Rice is a staple food that no one can hate. It is consumed readily and is a part of the daily diet of most households. Rice comes in many varieties, but two are highly popular: brown and white rice. Although white rice is the most common one, brown rice has its significance. Brown rice differs from white in a way that brown has its outer hull removed only. In comparison, white rice has the bran and gran removed. Typically, white rice takes 20 minutes to cook and brown 45 minutes. So, you might be wondering why does brown rice take so long to cook? We have the answer.
Rice is used in every country’s cuisine, combined with vegetables, meat, and spices. Brown rice is a whole grain; thus, it is healthier as it contains fibre, minerals, and vitamins. It has a nutty flavour with a medium chewy texture. White, on the other hand, is mild and softer. Since they are different in composition, cooking them requires different technique as well.
Why Does Brown Rice Take So Long to Cook?
The white rice is processed, and the bran is removed. However, bran is what gives brown rice its colour and nutrients. Bran is what makes brown rice take a lot of time to cook. It is a thick hard layer covering the rice.
How to cook perfect brown rice?
Cooking brown is a hard task, one that needs expertise. You will require more time and water to cook brown rice. Water evaporates while rice cooks, so you must add water accordingly. For every one cup of brown rice, add 2 or 2 ½ cups of water. To give the rice a nice flavour, consider adding broth either of meat or vegetable. When you are cooking, keep a check on the liquid content. Add more if the rice is still crunchy and needs more time to cook.
Rinse well:
An important yet rarely followed step is rinsing the rice. Some skip this part as there is no harm in avoiding this step. An optional step is to toast the brown rice before you cook it.
Soaking:
A trick you can try is to rinse the rice, soak it by adding water in the ratio described earlier, and leave it in the fridge for anywhere between 6-24 hours. Then boil the rice and simmer it. The cooking time would decrease by 50% through this method.
The famous pasta method:
In this method, you have to boil a pot of water and add rice once it is cooked. Let the rice cook and then strain it. Add the strained rice back to the pot and leave it to cook through the steam for 10-15 minutes.
Brown rice needs more effort, but the results are worth it. Delicious and healthy rice is a treat for you. Brown rice contains bran that makes it nutritious and gives the chef a hard time in cooking. Simple steps can avoid the hassle of cooking undercooked or mushy brown rice. Use the tips we gave you to cook a meal that you would cherish.