Garlic Butter Rice Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

FAQs

Should you add butter to rice before cooking? ›

COAT YOUR RICE

Toasting your rice in butter brings real depth of flavour, so be sure to add the rice and stir it up to coat each grain in all of the melted butter flavour before adding the water. Then add your water, bring to the boil and simmer until cooked.

Reduce heat to low, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid, and maintain a gentle simmer. Cook without peeking or stirring. Cook until the water is absorbed, about 18 minutes. Try not to peek until the end of the cooking time so the steam doesn't escape.

Basics of Cooking Rice

Combine 1 cup rice, liquid (see chart below), 1 teaspoon salt (optional), and 1 tablespoon butter or margarine (optional) in a 2 to 3-quart saucepan. Heat to boiling; stir once or twice as it begins to boil. Lower heat to a simmer; cover with a tight-fitting lid.

For tender grains of rice that easily separate, such as in a pilaf, use 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice. You can also use another liquid like stock in this 2:1 ratio. For slightly chewier, fluffy white rice, use 1 1/2 cups of water for every cup of rice, or a 1.5:1 ratio.

Use Fresh Herbs and Chicken Stock

Next, add chicken stock instead of salted water and let the rice boil on high heat for two minutes. Then, lower the heat and allow the rice to steam. “The rice will smell so fragrant from the thyme and garlic, with the thyme enhancing the flavor to another level,” he says.

Swirl the rice in the pan (or stir once) to make sure it's well distributed. Put a lid on and turn the heat down to as low as possible. If you cook the rice on too high a heat, it will cook too quickly and may end up chalky in the centre. Simmer gently for 10 mins and do not take the lid off.

Best Way to Rinse Rice

Gently swirl the grains in cold water. Note that the murkiness will not subside much and the water will not become completely clear. For best results, complete washing the rice in less than 30 seconds to prevent it from absorbing the starchy water.

Bring the water to a boil and pour in the rice (no need to rinse). Give it a stir so that the rice is covered by the water, put a lid on the pan and cook for 20 minutes on the lowest heat on your smallest burner – if using gas. Go for a low-medium temperature for induction.

Is it okay to cook rice without butter? ›

To add in the preparation, however, some rice lovers suggest adding olive oil to the water and rice when boiling. The olive oil provides a delicious flavor and can be used to replace butter. Additionally, the oil can help prevent the rice from becoming too sticky.

But I could really make it better by playing the proactive game before the rice gets stuck: “Adding a little oil or butter at the beginning of cooking will coat the grains, which will help keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot without making it mushy,” Rich says.

Add double the volume of water to rice (2 cups, or 150ml water for a 75g serving) plus some salt, if you like. Bring to a boil. Swirl the rice in the pan (or stir once) to make sure it's well distributed. Put a lid on and turn the heat down to as low as possible.