I'm having to cook up a lot of 'whole grain' rice. I've been told its best
to soak it *overnight* by someone, and that it only needs soaking for an
*hour* before cooking; and that it's not necessary to soak at all by someone
else.

Grateful to hear from anyone who knows, since minimum soaking would be the
easiest for me; but i want to do the thing 'right'.

On Tue, 20 Sep 2011 10:59:26 +0100, "john east" >
wrote:

> I'm having to cook up a lot of 'whole grain' rice. I've been told its best
> to soak it *overnight* by someone, and that it only needs soaking for an
> *hour* before cooking; and that it's not necessary to soak at all by someone
> else.

Are you talking about brown rice or something else?
>
> Grateful to hear from anyone who knows, since minimum soaking would be the
> easiest for me; but i want to do the thing 'right'.
>
I think soaking is some ethnic method, Indian? Anyway IMO the easiest
way for people who don't own a rice cooker would be to
boil/drain/steam. That way you don't have to wonder if you're using
enough water or if you've cooked it long enough. You just look at the
grain or taste it and when it's almost done, strain all the water off
and set it on the lowest heat (covered) to dry out. Google "how to
cook brown rice" and you'll be surprised by the number of hits.
Here's one of them:
http://pinchmysalt.com/2009/04/06/ho...ct-brown-rice/

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On 9/20/2011 4:59 AM, john east wrote:
> I'm having to cook up a lot of 'whole grain' rice. I've been told its best
> to soak it *overnight* by someone, and that it only needs soaking for an
> *hour* before cooking; and that it's not necessary to soak at all by someone
> else.
>
> Grateful to hear from anyone who knows, since minimum soaking would be the
> easiest for me; but i want to do the thing 'right'.
>
>
If you're referring to brown rice my Sanyo rice cooker says to rinse
well then soak for one hour prior to cooking. It does seem to help make
the brown rice fluff a little.

"john east" > ha scritto nel messaggio
...
> I'm having to cook up a lot of 'whole grain' rice. I've been told its
> best to soak it *overnight* by someone, and that it only needs soaking for
> an *hour* before cooking; and that it's not necessary to soak at all by
> someone else.
>
> Grateful to hear from anyone who knows, since minimum soaking would be the
> easiest for me; but i want to do the thing 'right'.

I cook a lot of whole grains and they never say you have to soak them. But
I do soak them, usually overnight so it takes no attention at all. Why?
Because it cooks so much faster and uses less fuel. When it's hot that
helps cut back on heating the kitchen too.

Farro, our version of spelt, takes over and hour unsoaked and less than 20
minutes after soaking.

On Sep 20, 5:59*am, "john east" > wrote:
> I'm having to cook up a lot of 'whole grain' rice. *I've been told its best
> to soak it *overnight* by someone, and that it only needs soaking for an
> *hour* before cooking; and that it's not necessary to soak at all by someone
> else.
>
> Grateful to hear from anyone who knows, since minimum soaking would be the
> easiest for me; but i want to do the thing 'right'.

I've seen cracked wheat and corn, but never rice that wasn't whole. If
you mean brown rice, you can cook it the same way that you cook white
rice. Just allow a little more time.

Jerry
--
Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get.

"john east" > wrote:

>I'm having to cook up a lot of 'whole grain' rice. I've been told its best
>to soak it *overnight* by someone, and that it only needs soaking for an
>*hour* before cooking; and that it's not necessary to soak at all by someone
>else.
>
>Grateful to hear from anyone who knows, since minimum soaking would be the
>easiest for me; but i want to do the thing 'right'.
>

If by 'whole grain' you mean unhulled, I've never soaked it. I
rarely even rinse rice- though I remember someone posted a good reason
here why *some* rice should be rinsed first.

Jim

On 9/20/2011 5:59 AM, john east wrote:
> I'm having to cook up a lot of 'whole grain' rice. I've been told its best
> to soak it *overnight* by someone, and that it only needs soaking for an
> *hour* before cooking; and that it's not necessary to soak at all by someone
> else.
>
> Grateful to hear from anyone who knows, since minimum soaking would be the
> easiest for me; but i want to do the thing 'right'.
>
>
Assuming you mean "brown rice"? I don't soak it. Other than cooking it
longer I prepare it the same as white rice. I prepare it often and my
favorite is brown basmati.

In article >,
"john east" > wrote:

> I'm having to cook up a lot of 'whole grain' rice. I've been told its best
> to soak it *overnight* by someone, and that it only needs soaking for an
> *hour* before cooking; and that it's not necessary to soak at all by someone
> else.
>
> Grateful to hear from anyone who knows, since minimum soaking would be the
> easiest for me; but i want to do the thing 'right'.

I've never soaked it and it's always come out fine.

Miche

--
Electricians do it in three phases

"john east" > wrote in message
...
> I'm having to cook up a lot of 'whole grain' rice. I've been told its
> best to soak it *overnight* by someone, and that it only needs soaking for
> an *hour* before cooking; and that it's not necessary to soak at all by
> someone else.
>
> Grateful to hear from anyone who knows, since minimum soaking would be the
> easiest for me; but i want to do the thing 'right'.

I have never soaked rice.

On Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:41:23 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> wrote:

>
>"john east" > wrote in message
...
>> I'm having to cook up a lot of 'whole grain' rice. I've been told its
>> best to soak it *overnight* by someone, and that it only needs soaking for
>> an *hour* before cooking; and that it's not necessary to soak at all by
>> someone else.
>>
>> Grateful to hear from anyone who knows, since minimum soaking would be the
>> easiest for me; but i want to do the thing 'right'.
>
>I have never soaked rice.

Basmati cooks up with improved texture when after through washing it's
soaked in cold water for 20 minutes... drain away that water and use
fresh but use a third less.

George > wrote:

>On 9/20/2011 5:59 AM, john east wrote:

>> I'm having to cook up a lot of 'whole grain' rice. I've been told its best
>> to soak it *overnight* by someone, and that it only needs soaking for an
>> *hour* before cooking; and that it's not necessary to soak at all by someone
>> else.

>Assuming you mean "brown rice"? I don't soak it. Other than cooking it
>longer I prepare it the same as white rice. I prepare it often and my
>favorite is brown basmati.

Yeah, I've never heard of pre-soaking brown rice. Maybe at really
high elevations? At sea level, no problem just rinsing it and
cooking it in a pan with a tight-fit lid. 2:1 water to rice
is standard but 2.5:1 will not ruin it and may come out better.

(The above applies to short-grain, the most common type; long-grain
brown uses less of a proportion of water.)

The larger the batch, the easier it is to cook properly, in my
experience -- less edge effects.

Steve

"Steve Pope" > wrote in message
...
> George > wrote:
>
>>On 9/20/2011 5:59 AM, john east wrote:
>
>>> I'm having to cook up a lot of 'whole grain' rice. I've been told its
>>> best
>>> to soak it *overnight* by someone, and that it only needs soaking for an
>>> *hour* before cooking; and that it's not necessary to soak at all by
>>> someone
>>> else.
>
>>Assuming you mean "brown rice"? I don't soak it. Other than cooking it
>>longer I prepare it the same as white rice. I prepare it often and my
>>favorite is brown basmati.
>
> Yeah, I've never heard of pre-soaking brown rice. Maybe at really
> high elevations? At sea level, no problem just rinsing it and
> cooking it in a pan with a tight-fit lid. 2:1 water to rice
> is standard but 2.5:1 will not ruin it and may come out better.
>
> (The above applies to short-grain, the most common type; long-grain
> brown uses less of a proportion of water.)
>
> The larger the batch, the easier it is to cook properly, in my
> experience -- less edge effects.

When I had a gas stove I found I could use the 2:1 and it always came out
perfectly. But I think with my electric stove I can not get the burner down
low enough. So I now use 2.5:1 and it comes out perfectly.

Julie Bove > wrote:

>"Steve Pope" > wrote in message

>> 2:1 water to rice
>> is standard but 2.5:1 will not ruin it and may come out better.

>When I had a gas stove I found I could use the 2:1 and it always came out
>perfectly. But I think with my electric stove I can not get the burner down
>low enough. So I now use 2.5:1 and it comes out perfectly.

That makes sense. If either the burner is does not go down low enough,
or the lid on the pot is not tight-enough, then you
have to use more than the normal 2:1 ratio of water.

S.