Cooking rice

Rice is one of the most important food products in the world, serving as the main sustenance for over half of the Earth's population. It is considered the most versatile grain because from its whole grains, flakes, and flour, various dishes can be prepared both savory and sweet, with a wide range of additions or without.

Rice is cultivated on nearly all continents, with Italy being the largest producer in Europe. The crop grows in dry and flooded fields, with grains from flooded fields often considered the tastiest.

There are thousands of rice varieties worldwide, differing in grain shape and starch content, specifically the main component amylopectin, which increases water absorption and causes grains to stick together after cooking. Short and plump grains generally contain more amylopectin, while long and slender grains are usually more fluffy after cooking.

Long-grain rice, such as basmati, jasmine, or Carolina, has grains with a length 4-5 times greater than their width. After cooking, it is dry, fluffy, and delicately flavored. It is excellent for salads, casseroles, and as a side dish for meats and fish, pairing particularly well with curry sauce.

Medium-grain rice, like Arborio or jasmine, has grains with a length 2-3 times greater than their width. After cooking, it is more moist and fluffy than long-grain rice but equally delicate in flavor. It is suitable for soups, risottos, pâtés, various stuffings, and desserts.

Short-grain rice, such as originario, with almost round grains that absorb water and stick together after cooking, serves similar purposes to medium-grain rice.

Each of these three types, through proper cleaning and processing, results in rice of different colors and nutritional values. The least processed and most nutritious is brown rice, which has a light brown color due to its husk. It requires relatively long cooking (about 50 minutes), and after cooking, it remains unsticky and elastic. White rice, also called polished rice, is obtained by removing all outer layers from the grain. It has a milder flavor than brown rice and cooks much faster (15-20 minutes). Producers often enrich it with vitamins and minerals. Parboiled rice, with a slightly yellowish hue, undergoes steam treatment under pressure before milling, allowing some vitamins and minerals to penetrate from the husk to the grain's interior. This rice is quite firm, and although it requires slightly longer cooking (20-25 minutes) than white rice, it remains fluffy after cooking. Instant rice (in pouches) is prepared quickly because it was pre-cooked and then dried before packaging.

To cook rice for sweet dishes, rinsed and drained rice is thrown into a large amount of boiling and salted water. Once cooked, it is drained and rinsed with cold water. However, during such cooking, the rice loses many valuable nutrients to the water. Soaked rice is soaked in cold water for several hours, then drained and steamed in a special pot with a perforated insert. Carefully rinsed and drained rice is sautéed in fat, then soaked in salted water and cooked covered. Rice is a gluten-free, easily digestible product, making it suitable for small children, the elderly, allergy sufferers, and those with celiac disease and other gastrointestinal conditions. It is a rich source of carbohydrates, contains a small amount of protein and various minerals, as well as B vitamins.

To reheat pre-cooked rice, simply add a little water (a tablespoon for 200g of cooked rice) to the pot and heat it over low heat, then gently separate the grains with a fork. Alternatively, you can put the cooked rice in a special food freezing bag and immerse it in boiling water for a few minutes.

For perfectly fluffy rice, it is essential to thoroughly rinse it under running water and cook it with the addition of butter or olive oil, preventing the grains from sticking together. Do not stir the rice during cooking. Place rice soaked in water on high heat, and once it boils, reduce the heat. From then on, the pot should be covered at all times. Rice will be more flavorful if cooked in water with a bouillon cube, a bay leaf, and onion studded with cloves.