Rice is a staple ingredient in many cuisines across the world, and learning how to cook rice is often one of the first things that at-home chefs try to master. But cooking the grain, and doing so well, are two different things, and even simple dishes are easy to mess up. With rice, that usually comes down to the texture. A light and fluffy finish is the aim for many dishes and sides, but how do you stop it all from clumping together in the pan?
While some recipes call for sticky rice, on other occasions, thats the last thing you want. But, even if youve followed the recipe to the letter, you can still find that the rice sticks together, or even worse, adheres to the pan youre cooking it in.
Luckily, its easy to get the lightest, fluffiest rice with one simple trick. All you need to do is add a little lemon juice to the water while youre cooking.
Not only does the rice turn a bright yellow-orange color, but it also gets a slightly sweet flavor from the juice. The entire pot will get a fresh lift from the citrus: Think of it like adding lemon juice to brighten up dishes like broccoli, asparagus, and fish.
Next, melt some butter in a medium saucepan and stir in the rice. Cook several minutes over high heat until the rice is very hot.
Juice a mountain of oranges or… keep it simple and use O.J. from the bottle (with pulp, please).
When cooked with orange juice, rice becomes sweet, tangy, and makes the perfect complement to spicy food.
4 cups fresh orange juice with pulp 2 cups white rice 2 Tbsp butter freshly grated orange peel, for garnish
Now. There is nothing subtle about replacing all the water with O.J., so if you’d like to start off with something more mild, try using half water (or broth) and half O.J.
Lemon juice makes rice look whiter and brighter
You only need to add a small amount of lemon juice to the water rice cooks in for the best results, and dont worry, it wont alter the flavor. Between a quarter of a teaspoon and a single teaspoon of juice is enough to stop the rice from clumping, without making it taste like lemon.
Its not just the texture of rice that benefits from a few drops of lemon juice, either. The citrus fruit also helps the cooked grains to look whiter, brighter, and more appetizing. Just as lemon juice can prevent other foods from discoloring, such as apples or avocadoes, the acid in the fruit also helps rice to retain its brightness.
The addition of citrus to the cooking water also stops the rice from coloring, even after it has been cooked and allowed to cool down. Which means its also a great tip for keeping leftover rice look more appealing for the next dish youll use it in.
Stop Cooking Rice in WATER, You’ll Thank you
FAQ
Can you cook rice in juice?
Can you cook rice in any liquid?
What happens when you boil juice?
Can you use liquids other than water in a rice cooker?
What happens if you boil rice?
Not only will boiling cause your water to evaporate more quickly, the violent agitation will also stir up additional starches from the rice, making it extra sticky. Simmering corresponds with a water temperature of 180 F to 205 F, producing small, gentle bubbles as opposed to a full rolling boil.
What are the disadvantages of eating rice?
There are many varieties of rice and all of them can be part of a healthy diet. The healthfulness of rice is associated with how much it is refined or processed. Short grain polished white rice will have fewer nutrients overall, particularly fiber, and be more likely to increase blood sugar compared to brown rice or wild rice. This effect may be troublesome for those with pre-diabetes, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome, especially if over-consumed consistently. The effect rice has on blood sugar can be influenced by the total amount consumed and the other foods it is consumed with. A reasonable amount of rice to consume daily will vary across individuals and cultures. One recent study suggested that less than 1.5 cups a day was not associated with an increase type 2 diabetes.
Can you use orange juice to cook rice?
Using orange juice to cook rice adds extra flavor. You can’t use only juice as it will become too concentrated. Instead, a mixture of broth and juice is perfect for cooking rice pilaf recipes. Can I make Orange Cranberry Rice ahead? Yes, definitely. You can make it and leave it covered on the stove for up to an hour before dinner.
How to cook rice in a rice cooker?
Spread 1 cup of cooked rice evenly in your rice cooker. Pour the strained liquid and sugar very slowly in the cooker. Set rice cooker to warm setting and let the mixture fermented for 4 to 5 hours. If you don’t have rice cooker, you can do this in the oven on the lowest temperature setting.