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Rice

1sikbITCH

1sikbITCH

Diamond Member
I've posted in OT maybe once in 3 years, but this seems like a good place for my question (after reading Robcur's rice thread 🙂). There is a diverse mix of cultural backgrounds here and I could use some fresh perspectives.

I live in the US, and overeat just like 99% of Americans. I can chow down with the best of them. I quit drugs almost 5 years ago, quit smoking over 2 years ago, and put on at least 60 lbs since then (237) and developed a hernia. I'm not huge yet, but I think the show has only just begun.

I am currently laid up recuperating from the hernia surgery and now it's time to get serious. I have to cut the portions down, and I will work on that. But I need to adjust my eating habits. I'm not looking for a crash "diet", I am changing the way I think about eating period. These days I do try to eat better - turkey burgers, fish, chicken, potatoes, greens, the occasional salad. But it's not working. I am still packing on the pounds.

It seems that, in general, most Asian and Arab people are slim, trim, and healthy. So it occurred to me I should find out what they eat, and try to model my eating habits in a similar manner, or at least pick up a few tricks. I know that rice is a staple, but I have a hard time cooking it so it doesn't end up a big glob, and then I can never figure out what to pour on it or whatever to make a good meal out of it. It pretty much sucks. I know people don't just eat a bowl of rice 3 times a day. I would appreciate some ideas or even recipes. Thx 🙂
 
Steam it, don't boil it.

You might want to try frying it sometimes too. We call it fried rice.
 
Get a rice cooker. Add cup of rice + cup of water. Cover and turn on rice cooker. Rice will be ready in 1/2 hour.
 
If it's too globby you are using too much water. I use the finger method (look in google to figure out what that is) and get good rice pretty much every time.
 
electronic rice cooker! it is a standard kitchen item in an asian kitchen. it makes perfect rice about as easy as toast. course, selecting from different rice grain types is another thing. preference...b ut i prefer long grain. i think thats what restaurants ussually use. some prefer short stickier stuff
 
I can never figure out what to pour on it or whatever to make a good meal out of it. It pretty much sucks. I know people don't just eat a bowl of rice 3 times a day. I would appreciate some ideas or even recipes. Thx
Click to expand...
Try going to a few asian restaurants. Not the americanized ones like panda express.

I'm not sure you would like what "traditional" chinese people eat. First of all, traditional chinese people don't eat a lot of meat, they usually have lots of vegetables, cooked in oil. Meat usually includes a small piece of fish, beef, or pork, usually marinated with soy sauce. Pretty much all meat chinese people eat are marinated in soy sauce and whine, maybe a little sugar and vinegar for sweet and sour. Try looking up some recipes.
Eat lots of fish and eggs, good source of protein without the fat. Go run and workout too.
 
well having a rice cooker helps, but you can't always get the nice crunchy rice that you would get by using a regular pot. I have eaten rice for 17 years of my life. I ate rice every single day. Here is how you cook it:

1) 1 cup of water for each cup of rice
2) put some oil in it
3) put some salt
4) once the rice is done, stir it with a fork to fluff it up, DON'T USE A SPOON. The rice will be better if you use a FORK

To add flavor to the rice do either of the following:
1) once it's cooked stir it and mix it in a pot where you have cooked some other meat or tasty sauce
2) add some bouleon to it you can easily find bouleon in the stores
3) add things like beans, corn and veggies to it.
4) butter
5) prepare a paste by frying some garlic, oil, tomatoes, green peppers, and onions (add before the rice is fully cooked)


I hope this helps,
pitupepito

Note: the reason why people in many other cultures are not so fat is because they don't go and eat out as often as people in the US do. For most of us is a treat to eat outside. We do a lot of walking and exercising we don't use the car and machines to do work that would usually help us.
 
Hah electronic rice cooker. I should have figured! I'll get one as soon as I am mobile. And I will experiment with the things you guys mentioned to dress up the rice.

I realize I'm not going to like a lot of "traditional" Asian dishes, and especially not Arab dishes (too spicy), but I at least can get some ideas from them.

And I thought frying rice killed the nutrients? Is that wrong? Because I could easily eat shrimp-fried rice 5 times a day EVERY day 🙂
 
I have a microwave rice cooker, which while not as authentic as an electric rice steamer still works pretty good. As a bonus it can be used as a vegetable/whatever steamer.

I've gotten in the habit of making my own Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls. I sautee some chunks o' chicken breast in a mix of oil and teriyaki sauce for... well until they look good. Then I get out my freshly-microsteamed rice and add in the tasty teriyaki chicken goodness.
 
this thread is being added to my favorites 😉

I used to practially live on rice, but I always boiled it.

with a rice cooker, how do you add the bullion? boil the water first to disolve the cube in, or just throw the cube into the cooker?
 
Bullion? Normally you don't need to add anything to the rice cooker...just water and rice. If you do need to add bullion, simply crush it up before you throw it into the cooker, before you turn it on.
 
Originally posted by: loki8481
this thread is being added to my favorites 😉

I used to practially live on rice, but I always boiled it.

with a rice cooker, how do you add the bullion? boil the water first to disolve the cube in, or just throw the cube into the cooker?
Click to expand...

It's easier if you put the bullion in a bowl with water in the microwave and you heat it up. That way when you add it to the rice it's all nice and disolved. Don't put too much bullion because it will make your rice salty. I persoanlly like the tomato bullion because it also gives it a nice redish color. REMEMBER TO put the bullio BEFORE the rice is fully cooked otherwise only parts of the rice will get the flavor from the bullion.

Hope this helps,
pitupepito
 
Originally posted by: AndyHui
Bullion? Normally you don't need to add anything to the rice cooker...just water and rice. If you do need to add bullion, simply crush it up before you throw it into the cooker, before you turn it on.
Click to expand...

You're right AndyHui, I was just mentioning adding some bullion to the rice to give it a little bit of flavor.
 
If you want to add flavor to it, simply cook the rice in the rice cooker as normal, then once it's done, take a piece of cooked chicken leg or duck and put it inside, on top of the rice, and let sit for a long while. Keep it on on "warm" setting
 
Originally posted by: MillionaireNextDoor
If you want to add flavor to it, simply cook the rice in the rice cooker as normal, then once it's done, take a piece of cooked chicken leg or duck and put it inside, on top of the rice, and let sit for a long while. Keep it on on "warm" setting
Click to expand...

but bullion gives you a similar flavor for only 10 cents 😉

us poor people need to compromise 😛
 
I didn't see anybody posting how to cook it in a normal pot (like I do) so here you go.

1 part rice
2 parts water
salt + pepper to your liking

Put both of those in a pot on the stovetop, med-high to high heat and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes (no peeking). After 15 min remove cover and fluff with fork, or spork, your choice.

Perfect rice without fail.
 
1) get rice cooker
2) read instructions
3) buy some fancy thailand rice from chinese supermarket
4) cook rice
5) fry rice with some eggs and soy sauce

hmm hmmmm
 
bouillon also comes in powdered form, which might work in a rice cooker? it also comes in cans. it's really cheap.

I make it on the stove, same recipe as the rest: 1 part rice, 2 parts water, salt (usually use a bouillon cube for salt & flavor) and save the fat for later - read on.

use rice as the basic thing for your meal, think rice, veggies, a little protein, and some sauce. If you're gonna eat it all the time the sauce is pretty important, it brings the flavors together. "sauce" can be anything from oil you cook the stuff in, or soy, or bbq, to hollandaise and beyond. no need for gallons of sauce, just a touch will do.

experimenting is fun and easy.

a SMALL amount of fat, BTW, will help the body synthesize the nutrients in the rice & veggies, so don't assume it's healthier to leave out the fat. just don't use very much.

"pilaf" is when you melt a little butter or heat some oil, add the rice grains and cook until it loses that shine - you'll know it when you see it, or until the rice turns a little darker, then add liquid bouillon, heat to boiling, cover, let steam until done. Adds a slightly nutty taste to the rice, and is very easy.
 
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