Eat RICE and shine

In other countries, rice is considered one of the best side dishes, but for us, Filipinos, it plays a major part of our food life. We don't call the food a meal without the rice.

Cooking rice is also a basic kitchen task yet many people have difficulty making it fluffy and tender especially when using a stove top rather than a rice cooker.

Here's how you can cook rice using a stove top:

Step One: Rinse the uncooked rice with water at least two times to remove the talc used in processing or other impurities. For other rice like Jasmine, soaking the rice for about 15-30 minutes after rinsing helps the rice reach its maximum length.

Step Two: Measure the amount of water for your rice. If you're cooking 1 cup of white rice, use 1 and 1/2 cup of liquid. Brown rice on the other hand, requires more water.

TIP: More water produces softer, stickier rice while less water results in firmer rice, making each grain distinct. Although Filipinos generally use water when cooking rice, you can experiment by adding salt or oil. Some countries, also use vegetable broth, chicken stock or beef stock to enhance the flavor.

Step Three: Cooking Process - Bring to boil. After boiling, you can place the cover at an angle, allowing steam to escape and then reduce to medium heat.

Step Four: When you can see the holes or craters, cover on the pan tightly, and reduce to low heat. Let it stand for another 5-7 minutes before serving for a more uniform texture.

Cooking rice on a stove top requires attention since you need to reduce the heat (or add more water) at a certain time. Of course, you would want to prevent scorching on the bottom of your pan. If you're in a hurry or you don't have time to check the cooking rice every now and then, you may want to use a rice cooker. Its ability to adjust the heat automatically will come in handy. Rice cookers cost around Php 300 to as much as 2,000, depending on the brand and size.

There are more than a hundred types of rice but here are some that I have in the pantry for everyday cooking:

White Long Grain rice - four to five times longer than its width and slender kernel, great with Filipino local dishes

White Jasmine rice – very fragrant rice, best in spicy food

White Japanese rice - white, clean, rounded grains and must be cooked properly to prevent it from being too sticky

Brown rice – unpolished and in its natural state with the inedible husk removed which makes it richer in vitamins and minerals than white rice, but takes longer to cook

Other rice that I'd like to try in the future are Wild rice (I heard that this is the most expensive type), and Avorio rice (common for European dishes like Risotto).

Every Filipino kitchen shelf is definitely filled with rice. We use it for our daily local meals, other Spanish derived dishes like paella or even for afternoon desserts like rice cakes. It doesn't really bother us because rice is indeed low in fats and calories and a great source of carbohydrates, similar to pasta and bread.

So if you're planning to create a heart-healthy food list, make sure to include rice as it provides fast energy and one of the easiest grains to digest. Eat RICE and shine!