I have been trying to make a light fried rice and have been using Basmati
but having cooked it by boiling i then leave to cool and drain and when
frying with the addition of shrimp, egg etc it tends to turn to mush.
Question is is there a better rice to use. I dont like typical american long
grain as it is too heavy.
Any ideas please.

On May 13, 1:55?pm, "Capt T" wrote:
I have been trying to make a light fried rice and have been using Basmati
but having cooked it by boiling i then leave to cool and drain and when
frying with the addition of shrimp, egg etc it tends to turn to mush.
Question is is there a better rice to use. I dont like typical american long
grain as it is too heavy.
Any ideas please.

You're probably over cooking the rice, and rice really needs to be old
rice for fly lice... refrigerated for at least 24 hours. I like to
use orzo, I think it makes a nicer, tastier dish.

Sheldon

Capt T wrote:
I have been trying to make a light fried rice and have been using Basmati
but having cooked it by boiling i then leave to cool and drain and when
frying with the addition of shrimp, egg etc it tends to turn to mush.
Question is is there a better rice to use. I dont like typical american long
grain as it is too heavy.
Any ideas please.




Day old long grain rice. Fluff the cooled rice with a fork and put it
in the fridge overnight, uncovered. Make fried rice with it tomorrow.

You can almost make fried rice with freshly boiled brown rice if you
undercook it just a little.

Bob

In article ,
says...
I have been trying to make a light fried rice and have been using Basmati
but having cooked it by boiling i then leave to cool and drain and when
frying with the addition of shrimp, egg etc it tends to turn to mush.
Question is is there a better rice to use. I dont like typical american long
grain as it is too heavy.
Any ideas please.



Fried rice is much better with leftover rice, rice that has been in the
fridge for a day or 2. This firms up the rice by drying it out a bit. I
would not use Basmati in any case. Jasmine is my favorite, or a medium-
grained "Japanese" rice.


--
Peter Aitken

Peter A wrote:
In article ,
says...
I have been trying to make a light fried rice and have been using
Basmati but having cooked it by boiling i then leave to cool and
drain and when frying with the addition of shrimp, egg etc it tends
to turn to mush. Question is is there a better rice to use. I dont
like typical american long grain as it is too heavy.
Any ideas please.



Fried rice is much better with leftover rice, rice that has been in
the fridge for a day or 2. This firms up the rice by drying it out a
bit. I would not use Basmati in any case. Jasmine is my favorite, or
a medium- grained "Japanese" rice.

And the rice should not be cooked with added butter, oil or salt. If you've
ever ordered plain rice from a Chinese restaurant you'll have noticed it's
really bland. That's because it was cooked (steamed, technically) without
any additives. When they stir-fry the day old chilled rice they add all the
ingredients that make it taste so good

Capt T wrote:
I have been trying to make a light fried rice and have been using Basmati
but having cooked it by boiling i then leave to cool and drain and when
frying with the addition of shrimp, egg etc it tends to turn to mush.
Question is is there a better rice to use. I dont like typical american long
grain as it is too heavy.
Any ideas please.



You can use Basmati but I think Jasmine is better. And when it is done,
fluff it carefully. cover it and place in the fridge (with a 'd')
overnight. The rice has to be old and cold for fried rice.

Melondy

"Capt T" wrote in
:

I have been trying to make a light fried rice and have been using
Basmati but having cooked it by boiling i then leave to cool and drain
and when frying with the addition of shrimp, egg etc it tends to turn
to mush. Question is is there a better rice to use. I dont like
typical american long grain as it is too heavy.
Any ideas please.




Any rice will do, but boil/microwave it, fluff it up and place on some
paper towel on a flat tray. Spread it out to cover the tray and then cover
with more paper towel. Place in the fridge for minimum 24 hours. Several
days is good.
That dries it out and makes it perfect for stir frying.

I have some drying in the fridge as we speak :-)


--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia

ACHTUNG! ALLES LOOKENSPEEPERS! Das computermachine ist nicht fuer
gefingerpoken und mittengrabben. Ist easy schnappen der springenwerk,
blowenfusen und poppencorken mit spitzensparken. Ist nicht fuer gewerken
bei das dumpkopfen. Das rubbernecken sichtseeren keepen das cotten-
pickenen hans in das pockets muss; relaxen und watchen das
blinkenlichten

In article ,
"Capt T" wrote:

I have been trying to make a light fried rice and have been using Basmati
but having cooked it by boiling i then leave to cool and drain and when
frying with the addition of shrimp, egg etc it tends to turn to mush.
Question is is there a better rice to use. I dont like typical american long
grain as it is too heavy.
Any ideas please.

I use brown or red rice.

We've not wasted our time with any kind of white rice in years...
--
Peace, Om

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"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci...ml?rsrc=search

I use this recipe and do the long grain rice as I learned a few years back
(after a ton of rice pudding).
I wash the rice 7 times, and then bring it to a boil in slightly salted
water. When it boils, one turns down the burner to low and leaves the pot
covered for 20 minutes.
Then one moves the pot to a cold burner and leaves it there, still covered
for another 20 minutes.
Then the rice is fluffed with a fork, and spread on a cookie sheet for an
overnight cool down.
Next day, break up the lumps and do the thing.



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

theChas. wrote:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/reci...ml?rsrc=search

I use this recipe and do the long grain rice as I learned a few years back
(after a ton of rice pudding).
(snip)
You have used this recipe with no changes? It seems like 2 C H20 to 2 C
rice is not enough H20. Thanks.

Capt T wrote:
I have been trying to make a light fried rice and have been using Basmati
but having cooked it by boiling i then leave to cool and drain and when
frying with the addition of shrimp, egg etc it tends to turn to mush.
Question is is there a better rice to use. I dont like typical american long
grain as it is too heavy.
Any ideas please.

I use raw long grain rice, toast it in a skillet with some butter
until it is lightly browned, throw in a little garlic, mirepoix and
green pepper, sautee, then pour in a couple cups of chicken broth or
water, onion powder, back pepper, and cover. (Liquid should cover the
rice by about 3/4 of an inch.) Let it simmer on med-low until the
water is absorbed (about 25 minutes). Season with soy sauce or
butter, if desired.

I have done it this way for 20 years or more with good results.

-L.

In article ,
says...

We've not wasted our time with any kind of white rice in years...



Why is white rice wasting your time?

--
Peter Aitken

In article ,
Peter A wrote:

In article ,
says...

We've not wasted our time with any kind of white rice in years...



Why is white rice wasting your time?

No nutritional value, or not as much as whole grain rice.

Pure starch, not worth the calories.

And not nearly as much flavor or texture. ;-)
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

In article ,
"Capt T" wrote:

I have been trying to make a light fried rice and have been using Basmati
but having cooked it by boiling i then leave to cool and drain and when
frying with the addition of shrimp, egg etc it tends to turn to mush.
Question is is there a better rice to use. I dont like typical american long
grain as it is too heavy.
Any ideas please.

I used to make fried rice reasonably often but, more recently, I prefer
stir-fries served over cooked (brown) long-grain rice. When I do make
it, I use a special outdoor grill burner that is about 18-20,000 BTUs.

As I see it, here is the problem (and solution) with fried rice and why
so many people are unable to do it justice in the home kitchen. You
need a very powerful burner that will enable you to stir-fry such a
large volume of dense food. 15,000 BTUs is the bare minimum IMO and you
usually have to get a high end range to get that kind of output.
Average BTU output in average residential ranges these days is more like
10-11,000 BTUs IIRC.

When you are stir-frying meat, you can do smaller batches so you can
maintain the necessary degree of heat. But with fried rice, you are
usually doing a much larger amount--- and with eggs! You don't want the
rice absorbing large amounts of oil either.

If you do not have a high output burner, I recommend heating the wok in
a 500-550 degree oven for maybe 15-20 minutes to ensure that the wok has
a better chance of maintaining its heat when you put it on the burner
and add your rice. Obviously you cannot do this if your wok has a
plastic or wood handle. This technique works especially well with cast
iron woks.

It also helps to use brown rice instead of white rice because brown rice
has an outer bran layer which (1) has some oil already in it; and (2) is
less likely than white rice to absorb so much cooking oil. Only use
long grain (less glutinous) rice.

Emma

In article ,
Emma Thackery wrote:

But with fried rice, you are
usually doing a much larger amount--- and with eggs! You don't want the
rice absorbing large amounts of oil either.

Noooo!!!

I cook the eggs separate, then add them to the finished fried rice!

I think that allowing the egg to "coat" the rice and other items ruins
it.

But, YMMV... :-)
--
Peace, Om

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"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson