Back to Basics 8 - How To Cook Perfect Brown Rice

I know a lot of you are scared of cooking brown rice, I was. You need to cook it way longer than white rice and you don't know for how long, then it comes out either rock hard or super soggy. I've been there! But this method combines my mom's great way to impart flavor in rice and Nicole's way to cook fluffy brown rice.

Ingredients
-1 garlic clove
-Salt to taste
-Canola oil
-1 cup of brown rice
-4 cups water

Directions
-Rinse the rice in a strainer under cold running water.

-Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a large pot over high heat with a handful of salt. Have another pot on medium-high heat with about a tablespoon of canola oil.

-You can either mince your garlic or crush it up with some salt in a mortar and pestle.

-Once oil is warm (but not super hot), cook garlic until golden brown. Be careful not to burn. Once golden brown, throw your rice in and crisp it up.

-When water boils, add it to the rice, stir it once. Turn heat to medium and boil uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

-After the 30 minutes are up, pour the rice into a strainer over the sink.

-Let the rice drain for 10 seconds, then return it to the pot, off the heat. Immediately cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and set it aside to allow the rice to steam for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, uncover rice, fluff with a fork, and season with salt if needed.

NOTE: Never stir your brown rice with a spoon, always fluff it up with a fork after cooking.

Here are some recipes using brown rice:

Ricotta, brown rice and lentil rolls

Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew