Perfect Brown Rice

By Shawn

Ingredients

• 1 cup medium- or long-grain brown rice
• 1 teaspoon olive oil or sesame oil, optional
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt

Details

Servings 3
Adapted from thekitchn.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Rinse the rice: Place the rice in a large strainer or colander and rinse it thoroughly under cool water. There is no need to dry the rice before cooking; a bit of moisture on the rice is fine.
2. Toast the rice (optional): Warm a teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat in the pot where you'll cook the rice. Add the rice and toast until the rice is dry and starting to look slightly toasted on the tips. It will also start to smell fragrant and nutty.
3. Combine the rice and water: Slowly pour the water into the pot with the rice — if you toasted the grains, the water will steam and bubble at first. Stir in a teaspoon of salt.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Make sure the liquid stops boiling and has reduced to a bare simmer over low heat, then cover the pot.
5. Cook for 45 minutes. Do not uncover the pot to check the rice during cooking.
6. Check the rice: At the end of the cooking time, remove the cover and check to see if all the water has been absorbed; a little water on the very bottom is fine, but if there's more than a tablespoon, drain off the excess. At this point, the rice should also be chewy and tender, and no longer crunchy. If it's still crunchy, add a little more water (if needed) and continue cooking; check every 10 minutes until the rice is done.
7. Cover and let stand another 10 to 15 minutes: Take the rice off heat, and place the lid back on top. Let the rice stand another 10 to 15 minutes, covered. This last step prevents the rice from becoming overly sticky and helps it lose that wet, "just-steamed" texture.
8. Fluff and serve: Use a fork to fluff the rice, then transfer it to a serving dish. Serve while warm.
9. Store the leftovers: Let any leftovers cool completely, then transfer to storage containers. Refrigerate rice for 3 to 5 days. Brown rice can also be frozen for up to 3 months.