Make Steamed Rice

Cooking is something that almost any one can do. It's a relaxing and rewarding way to end a day and it doesn't have to be complicated. Steamed rice is a versatile staple of many different regional cuisines. It is the back bone of a meal and fairly easy to make, if you follow some basic steps.

Ingredients

 * 1 cup dried rice
 * 1 tbsp oil
 * 2 cups water

Steps

 * 1)  Remember that the measurement to making steamed rice is "one part rice, two parts liquid". So, if you use a cup of dried white rice you should use two cups of liquid. One cup of dried rice is plenty to serve two people. If you're serving more people than that you should increase the amount of rice and water accordingly.
 * 2) Put a tablespoon of oil, more if you are making a large amount, into a saucepan. Make sure the pan is big enough to accommodate the amount of rice and liquid you are using.
 * 3)  Turn the burner on medium and heat the oil slightly, then add your rice to the pan. Stir it around to make sure all the rice is well coated with oil. At this point, the rice will have a translucent look to it.
 * 4)  Keep stirring the rice while it heats. After a minute or so it will turn from translucent to a hard white color.
 * 5)  Add your water and give it a slight stir to make sure all the rice is in the water.
 * 6)  Turn the heat down extra low when the rice comes to a boil. The dial should go as low as you can go on a gas burner and then put a lid on the rice.
 * 7)  Let it simmer, without removing the lid, for 15-20 minutes. Any longer than this and you're risking burning the bottom of the rice. Make sure you don't remove the lid! This point is very important because this is the "steaming" step.
 * 8)  Turn the burner off completely after 15 to 20 minutes. Leave the pan on the side with the lid on. It can sit like this until you are ready to use it, but let it steam for at least 30 minutes.

Tips

 * As long as you keep the same proportions, you can use any liquid you'd like. Chicken broth is a good choice. You could also add a little white wine to the liquid if you'd like.
 * The beauty of cooking is that you can add or delete anything you want according to your own tastes. Seasoning oils, roasted sesame oil is a good one, are also a flavorful addition. You could also put garlic, onion, or other spices into it if you'd like. The main thing to remember is that you need to add these at the beginning, right after you add the liquid to the sautéed rice.

Warnings

 * When you sautéed the rice in oil, you need to watch it carefully. At this point it can burn very easily. If it seems to be starting to turn brown, the best way to stop the cooking process is to lift the pan off the burner. This is a simple process that is easy to remember and very effective.

Things You'll Need

 * Saucepan with lid
 * Wooden spoon
 * Stove
 * Measuring utensils
 * Time

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Cook Rice
 * How to Cook Rice in a Microwave
 * How to Cook Rice with a Rice Cooker
 * How to Make Sushi Rice
 * How to Make Milk Rice
 * How to Make Wild Rice Soup
 * How to Cook Rice With Chicken Broth
 * How to Cook Long Grained Rice