Cooking Brown Rice

- Submitted by Beryl

(Kaikuthal Arisi Sadam, 2 easy ways to cook brown rice, Indian style Brown Rice)

How to cook Brown Rice?

Brown rice has more fiber and is considered more healthy than white rice since it has the bran and germ in it. Only the inedible outer husk is removed. I have explained in detail about the rice varieties here. In olden days our ancestors regularly had this brown rice which was known as 'Kaikuthal Arisi'. Kaikuthal literally means 'Handpound'.  

It is commonly found in Kerala state, where people prefer this over the white rice. My husband is from Kerala, and he prefers this brown rice for lunch. Brown Rice takes a little longer time to cook. The cooked brown rice is nuttier and chewier than white rice. It tastes great with all traditional curries and side dishes. The only problem we face with this is it cannot be used for making fried rice and briyani. So we usually buy separate rice for making biryani varieties. For regular lunch we prefer to use brown rice as it is much healthier also.

These days many people try to use brown rice but they have difficulty cooking it. Here I have shared 2 easy ways to cook brown rice on a daily basis. So next time you want to buy it, don't hesitate to try.

Recipe for Brown Rice

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Serves: 6 - 8

Ingredients

• Brown rice -3 cup
• Water- 6 cup

Methods Of Cooking Brown Rice

1. Pressure Cooker Method

Cooking time: 20 minutes

1. In a pressure cooker, take 3 cups of rice. Wash it 2 to 3 times properly with cool water. Drain off that water.
2. Now take 6 cups of water using the same cup (Ratio of rice to water is 1: 2).
3. Keep it on the stove top and switch on the flame. Close the lid and wait for the vapour to come out.
4. Once the vapour comes, put the whistle on. Let it remain on the stove and wait for 3 whistles.
5. Now switch off the stove and remove it from stove top.
6. Wait for about 20- 25 minutes until all the pressure inside goes off. Remove the whistle and open the lid. Rice is ready to serve.

2. Open Vessel Draining Method

Cooking time: 35-45 minutes

1. In a wide, heavy bottom vessel, take the water, keep it on stove top and allow it to boil by covering with a lid.
2. In the meantime, take 3 cups of rice and wash it thoroughly with water 2 to 3 times.
3. When the water starts to boil, add the rice into it and remove the lid.

   

4. The rice will take between 30 to 45 minutes to cook properly.
5. Check in between to see if there is enough water. Pour sufficient water in between and stir with a big spoon, so that it wont stick to the bottom of the vessel. Some prefer to add 2 to 3 teaspoon of oil and salt (Optional only).
6. Take few grains and check if it is cooked by chewing it with your mouth or pressing it between your fingers. If the rice is cooked soft, remove it from stove top. If not, add additional water and cook it longer until the grains become soft.
7. Use a colander and drain off excess water. Rice is ready to serve with some side dish and curry. 

Tips

• The cooking time and the quantity of water vary between different brands and variety of rice. Please check on the package instructions to find the exact water required. If water level is not mentioned, you may have to experiment couple of times. Start with 1:2 ratio, check if the rice is cooked soft after about 30 minutes. If it still needs to cook, add some additional water and cook longer.

Serving Brown Rice

• Brown rice can be used as a substitute for white rice with any curries. My favorite is with spicy fish curry.
• Cooked brown rice can also be used to make salads, soups or variety rice.

More Basic Recipes

Basic White Rice (Steamed Rice)	Homemade Idli Dosa Batter	Preparing Tapioca	Extracting Coconut Milk
See more...