I usually cook brown rices, but like a variety. Water amount varies not only by rice but by cultural preference. I have an Armenian friend who uses so little water I can't believe it doesn't burn but it doesn't -- perfect and chewy for her stews every time, just like her mother's.

I don't use "instants" so don't know how they behave, except they're quicker (processed). Rice is one of those things you can't believe is easy once you get the knack of it. Cold water start!

I don't like the rice cooker results. We have a good one, but the bottom of the rice always is dry and hard. AND with the method I described above, using Le Creuset, I don't have to stand over it to wait for the water to boil, because we have a hot/cold water dispenser in the sink. I put the hot water in, add salt, turn burner on to high and in less than 1 minute, the water is boiling. I add the rinsed rice, turn to low and put the lid on. As I said before, once done (15 minutes) you can take it off heat and will stay hot and perfect for at least another 25 minutes.

Lynne

after much trial and error i found what seems to me the perfect way to cook rice and have it come out sticky and clumpy.

1 cup rice
1 3/4 cup water
bring water to a boil first
add rice (jasmine rice, rinsed)
immediately turn heat down to low and cover
let simmer for about 20 minutes

Any pan will do and rice won't stick if you just cook it correctly.

Bring water to boil, a couple of cups or so
Couple of handfulls of rice
Let return to boil
Immediately turn heat to very lowest setting and cover
Leave the room, leave your spouse, leave the country, but DON'T TOUCH THE PAN
Turn off stove in 20 minutes.
Let rice sit a few minutes, no peekie, no stirree

The rice will be perfect, and won't stick to nuthin'

Personally, I only like jasmine for a few things. For everyday, I prefer basmati, and for certain splurges, arborio.

I do the "to the first knuckle method" with all my rice. Rice first, water to first knuckle, salt, bring to boil, turn to very lowest simmer, cover for 20 minutes, NO PEEKING, let set for 5, fluff with fork Foolproof every time. Whoops....wild rice might take a bit longer, okay to peek after 20 minutes and taste.