Long grain white rice is one of the foundational grains of a rock-bottom broke kitchen. If you buy your rice in large bags, this entire recipe costs less than 25¢ and gives you 3-cups of fluffy, tender, white rice. Leftover rice is a wonderful thing to have in the kitchen. You can turn it into breakfast cereal, or fry it with an egg, or add it to casseroles or reheat it in a skillet with a little margarine and top it with soy sauce.
You’ll notice in the recipe below that you have the option of adding margarine and/or salt to your rice as it cooks. If you’re serving rice as a plain dish, by itself without any beans or sauces poured over it, then it tastes better with the margarine and salt.
If you need plain cooked rice, as the base for chili or a spicy bean dish, then it tastes better cooked without the margarine and salt. It’s cheaper too. Try preparing it both ways and see which you prefer.
Perfect Cooked Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain white rice (dry)
- 2 cups water
Optional
- 1 tablespoon margarine
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
Find a one-quart pot with a good lid. If you don’t have a good lid then find a small skillet or pie pan you can place over the pot. Something metal is best so it won’t crack if it gets too hot.
Place the water in the pot. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the margarine and/or salt if desired. Stir in the rice. Return the water to a boil. Place your lid or skillet or pie pan over the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low or low. Cook the rice for 15 to 20-minutes, or until tender. If the heat is at medium-low it will be done in 15-minutes. If your heat is low, it will take 20-minutes. At my house we prefer our rice to be extra tender, so we use low heat for 20-minutes.
If you’re in a rush and need rice as fast as possible, then make the following changes.
- Use 1-2/3 cups water for 1-cup of dry rice
- Simmer the rice over medium-low heat. It will be ready in about 12-minutes.
This rice is not quite as tender as 20-minute rice but it’s tender enough to be quite edible. Some people prefer their rice to be al dente, which means slightly firm in the center. If you’re one of them, then this version will be exactly what you want.