2014-04-08

Chinese Steamed White Rice

You could actually find rice in most part of the world.

In South America, local cook rice with a lot of water and need a sieve to discard those hot water at the end, which seems really complicated and wasting all the nutrients. In Turkey, for example, to become a decent bride-to-be, a girl need to learn their particular way of rice-making, with oil, spices and salt.

Many Chinese nowadays only learn making rice with a rice cooker.  It's simple enough, but how about without one?

For Cantonese, we only make rice with water and the water portion should be just right.  My dad taught me the simple way to make rice in my childhood, where he believed cooking rice with a claypot taste best.

A very simple Chinese way of making steamed rice that you could do in any kitchen!

Ingredients:
Rice
Water

1) Put rice in a pot, wash a few time to discard the dirts and sand, until the water turns clear.

2) Add drinking water. Use your finger to measure the water level, for instance, 1 inch from base of pot to surface of rice, then another inch from top of rice to top of water surface.  Meaning, about 1 portion of rice: 2 portion of water

3) Turn to high heat to get the water boiling with the pot covered.  When boiling, switch to low heat.

4) When the water are all gone, leaving the rice surface still humid and bubbling with water, it's time to turn off the heat but keep the pot covered.

5) Keep the pot covered with the remaining heat for about ten minutes.  The remaining water will be absorbed by the rice to make it well done.

6) Ready to serve.


Extra tips:
1) Of course, claypot is believed to be the best for steamed rice, but any kind of pot is fine.
2) The rice washing water should not be discarded, it is good for cleaning vegetables and washing face to take away grease in a natural way and gives you softer skin.
3) Half cup of rice makes approximately one bowl of rice.
4) Rice from different countries have different texture and taste.  Some people prefer Japanese pearl rice, being more chewy, with better outlook and color; some prefer Thai jasmine rice with more fragrance; others look for more fiber in black or brown rice.  We just loved the local Vietnam rice with exquisite fragrance.
5) If you are preparing black or brown rice, you should soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before following the above process.  And you could mix white rice with the colored ones.
6) If you are in a hurry, you could start making the rice with hot water.
7) In case you find the rice too dry, after water already boiled away, you could still add some hot water to make it even softer.
8) Depends on the softness of the rice you prefer, you may adjust the amount of water.

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