Posted: June 23, 2020

Brown rice is amazing, but I’ve had lots of problems cooking it. I’ve had brown rice that came out mushy, hard, wet, or burned, depending on the recipe.

I tried using a cheap Aroma rice cooker, and never got great results. Now, I cook rice on the stove top. Maybe someday I’ll invest in a really nice rice cooker.

I think the most important thing when cooking brown rice is to consistently buy the same variety and brand. There are many types of brown rice, including wild rice, short grain, medium grain, long grain, and jasmine. Buying the same rice over and over allows you to fine-tune your recipe without getting confused by all the confounding variables.

Currently, I’m buying five pound bags of Tsuru Mai medium grain brown rice from a local Asian market. The price is around $1/pound. It’s a little bit more expensive, but the taste is really good.

The instructions on the bag actually work for this rice. If you have a different variety, try starting with the recipe on the package, then make adjustments as you make rice multiple times.

Hint: don’t cook a new variety of brown rice when you’re really hungry, because it might not turn out!

Here’s what I do:

• (optional) rinse 2 cups of brown rice in cold water using a strainer, be sure to drain thoroughly
• Add 3 cups of cold water to a pot (that has a matching lid)
• Add the 2 cups of brown rice while the water is cold
• Add a pinch of salt, plus any spices you want (my favorites are garlic powder, black pepper, oregano, and ginger)
• Put the burner on high until it starts to boil, stirring occasionally
• Allow the rice to boil vigorously for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
• Cover pot, reduce heat to LOW, and continue cooking for 30 minutes
• Remove the pot from the heat
• Fluff rice with a fork
• Replace lid and let rice sit for 15 minutes

Cheers!