Make Perfect Rice Effortlessly With Alton Brown’s Overflow Method
Making rice perfectly smooth on the stove is not easy – sometimes the pot of rice is too soft, burnt or crunchy. This is why you might want to adopt Alton Brown’s method of cooking rice.
Instead of adding rice to a pot of water, Brown sautés the rice in a skillet and boils the water separately in a kettle. Then he pours boiled water into a saucepan, mixes and leaves on low heat for 20 minutes. After 5 minutes of rest (resting time is important ), you have fluffy, well-done rice.
Detroit News points to several benefits of this approach:
There are several reasons this method works. Toasting rice enhances its flavor – just like when we toast spices or nuts – and I personally find it improves the finished texture of the dish. Secondly, if you boil water separately and pour it over the rice so that it boils, you will get rid of any guesswork.
One of the problems I run into with rice is that depending on the size of the pot and the power of the burner, the time it takes to boil can vary greatly. This means that the overall cooking time will vary significantly as a result. Brown’s method means cooking times are the same regardless of your stove. (Great, isn’t it?)
Personally, I need a dedicated rice cooker, but if I had to do it on the stove it would be a smart solution.
Perfect rice in a hurry | Food Chain via The Detroit News