Brown rice - recipes. How to cook brown rice correctly

Each housewife has her own special secrets for preparing certain dishes. Thanks to them, different cooks turn out the same dish differently. However, there are a number of products that require general processing technology - at least at the initial stage of working with them. These include, for example, brown rice.

White and brown: what are the differences?

The white grain we most often buy is polished. It cooks faster, but also contains few useful microelements. Its brown “brother” is unpolished, each grain is in its own natural brownish shell. That’s why he looks so... not very attractive, rather dirty. This is not a problem, because this type of cereal is considered the best; it also contains B vitamins, iron and magnesium in an almost perfectly balanced form. But there are significantly fewer carbohydrates than in regular rice. Therefore, unpolished is considered a dietary product and is recommended for a healthy diet. Now the question arises about how the difference in varieties affects the preparation of cereals. That is, how to cook

Little tricks

Let us immediately reassure young, inexperienced housewives: there are no special differences, there are only small nuances that should be remembered once, and then everything will be done automatically. Firstly, in order for the bran shell to soften better (and, therefore, the grains themselves become softer faster during cooking), be sure to soak the cereal in cold water in the evening or 5-6 hours in the afternoon. Sort it out first. Before cooking brown rice, drain the water in which it was soaked and rinse the grains well several times. Then pour it into the pan, fill it with cold water again, let it boil and cook for 10 minutes. Then remove from heat. Probably, for some, the instructions on how to cook brown rice resemble some kind of sacred rite (among eastern peoples this is how it is). However, the cook’s task is to preserve the beneficial properties of the product as much as possible and at the same time try to boil the grain well so that it is not half-baked and hard. That’s why croup requires so much fuss! However, this is a classic version of how to cook brown rice, exemplary. Next, you will be offered several recipes where everything happens much faster, and the result is no worse. So, rinse the rice again, add cold water again and now cook for 15 minutes. And only then turn off the heat, wrap the cast iron and leave the rice to finish heating for about another hour. Then you will get it moderately soft, crumbly and very tasty.

Porridge with butter

And now the promised recipes. The technology of how to properly cook brown rice is somewhat different here, but the first two points (long soaking and thorough rinsing) are strictly followed! Yes, one more note: any cereal is best cooked in a small cauldron or cast iron, thick-walled, which heats up evenly. The porridge will not burn in it and will not stick. And even if such a nuisance happens, the dish will not have an unpleasant odor. And it’s much easier to clean the dishes later than, for example, an enamel pan. But let's get back to the recipe! Pour water into the cast iron (at the rate of 4 cups of liquid per 2 cups of rice) and add 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. You can use cream instead - who likes it with what. Immediately add 1 teaspoon of salt per specified amount of cereal. When the water boils, pour rice into the cast iron. Make the fire low and wait until the cereal thickens (the water does not disappear from the surface of the porridge). Now turn off the gas, cover the cast iron with a lid, wrap it in something warm and leave the dish to “simmer” (for 50 minutes). It is this recipe that answers the question of how to cook brown (accelerated method).

Rice with tomato and cheese

This is another incredibly tasty and satisfying dish with which you will pamper not only your family, but also pleasantly surprise your guests. To prepare you will need: for each glass of cereal, half a glass of tomato sauce (prepare in advance), 40-50 g of grated hard cheese, 3-4 tablespoons of butter. Along the way, another useful tip on how to cook brown rice. The proportions of cereal and liquid are taken approximately 1 to 2, since the main essence of preparing it is precisely in simmering without fire, and not in bringing it to full readiness on the stove. But back to the recipe again.

Cook the rice (without oil, but in salted water). Prepare tomato sauce (you can use canned natural juice with pulp or dilute tomato paste or ketchup with boiled water to the desired consistency). Then boil it in a frying pan, adding salt, sugar, bay leaf, allspice and hot pepper to taste. Place the cooked rice in another frying pan, season with oil and gently fry over low heat, stirring until it browns a little. Then pour hot sauce, sprinkle with cheese and leave covered for half an hour. After this, serve, cutting the greens separately and sprinkling with them.

Until recently, we knew only one type of rice - white. Nowadays, markets delight customers with a wide selection of products, sometimes causing them to be confused about what it is and how to prepare it. We can say that one of these foods is brown rice. Many people wonder how to cook brown rice. This type of rice is considered the most healthy, although it is not a special variety; it is the white rice we all know, peeled from the outer husk, but not polished. Brown rice grains retain a bran coating, which gives them their dark color. Brown rice contains more vitamins, minerals, and fiber than our usual white rice. The taste of brown is slightly different from the usual one with a slight aftertaste reminiscent of the taste of nuts. Brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice, about 40 minutes on average.

Brown Rice - Porridge Recipe

The simplest recipe for brown rice is porridge. To do this, rinse 1 cup of brown rice, add 4 cups of water, bring to a boil, remove from heat and place in the oven. After 50 minutes, the brown rice porridge will be ready. 10 minutes before cooking, you can add bay leaf, paprika, salt and butter to the pan.

Brown Rice - Vegetable Salad Recipe

• 170 g brown rice,
• 1 can of canned beans,
• 1 bell pepper,
• celery root,
• 1 onion,
• parsley,
• walnuts,
• salt, black pepper,
• soy sauce.

Boil the rice for 40–45 minutes, drain the water and wash it in cold water. Vegetables for brown rice salad are chopped and rice is added to them. Mix everything, salt to taste and serve. If desired, you can add fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and canned fish to the salad.

Brown rice - pilaf recipe

To prepare this recipe you will need to take:

• 200 g brown rice,
• 1 carrot,
• cilantro,
• 4 cloves of garlic,
• salt, spices,
• vegetable oil.

How to cook brown rice correctly?

Brown rice is poured with cold water, brought to a boil and simmered over low heat until the liquid evaporates. Grate the carrots and chop the garlic. Fry carrots and garlic in a frying pan, then add water and simmer a little. After this, add brown rice, cilantro to the pan, salt and pepper to taste.

Benefits of Brown Rice

In addition to the fact that brown rice is healthy, it is recognized throughout the world as a dietary product; it is believed that it protects the body from obesity. Despite the fact that this is a new product for us, which raises the question of how to cook brown rice, in countries such as Japan, the USA, Italy, Spain, it is widely used in everyday cuisine.

Brown rice is unpolished rice that has undergone minimal processing, usually long-grain varieties. This rice has a characteristic nutty flavor; it is much healthier than white rice in terms of nutrients, vitamins and microelements. highly valued by nutritionists and healthy eating advocates. Brown varieties of rice go well with vegetables, meat, mushrooms, fish and other products; they are well suited for preparing pilaf and shavli and various other dishes of this type, combining ingredients of different origins. Properly cooked brown rice is fluffy.

Before cooking rice, rinse it thoroughly with cold water. Then the water should be drained, after which you can steam the rice with boiling water for 5-20 minutes to remove excess starchy substances. After such preparation, the water must be drained and you can cook the rice either separately, filling it with clean cold water, or put it in a working container for cooking along with other products (pilaf, shavli, soups, etc.). During cooking, do not stir the rice with a spoon, otherwise it will turn out sticky. Cooking time for brown rice can vary widely, on average from 10 to 25 minutes (and more in pilafs) depending on the desired degree of cooking. If you cook the rice separately, after boiling until desired condition, drain excess water (it is convenient to use a special sieve for this). You can cook brown rice separately in a slow cooker - it’s very convenient (read the instructions for the device carefully). It is good to serve rice prepared in this way with meat gravy, stewed mushrooms or vegetables (eggplant, sweet peppers, young beans, zucchini, pumpkin, tomatoes, etc.).

Pilaf with brown rice and vegetables - a simplified recipe

Ingredients:

• (boneless meat) – about 600 g;
• pure lamb fat - about 50-100 g;
• onions – 1-2 pcs.;
• carrots – 1-2 pcs.;
• sweet pepper – 1-2 pcs. (optional seasonal ingredient);
• cumin seeds;
• a mixture of dry spices for pilaf without chemical additives;
• tomato paste (optional component, optional);
• garlic;
• various fresh greens (parsley, cilantro, basil, tarragon, etc.).

Preparation

Cut the lamb fat into small cracklings and melt in a cauldron. Add cumin (1-3 teaspoons), mix and add finely chopped onions and carrots with a knife. Reduce the heat, lightly fry everything together, stirring, and add the meat, cut into small pieces (slices or cubes). Stir, cover with a lid and simmer the meat for 30 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on the age and gender of the animal. Stir occasionally; if necessary, add a little water to the cauldron.

We wash the rice thoroughly with cold water, and then soak it in boiling water, then drain the water.

When the meat is almost ready (taste), add washed rice and sweet pepper cut into short strips. Add water until your finger is covered with rice. You can add 1-2 tbsp. spoons of tomato. Stir the pilaf once, no more, otherwise the rice will stick together.

Cook over low heat, covering with a lid. When the liquid has almost evaporated, we make “shafts” in the mass of pilaf to the bottom using a wooden stick or a table knife. Place 1 clove of garlic into the “mines”, maybe unpeeled. When the pilaf is almost ready, you can place the cauldron without a lid in a preheated oven for about 15 minutes. This action gives the pilaf a special aroma and color (however, it is not necessary).

Serve pilaf sprinkled with fresh finely chopped herbs. Of course, it is good to serve this dish with unleavened flatbreads and fresh green tea.

In eastern countries, rice grains are considered a cultural heritage. It is mentioned in the greetings of Asian peoples. When the product is properly prepared, the human body receives essential nutrients. It is necessary to approach the choice of rice variety carefully. The variety of vitamins contained in the composition depends on the variety. Eating rice saturates the body, giving it a fairly long-lasting feeling of fullness.

Therefore, this product will fit perfectly into the diet of a person struggling with extra pounds. Brown rice, which will be discussed below, is one of the most useful varieties of this crop. Thanks to him, a person acquires a slim figure and a healthy body.

Preparing cereals

Basic knowledge of how to prepare brown rice for cooking will help you in the future in preparing white rice, a mixture with wild rice, pearl barley and buckwheat porridge. Following these simple recommendations will help you cook a tasty and crumbly dish that will bring great benefits to your body.

So, first, put the product in a deep container and fill it with the required amount of cool water, so that the liquid level is three centimeters above the rice grains.

Next, mix the contents of the container with vigorous movements. This way you help the dirt and dust from the rice grains to rise to the top. After a few minutes, drain the water and repeat the procedure again. There is no recommended number of washes; it is necessary to repeat the procedure until the washed-off liquid becomes clear. This will indicate that this cereal crop is clean enough to continue its preparation.

Washing rice grains, regardless of the variety, is considered a mandatory procedure due to the following circumstances:

• thanks to running water, dust and dirt that gets during transportation of the product to an industrial enterprise are washed away from the surface of the rice grain;
• The products we see on supermarket shelves are often subject to special chemical treatment. It helps to increase the shelf life of rice grains. During the washing process, rice grains partially get rid of the harmful shell, which makes further heat treatment more effective.

Do not neglect this stage, as thanks to it you will protect your body from harmful microorganisms and possible allergic reactions.

For preparing crumbly dishes soaking is a necessary step. In addition, during soaking, fairly dense rice grains become softer, which will help bring them to a ready-made state in a shorter time. At this stage, you need to know that washed brown rice grains actively absorb the aromas that surround them. And the liquid used for cooking affects the taste of the finished dish. Therefore, the liquid that will be used for soaking rice cereals must be clean and pre-boiled.

Using tap water at this stage is unacceptable. Otherwise, rice grains acquire the characteristic taste of chlorine found in tap water. Brown rice has an interesting taste, slightly reminiscent of hazelnuts.

For one kilogram of rice cereal you will need to stock up on three liters of clean and salted water. If you have the opportunity, purchase mineral water at any supermarket, which contains minerals and vitamins vital for the human body. This will increase the benefits of brown rice. If you decide to use ordinary water, it is strongly recommended to boil it first.

The temperature of the soaking liquid also requires your attention. Experienced cooks advise using a liquid whose temperature will not allow the potato starch to curdle. In other words, the temperature of the soaking liquid should not exceed sixty-two degrees.

Another interesting nuance when soaking rice grains is the addition of salt. Not many people know about this and add salt when the dish is almost ready. If you used three liters of pure (or mineral) water for one kilogram of rice grains, then for this volume of liquid you will need to add a little less than two tablespoons of salt.

This volume of salt will be sufficient for the rice grains to absorb the required amount without taking in excess. If you are faced with the fact that your cereal gives off some kind of foreign aroma, then it is advisable to change the liquid when soaking two or three times. The soaking process takes, on average, two to three hours. This is exactly how long it takes for the structure of the grains to soften and be ready for further cooking.

After the time has passed, the rice grains will need to be rinsed again. You need to stock up on a five-liter container with a round bottom. Let it be something resembling a small basin. It is extremely important not to use ice-cold or excessively hot water at this stage.

In the first case, the rice grains will crack, which will subsequently lead to overcooking of the cereal. And in the second, using hot tap water will actively fill the grains that absorb everything with harmful substances from the water supply. There should be no difficulties when using boiled water. So, washing, as in the first case, should be carried out until the liquid becomes clear.

During the washing process, do not rub the cereal with your palms, otherwise it will give off a characteristic rice sediment. Place your palms to the bottom of the container and lift the cereal upward with light movements. Repeat the procedure several times, then drain the water.

A clear liquid will indicate that the rice cereal is ready for further cooking. The process of preparing the brown variety seems very labor-intensive and at first may discourage you from preparing it. However, if you follow these simple recommendations, your dish will turn out very tasty. Also, do not forget about the enormous benefits brought by consuming just one serving of this cereal.

How long does it take to cook?

The cooking time for a given type of grain depends on the method you prefer. If you decide to use a multicooker or double boiler, the product will be cooked for at least twenty-five minutes (based on the basic parameters of the “Pilaf” mode). If you have carried out high-quality pre-treatment of the drilled cereal crop - repeated washing and soaking - then the cooking time is reduced by fifteen minutes.

If you want to get a traditional crumbly consistency, you must first boil the water, which takes an average of five minutes. Then bring the product to a ready-made state - at least thirty minutes. And leave the rice grains to infuse for another twenty-five to thirty minutes.

In total, cooking on the stove takes just over sixty minutes. It is worth noting that the rather lengthy process of preparing this cereal crop has an unfavorable effect on its properties. When cooked in a boiling liquid for more than forty-five minutes, rice grains become boiled and lose most of the beneficial vitamins and microelements contained in the composition.

How to cook rice correctly?

Once you try the brown variety, you will no longer be able to deny yourself this pleasure. This product can be consumed as an independent dish, lightly seasoned with soy sauce and spices, or as a side dish for all types of meat and fish. It's great to use rice to make low-calorie chicken cutlets. Rice is usually served with boiled vegetables.

So, let's move on to the process of preparing brown rice. This cereal crop has some characteristics that must be observed in order to obtain a ready-made tasty dish.

First of all, the brown variety must be thoroughly cleaned of various contaminants and dust. To do this, the product is thoroughly washed in warm water. There is an ancient belief that rice is washed in seven waters. But in reality, you need to wash the rice so many times that the water becomes clear after washing.

Washing rice is a very important step that should never be ignored. Because, in addition to dust, rice contains particles of a special substance that is used to treat cereals during cultivation. These substances can be toxic and cause unpredictable reactions in the body, especially if the rice was not cooked correctly.

The next step is soaking the product. There is no consensus about this process. Cooks are divided into two camps - some believe that soaking rice is necessary, while others do not understand why waste time on this process. However, if we delve deeper into the biological characteristics of the rice grain, we will find that the grains of brown rice are denser in comparison with the white product we are familiar with. In order to soften the husk of brown rice, it must be soaked in clean water.

You will need a deep container with cold drinking water. Add the required amount of rice and leave it for two to three hours; It is acceptable to soak brown rice overnight. If possible, change the water (two or three times will be enough).

Regardless of the variety, fluffy rice is considered the most delicious. Therefore, as in the case of preparing pearl barley and buckwheat porridge, it is extremely important to follow the ratio of water and this product. So, to prepare one glass of brown rice, you will need to take two and a half to three glasses of clean water.

Do not forget that the cereal is poured into water, which is just beginning to boil. This nuance is also reflected in the taste of the finished dish.

Cooking of this cereal crop must be done over low heat. Cooking time takes about forty minutes. While cooking cereals, do not stir the contents of the pan under any circumstances. A couple of minutes before completion, it is permissible to lightly shake the pan once or twice. After the time has passed, it is advisable to wrap the container with cooked brown rice in a warm terry towel or blanket and leave for fifteen to twenty minutes. During this short period, the rice grains will absorb the remaining water.

To begin with, the cereal crop is thoroughly washed and soaked and only then transferred to the multicooker bowl. Then you need to activate the “Pilaf” mode and wait for the sound signal about the end of the multicooker operation.

Regardless of the brand, any multicooker model contains a special compartment for boiling cereals. Before cooking, you need to pour a small amount of water into it. A large volume of liquid will make the consistency thinner; the result is rice porridge. This is done so that the rice grains soften.

Each cereal has its own “set of rules” that help extend the shelf life of the product. They are quite simple, but ignoring them leads to the fact that rice grains begin to deteriorate and subsequently lose their beneficial properties. Following these recommendations will allow you to get all the benefits from the product for your body:

• Store unpolished brown or brown rice at room temperature, in a dry, dark place;
• Cereals are stored much longer in containers made of darkened glass or ceramics; the presence of a lid is welcome.

A little-known fact, but it is the consumption of this cereal that helps you lose extra pounds. Rich in plant fiber, the product helps eliminate toxic substances, causing them to literally “evacuate” from the intestinal area.

And the presence of a large amount of complex carbohydrates gives the body a false feeling of fullness, thereby reducing appetite and preventing a person from overeating. If you are interested in removing excess fluid and unnecessary subcutaneous fat, it is recommended to arrange a fasting day using low-calorie kefir and brown rice.

Choose a suitable day during which you do not have any serious physical activity planned. On this day, you should only consume properly prepared rice side dish and low-fat kefir. In twenty-four hours you will undergo an intensive cleansing of the intestines and stomach walls.

You can learn more about how to properly cook brown rice in the following video.

Cook brown rice over low heat with the lid closed.

How to cook brown rice

How to quickly cook brown rice