More Than Just Water: The Key to Flavorful Hotel-Style Rice
It seems like all you have to do to cook rice is add water and wait for it to cook. However, there is a trick that expert chefs utilize to make rice taste better—fluffier, more aromatic, and properly textured—if you have ever wondered about it.
Here I’ll show you how to cook rice like a hotel, step by step, so you can make restaurant-quality rice at home.
Why It’s a Huge Error to Just Add Water
A lot of people who make food at home just wash the rice and put water in the pot. The results aren’t always constant, however; they might be mushy or dry, and they don’t have the same depth of taste as what you’d get in a professional kitchen.
Using a more sophisticated cooking method and a few more ingredients are the keys. We may simplify it by taking it step by step.
A Top-Secret Technique for Making Restaurant-Quality Rice
First Things First: Select Appropriate Rice
Although preparation varies vary depending on the kind of rice, the ideal hotel-style rice is:
For recipes from India and the Middle East, try basmati rice.
Thai and Asian dishes that call for jasmine rice
Japanese cuisine calls for sushi rice or short-grain rice.
These types retain their form well and take tastes exquisitely.
Two, Rinse and Soak the Rice.
Because sticky rice may be caused by an overabundance of starch, rinsing the rice is vital. Just do as instructed:
Fill a basin halfway with water and add the rice.
After giving the rice a little stir with your fingertips, pour off the murky water.
Do this again and again until the water becomes clear.
For basmati and jasmine rice, soak for 20-30 minutes; for short-grain rice, soak for 10 minutes. Grain cooking is more uniform and the texture is softer and more luscious after soaking.
Third, add flavor by toasting the rice.
This is the best kept secret in the hospitality industry! To bring out more of the rice’s natural nutty flavor, toast it in a little butter before cooking it in water.
Melt 1-2 teaspoons of your preferred fat—olive oil, ghee, butter—in a saucepan.
After the rice has drained, add it to the pan and stir for two or three minutes over medium heat, or until it becomes slightly translucent and aromatic.
*Not required* Depending on the cuisine, you may add a cinnamon stick, a bay leaf, or chopped garlic clove for added scent.
Fourth, Mix in the Ideal Liquid
Many hotels utilize flavoring liquid to boil rice instead of plain water, which makes it taste better. Among the options available to you;
Soup made with chicken (for hearty meals)
For vegetarian rice, vegetable stock
To make Thai rice, use coconut milk.
For rice with a creamy, silky texture, a combination of water and milk
Using the right proportion will result in a fluffier texture:
To make 1.5 cups of liquid with 1 cup of Basmati or Jasmine rice,
Use 1 cup of short-grain rice with 1.2 cups of liquid.
Tip No. 5: Use Proper Methods When Cooking
Slightly boil the liquid.
