Vinegar might not taste great on its own — but in a serving of rice, it's a total
game changer. Here's why you'll want to keep a bottle handy the next time you cook some up.
Rice comes in 40,000 varieties, including long-grain white, short-grain white, brown,
wild, jasmine, black, glutinous, and sticky.
"White rice, brown rice… those are just some of the rices I love. Also basmati…"
"Mmm."
The proper rice cooking method is a matter of preference and tradition,
as is how much water or salt to use when boiling, steaming, or using a rice cooker. Some home cooks
insist that all rice varieties be rinsed before cooking to remove the extra starch
and create fluffier rice, while others argue only long-grain white rice needs to be rinsed.
Each culture has a preferred variety of rice. Americans prefer Carolina Gold's long-grain
white or brown rice for popular dishes like dirty cajun rice. Indian and Pakistani cuisine favors
aromatic basmati rice, and Spanish cuisine prefers the Bomba or Valencia short-grain
rice used in paella. Italian cuisine enjoys short-grain arborio rice used in risotto.
Replacing water with different liquids during rice preparation, like coconut milk or chicken stock,
changes the flavor, adding another dimension to the grain. Other types of liquids can be used to
change its texture without affecting the flavor. Although plain tap water will do the trick, for
rice that's light and fluffy, you should consider adding some vinegar to the pot. Here's why.
Rice is as easy to make as it is to mess up. Within fifteen minutes,
rice can turn into a burnt or gummy mess. If your rice is never quite as fluffy as you'd like,
adding white vinegar to long-grain white rice can help. The acid helps break down sticky
starches from the grain's exterior, preventing the rice from sticking together in the pot.
If you're concerned about flavor, rest assured the amount of vinegar you will
be adding won't be noticeable. For every cup of rice, one teaspoon of white vinegar
and two cups of liquid should be added to a medium saucepan. Unless specified,
the traditional ratio of water to rice is two parts water to one part rice, although rice
cookers often require less liquid. Cover the white rice and lower the heat when the water
boils. Once the water has been absorbed, adjust the seasoning with Kosher salt, fresh herbs,
or another liquid like citrus or soy sauce to taste. Although it's less popular, rice can also
be made like pasta. Boil rice in lots of water and strain the grain when it's done to your liking.
Along with preventing cooked rice from sticking together or to the pot, adding vinegar to rice
has several health benefits. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic
Association, meals including vinegar, especially ones with a high glycemic index such as rice,
cause less of a blood sugar spike after consumption. It also improves insulin
sensitivity, potentially making it an effective choice for slowing the onset of diabetes.
Vinegar can also be used to kill some harmful bacteria before eating foods
of questionable origin. And although the evidence for the claims is not conclusive,
there's a chance vinegar's low-calorie count can aid in weight loss and increase heart health.
Instead of assuming every bottle of vinegar is made the same, you should probably check
the nutrition facts. Sometimes, sugar can sneak its way into vinegar depending on what
it's mixed with. Vinegar itself doesn't come without risks either — when adding it to rice,
be careful not to pour too much. If you do, it can cause acid reflux and upset your stomach.
"Ah, that needs more vinegar."
"Vinegar? What else have you got in that witches' brew?"
If you don't have vinegar on hand, there are a few other ways to liven
up your rice. If you want to make it fluffier, you can use a fork or spoon
to fluff it up yourself before serving it. This will also prevent grains of
rice from clumping together. A strainer is another essential tool to stop clumping:
by running water through a rice-filled, fine strainer, much of the starch will be washed off.
To prevent your rice from becoming mushy until serving time, simply set a towel
over it to catch condensation as it escapes from the hot pan.
Sometimes, the poor state of your finished rice product is explained by simple human error.
There's also a chance you might be cranking the heat too high as you impatiently wait
for dinner to be ready. This can result in different inner and outer textures,
and perhaps even some burning. Though it also takes a certain degree of patience,
letting rice sit can't be skipped, no matter how badly you wish to serve it.
Rice should rest for around ten minutes undisturbed before it's ready to serve.