Rice: The Basics

One of the best staples for any pantry is rice. Rice is simple enough to cook, and there are a number of different ways to prepare it. Better yet, it is something that can fill you up with minimal cost. With that in mind, let’s talk what you can do with it.

You’re probably going to want to start with half a cup of raw rice per person. If you have a rice cooker, follow its instructions; usually it’s a 1:1 ratio of uncooked rice to water. I’d personally advise putting a little more water in, just a splash or two, but that’s me. If you are using a standard pot, the ratio is twice the water to the rice. Let the water boil, throw in the rice, reduce to the lowest heat setting, and then cover. Twenty minutes, your rice is done. You have the option of rinsing the rice before you throw it in, stir it around before you cap it, or just throw it in. The starch determines how “sticky” the rice is the more starch in the water, the more starch in the water the stickier the rice.

Otherwise, rice is pretty adaptable. Throw in some milk, butter, and cinnamon and you have a great breakfast. Take out the milk and you can eat it on the run. With a little fried bacon or tofu, you have a healthy breakfast. This also makes a decent dessert. You can also throw honey, syrup, brown sugar, or almost any sweetener at it for a little variety.  You can fry it, of course, but that slows you down; you can cook while you are taking a shower or getting dressed and then throw stuff on it almost as you are leaving the door.

 For lunch, heat some oil or butter, and you can fry the rice with some vegetables and meat or tofu. You can also eat it cold or hot; this allows you to pack the rice into a ball shape and package it that way. If you have some sticky rice, it should hold the shape making it easier to eat. At the very least you won’t need utensils, so make sure you have a moist napkin available. Add in a fried egg or two and a cup of vegetable for a decent lunch. You can always roll it up into a tortilla with a little meat, some vegetables, and some grated cheese for a decent tortilla. Better yet, it can last a while once prepared, so prepping a little extra rice for lunch is never a bad thing.

For dinner, you can really have some fun. The most basic version is throwing some frozen vegetables in the pot as it is cooking and they will cook up rather nicely. Fry off some meat and onions, and throw it and some tomato sauce into the rice, and you have a version of Spanish rice. You can mix in some meat as it is cooking, such as chicken or hamburger, and you have a nice meal. Fry as per lunch, but mix in some vegetables, some meat and various sauces, and you have a nice stir fry. You want to fry the meat off while you are cooking the rice, and then prepare the vegetables. When you actually start combining things, the vegetables should go into the meat, then the sauces, and then the rice; this should assure a proper seasoning. Use “stir fry” like others use “stew”, and you should do fine.

Rice is a very adaptable ingredient. It is a nice addition to any meal, and is simple to fix. As such it is a great basis for any meal, and deserves to be in the pantry of every bachelor.