The Deadly Mistake That Will Ruin Your Rice

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Micah_Medina]Micah Medina
One of the things that can destroy a budding chef's hope in ever making fluffy, perfect rice is undercooking. When rice comes out hard, crunchy and tasteless despite your best efforts, it's easy to get discouraged or quit making rice altogether. And if you've bought an inexpensive rice cooker hoping it would solve your problem, it can be mystifying when the rice comes out as bad as it ever did. How do you solve this problem?
The answer is all about science! Rice absorbs water until it reaches its saturation point, which is why it fluffs up when you boil it. If there isn't enough water in the pot, the rice will absorb the water until there isn't any left. The resulting rice will be undercooked, and taste more like little pellets than the stuff you get at a restaurant. More water means more fluff! But if you add too much water the rice is going to get waterlogged, break down, and taste like paste.
Proper proportions are important! In my experience about 1.5 cups of water to 1 cup of rice is perfect. If you're a college student and don't own the most basic of cooking utensils, try this handy trick - put the rice you want in the pot and gently rest your finger on the rice pile. Then add water until the water level rises to your first knuckle. Cook it normally, and you should be safe. This process is simpler if you own a rice cooker. Follow the directions very carefully and check the markings on the side of the pot.
Once the rice is finished, don't just take it off the heat and serve it. Let it rest for about five minutes so the water can stabilize, especially if you're using a rice cooker. You've got to complete the cooking process and let the moisture stabilize. Popcorn and eggs work the same way. This process doesn't take long, but it's worth it.
Most of all, you've got to be willing to practice. Making rice seems simple if you've used a rice cooker all your life, or you've seen your parents make it in a pot - it the fact of the matter is that cooking perfect rice is an acquired skill just like any other kind of cooking. Rice isn't very expensive, so if you ruin a couple of batches, think of it as a learning experience.
There's no reason to throw away your dream of making restaurant quality rice. If you've got the proper knowledge and patience, making hot, fluffy rice is a snap.
Micah Medina is a passionate foodie who loves helping people make healthy and delicious food. He maintains RiceCookerReview.com, a site that gives [http://www.ricecookerreview.com]rice cooker reviews, recipes and advice.
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