Rice is a staple in so many different cuisines around the world. Light and fluffy, it’s delicious when served with curries, alongside chicken or veggies, or in soups or salads too, with many different grains to choose from.
But if you’ve tried to cook rice in a pot before, you’ll know it’s not always easy. Getting the timings and amounts right can be a struggle, and you’re sometimes left with a gloopy mess instead of the fluffy grains you wanted. Now, one chef has shared her simple technique for cooking the perfect rice – and it doesn’t involve using the hob at all.
Julie Lin, a chef and cookbook author from Glasgow, says that you can use the microwave to prepare your rice instead of cooking it in a pan of water.
She said this was the method her mum used in the past when she didn’t have a rice cooker, which are very handy appliances, but not everybody has one at their disposal.
In her video, she assured viewers that ‘rice doesn’t have to be hard’ but you must start off with a good-quality one. Then, in just a few simple steps, you’ll have gorgeous fluffy grains that you can serve with any dish you like.
How to cook rice in the microwave
First, take two cups of rice and place the grains in a large bowl. Then, fill a jug with room-temperature water, and pour it into the bowl.
Washing your rice is a vital step, no matter how you choose to cook it. Julie recommends making your hand look like a ‘claw’ and swirling the rice around in circular motions.
She said: “One of the mistakes I see people doing is that they crunch the rice with their hand. That will actually break the grains and therefore some will cook quicker than others, so you end up with a bit of a sludgy rice.”
Rinse the water out and repeat two to three times, or until the water runs clear. Then, add two cups of water – or an equal amount to how much rice you used – and put the bowl in the microwave on full power for 12 minutes until the liquid has disappeared.
When it’s done, pop a plate over the top of the bowl to steam the rice, and you’ll be left with ‘perfect’ grains. Fluffing up the rice with a pair of chopsticks and digging in, Julie added: “The microwave is great for this.”
