# White Short Grain Rice - Bad!



## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

We eat vegetable stir fry's several times a week with short grain Japanese rice, maybe I will have 3.5-4.5 cups a week (cooked). My diet is very clean, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, no processed foods, I do not consume beef or pork and don't drink sodas or alcohol.
I recently heard that white rice is not good for you?







I don't eat white breads and rarely eat potatoes, everything else I eat is whole grain if I am eating grain products. But do I really need to give up my white rice?
I am trying to build my immune system and be really healthy. TTC at the end of this year.


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## mamadelbosque (Feb 6, 2007)

White rice is the equivalent of white flour - worthless carbs. No vitamins, no minerals, no nothing. We started refining rice to be white for the same reason we started refining flour - devoid of vitamins & minerals it keeps for a VERY long time. Switch to brown rice - wonderful flavor with lots of vitamins & minerals and good stuff in it.


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## Rainbow2911 (Dec 16, 2004)

I think it depends on your body and how it reacts to white rice. For me eating that ammount would make me tierd and bloated. Other people find no ill effects at all. If you are healthy and feeling good then carry on! A little white rice is unlikely to undo all the benefits of the rest of your diet. Obviously brown would be better if you like it but it isn't the end of the world. If you are worried then perhaps you could have white rice once a week and brown the other times?


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## cristeen (Jan 20, 2007)

I agree with the pp - white rice is about as nutritious as white flour.

The switch does not have to be that difficult, though. The trick is finding a brown rice you like. What I did was go down to the HFS that had bulk bins and buy a single portion of each of their brown rices. Label them so you know which is which. Cook them up and have a taste test. We ultimately determined that we prefer brown jasmine over the other choices (brown basmati, brown long grain, brown short grain), and since switching we haven't looked back.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

You also need to look at your whole diet- if white rice is truly the only processed food you eat, then it's really not that bad. Yes, brown rice is healthier than white rice, but white rice is still a fairly natural product- it's free from harmful additives, it's just devoid of fiber and lower in naturally occuring vitamins than brown rice. Generally, some vitamins are added back in after processing.


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## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *cristeen* 
I agree with the pp - white rice is about as nutritious as white flour.

The switch does not have to be that difficult, though. The trick is finding a brown rice you like. What I did was go down to the HFS that had bulk bins and buy a single portion of each of their brown rices. Label them so you know which is which. Cook them up and have a taste test. We ultimately determined that we prefer brown jasmine over the other choices (brown basmati, brown long grain, brown short grain), and since switching we haven't looked back.

Thanks all for your honest answers







We also make sushi weekly with that rice, where is where I get that number I listed in the first post on this thread. I am pretty let down to hear it is the same as white flour. I haven't eaten white flour in years and stay away from it like the plague, but here I am loving the white rice. Sigh.
The reason I guess I didn't see this is because it is pretty nutritious according to many cultures, a superfood in countries Asian countries and also used in India a lot. It seems as if Asian people can eat rice all day (carbs) and don't get fat and in particular some Japanese people live longer than any other people on the whole planet and they consume a lot of rice.

Bins of brown rice?







: That sounds good. Thanks for this tip. We get our speciality specific brand of rice at an Asian market and that is a drive 1.5 hours away. A whole foods store is also a long ways away too, but I will look for this next time we go.


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## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ruthla* 
You also need to look at your whole diet- if white rice is truly the only processed food you eat, then it's really not that bad...but white rice is still a fairly natural product- it's free from harmful additives.

It is my only "vice" and thanks!







I wanted to hear this


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## Delicateflower (Feb 1, 2009)

Oh, but it tastes so very much better than brown rice.

It does have a high GI, but eat it with a yummy stir fry with lots of bok choy and meat and you'll be virtuous.


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

I agree w/what everyone else said, but really, brown rice is yummy! My kids prefer it now.


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## cristeen (Jan 20, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Drummer's Wife* 
I agree w/what everyone else said, but really, brown rice is yummy! My kids prefer it now.









:

We prefer brown to white now, once we found a yummy brown. But, not all browns taste the same, some are definitely better than others.


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## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Delicateflower* 
Oh, but it tastes so very much better than brown rice.

It does have a high GI, but eat it with a yummy stir fry with lots of bok choy and meat and you'll be virtuous.

Sounds yummy, minus the meat (or if the meat is fish or tofu) and now we are talking








Thanks all!


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## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

All you brown rice lovers, do you use a rice cooker? What type is your favorite and where do you get it?


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sol_y_Paz* 
All you brown rice lovers, do you use a rice cooker? What type is your favorite and where do you get it?









I do use a rice cooker, 3-4 times per week. Mine is a cheap model, but it works and I love it. I've found that you have to add a bit more water and it takes about twice as long as white rice.... but that may just be my cooker.

I'll have to check on the brand of rice. I am not picky and empty it into a big canister right away because we eat so much of it.


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## twinergy (Mar 30, 2008)

We use brown rice also, even for sushi. Short grain rice has higher starch content than long grain, thats the stuff to use. I found organic short grain brown rice at costco in bulk. If you use extra water when cooking it it gets sticky enough to make sushi, but it also takes a lot longer to cook. When I cook one cup of rice I fill the water line in the rice steamer to the 2 mark.


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## Sasharna (Nov 19, 2008)

What brand or type of brown rice would be best for making sushi or rice balls? Do we just look for "short grain" or is there more to it than that?


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## cristeen (Jan 20, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sol_y_Paz* 
All you brown rice lovers, do you use a rice cooker? What type is your favorite and where do you get it?









I get organic brown jasmine from the bulk bins at my local HFS. It's the only brown I really like. I don't have a rice cooker, I just use a pot - and cooking it takes about half an hour if it's soaked.

I've been eyeing this rice cooker, since it's not non-stick, but I don't have room for another appliance.


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## twinergy (Mar 30, 2008)

I forgot to mention that when I make sushi I always use seaweed to wrap it, so I'm not sure If the brown sushi rice will stick together enough without the seaweed. I think that it would. I will try making it later this week and let you know.


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## dogmom327 (Apr 19, 2007)

We don't make sushi but for general eating, we really like brown jasmine rice. I get it through our co-op and it's about the same price (maybe a bit more) than other brown rice varieties.


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## mamadelbosque (Feb 6, 2007)

Generally, for everyday use we eat brown long grain rice. I use brown basmati when making indian food, and brown short grain rice for sushi - tastes fantastic, and you really can't tell the difference once its mixed up with the rice vinegar stuff. jasmine is very good, but its hard to find around here except in little 1# packages so I don't generally buy it.


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## Theoretica (Feb 2, 2008)

I'm not understanding why short grain rice is bad...in Asia it's a staple and they've lived off of it for thousands of years. Asia has the highest life expectancy of any continent, and their cases of celiac etc are miniscule compared to the rest of the world.

Does anyone have more info on how rice is bad?


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## cristeen (Jan 20, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Theoretica* 
I'm not understanding why short grain rice is bad...in Asia it's a staple and they've lived off of it for thousands of years. Asia has the highest life expectancy of any continent, and their cases of celiac etc are miniscule compared to the rest of the world.

I don't believe anyone is saying short grain rice is bad. The debate here is white rice vs. brown rice. It's about the same as saying white flour vs. whole wheat flour - the white rice has had most of it's naturally occuring nutrition removed.


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## 425lisamarie (Mar 4, 2005)

I love brown rice. It's hard to get that fluff thing you get with white, but I think brown long grain tastes perfect with a boil then steam method. I eat rice, kasha and quinoa almost daily, but my kids and DH rarely eat it. I make a little white, and then just mix it. My kids love it this way with a little butter. I think maybe they believe rice comes bi-colored


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## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

Thank you everyone!







We are making the long trip to a whole foods store tomorrow and I will try to get some different types of brown rice to use for the stir fry. So if anyone has any more suggestions please let me know before tomorrow evening. I am taking notes








When it comes to my sushi I will probably be sticking with the Japanese short grain white rice from the Asian market, at least until I can figure out a brown rice with that good consistency.

Have any of you ever had black (purple) rice? I really love that rice! We bought some at the Asian market and it turned the rice cooker a brilliant purple








Wild rice is okay, too bad I like the fluffy short grain Japanese rice the best. Hopefully after trying different types of brown rice I will get a taste for it. I am picky and the types in the grocery store aren't appealing to me.


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## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *twinergy* 
I forgot to mention that when I make sushi I always use seaweed to wrap it, so I'm not sure If the brown sushi rice will stick together enough without the seaweed. I think that it would. I will try making it later this week and let you know.

Thanks so much for the suggestion. It will work. I like both the seaweed on the outside and rice on the outside. Lately I have been on the rice on the outside kick. Sushi can be made with brown rice. We are just addicted to our special brand of short grain white rice tis all. LOL. But we are coming around and have some different ones to try after reading this thread.


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## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

OP: I've been trying to cut back on white rice (I _love_ it), but we do still eat it. I keep both white and brown rice in the house. If I decide to eat rice as a side at the last minute, I do white. If I know long enough in advance that we'll be having rice, I do brown. I slightly prefer white, but also love brown. DH and ds1 both seem to prefer white. DD and ds2 are both in "I HATE RICE" mode, but seem to slightly prefer brown to white.

I think a lot of it is just getting used to brown.


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## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
I think a lot of it is just getting used to brown.

Thanks for the post. That is what I am starting to think as well.
I am going to Whole Foods today (quite a drive, over an hour and half ) where I will buy several types of brown rice. Hopefully they will be better than the ones I have tried in the grocery and didn't like.
I REALLY love the brown rice at Pei Wei (a take out Asian food place) so there is hope.


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## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

Back from Whole Foods.
I have four types of brown rice. Short grain, basmati, sweet short, and jasmine. Let the tasting begin! I will try to come back to this thread and update the results from what each of us thinks.
The dogs won't be counted, they like both








We also got some new oyster sauce. I can't wait for another stir-fry.


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## KathinJapan (Mar 25, 2003)

I live in Japan, we eat rice a lot. Tho' not as much as the average family...

anyhoo, we cook ours in a pressure cooker, this is short grain brown rice. Takes 20 min. then some cool down time. We have an older type pressure cooker with a jiggly top. It works great for all our J. food needs, sushi, rice balls, fried rice etc...

The life expectancy here has not always been so high. Also many of the older folks did not grow up eating lots of white rice. It is def. preferred here now, as the brown seems to recall times of hardship for many.

Kathryn


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## guestmama9904 (Jul 6, 2002)

i wonder this too, it seems that in much of asia white short grain rice is a staple of the diet and generally speaking they have better health then the general american population, but maybe they just eat less mcdonalds overall?

i have a zojirushi 5 cup size rice cooker and its ok but it splatters hot rice water everywhere as it cooks which is dangerous for my kids and messy. it was 50$ at an asian grocer here but the woman who sold it said she prefers the Tiger brand that is japanese made (zojirushi is not). the tiger one was 150$ though.


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## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

Thank you all. The brown rice we have bought from the grocery store left us craving our short grain white. BUT
The short grain brown rice is just divine.








We really enjoyed it and can make the switch easily for our stir-frys. It has a very nice flavor and honestly we liked it better than the white rice, it blended better with the vegetable stir fry (sometimes we will add marinated tofu, sometimes marinated boneless chicken).
So 1 for 1 so far. 3 more to taste. We have a rice cooker that works really well.
I forget where we bought it, but it was 30 to 40 dollars. You have to add twice as much water than normal and it cooks for twice as long but the benefits are worth it. The extra time just gives me that much more time to prepare the sauce, garlic, ginger, vegetables, etc.
Thanks everyone for your thoughts on this subject. Hearing it was like processed white bread made me shudder. But honestly it makes sense.


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## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *KathinJapan* 
I live in Japan, we eat rice a lot. Tho' not as much as the average family...

That is pretty neat you are in Japan. I bet the food there is quite lovely!! Lucky you.


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## ursusarctos (Dec 16, 2008)

After we switched from white rice to brown I find white to be tasteless and dry. Kind of like cardboard.







My dear boyfriend is of a somewhat different opinion though







fortunately he eats brown anyway because he knows it's so much healthier.
But we still do white rice if it's last minute, because brown takes twice as long to cook. Like several people said, if the rest of your diet is good the occasional refined grain isn't going to wreck it.
I always steam my rice in a pot. The way I learned it from my mother (who, btw, I believe learned it as an exchange student in Japan) is to put as much rice as you're going to eat in a pot, fill the pot with water so that it comes up to the knuckle of your thumb, and bring to a boil. After it boils reduce the heat to a simmer and cover until the water has all been absorbed. Perfect steamed rice every time.
Asians do eat a lot of white (and brown I would think if they are poorer) rice nowadays but also eat a lot more veggies and less meat, and get a lot more exercise than Americans. I bet that has a lot to do with their lower rates of degenerative disease.


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## mamadelbosque (Feb 6, 2007)

Ursusarctos thats basicly how I cook brown rice too







Except I've learned to do it slightly more exact in that I just put however much rice i want in a pot and then put twice as much water (so for 1 cup rice, 2 cups water), and it always cooks wonderfully... actually makes me wonder what on earth you need a seperate rice cooker for


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## ursusarctos (Dec 16, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamadelbosque* 
actually makes me wonder what on earth you need a seperate rice cooker for

















Yeah I know! Oddly though, my mother, after years of cooking rice in a pot and teaching me how, now uses a rice cooker







go figure.


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## cottonwood (Nov 20, 2001)

I agree with others that it is just a matter of getting used to it. I used to like white rice, now I find it bland. I love the nuttiness of brown rice.









Quote:

The reason I guess I didn't see this is because it is pretty nutritious according to many cultures, a superfood in countries Asian countries and also used in India a lot. It seems as if Asian people can eat rice all day (carbs) and don't get fat and in particular some Japanese people live longer than any other people on the whole planet and they consume a lot of rice.
White rice is not a superfood.







It's a carb, that's all. Carbs, even simple carbs, are not necessarily going to shorten your life or make you sick, it depends on how your body reacts to them. There are many factors in why many (not all) asian people don't get fat on a traditional diet and lifestyle, or why they live long lives. I think the most you can say about rice's role in that is that it's not a negative factor. That doesn't mean that's a positive one, either. If you're doing well on white rice, by all means keep eating it if you want. You're missing some nutrients, but maybe you're picking them up elsewhere. I just don't see it as that big a deal.

Quote:

All you brown rice lovers, do you use a rice cooker?
I don't have a rice cooker because to me it's just another piece of unnecessary kitchen equipment and I like to keep things simple. Plus, I think they're ugly.







So I just use a lidded pot. I use 2 1/2 times as much water as rice. So if I'm cooking one cup of rice, I used 2 1/2 cups water. I bring it to a boil, cover, and turn the heat down to the mark just above low (may need to be slightly higher or lower depending on your stove,) and let it cook for about an hour. I check to see if there's any moisture left in the bottom of the pan, if there is I turn up the heat again briefly then turn it back down to low and cook for another 10 minutes. The more rice, the longer it takes. I usually let it sit to dry out a bit before using, if using for a stir-fry I like to leave it in the fridge overnight (after fluffing) so it dries out enough to accept sauce well. We often make a big batch, and then just go to the fridge to get a little when we want a snack. The kids like it with honey, I like it with butter and salt and pepper.

There's also another (supposedly fool-proof) method I've heard of, which is to boil the rice, just like you would pasta. I'd guess you'd lose some nutrients that way, though.


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## californiajenn (Mar 7, 2007)

The best way I have found to cook brown rice is bake it! My dd proclaimed me THE best cook after baking the rice.









1 1/2 cups brown (jasmine is my favorite)
2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put the rice into an 8-inch square glass dish.

Bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil and pour it over the rice, stir to combine, and cover the dish foil. Bake for 1 hour.

I've converted many people to this method.


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## ursusarctos (Dec 16, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *californiajenn* 
The best way I have found to cook brown rice is bake it! My dd proclaimed me THE best cook after baking the rice.









1 1/2 cups brown (jasmine is my favorite)
2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put the rice into an 8-inch square glass dish.

Bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil and pour it over the rice, stir to combine, and cover the dish foil. Bake for 1 hour.

I've converted many people to this method.

Oh wow, that sounds interesting. I like the butter addition. Brown rice is so good with butter!







:


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## Mpenny1001 (May 21, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *californiajenn* 
The best way I have found to cook brown rice is bake it! My dd proclaimed me THE best cook after baking the rice.









1 1/2 cups brown (jasmine is my favorite)
2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put the rice into an 8-inch square glass dish.

Bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil and pour it over the rice, stir to combine, and cover the dish foil. Bake for 1 hour.

I've converted many people to this method.

That's the only way I make brown rice now. You can double it and put it in a 9x13 pan. I leave out the butter.

A double batch makes about 9 cups which I freeze in 1 or 2 cup portions.


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## Owen'nZoe (Sep 7, 2005)

Just a second for the pressure cooker suggestion for brown rice. I used to always use white on weekdays, just because of the time issue. Now I can make brown rice in about the same amount of time as it takes to make white (18 minutes cooking time, plus a few minutes to depressurize). And it turns out really well, too.


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## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

all rice has been cooked in the rice cooker. We do have a pressure cooker so might try it in there. Jasmine brown rice was pretty good. Not as good as that short grain. We probably won't have it again for quite some time. We have already eaten all the short grain brown rice we bought (over 2 pounds!)
We really love it.
2 others to try in the brown rice variety
Short grain sweet
Basmati


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## hummingmom (Apr 18, 2008)

Regarding the carb issue, here's how I've heard it explained, and it really helped put things in perspective.

The human body needs a certain minimum amount of protein, vitamins, minerals, and essential fats. These are used for tissue repair, immune function, and other maintenance tasks. Children and pregnant/lactating women also need an extra supply, to provide for tissue and bone growth. Within these parameters, your daily requirement for micronutrients and protein remains pretty consistent, no matter what your activity level.

OTOH, your body's expenditure of total calories (i.e., energy) *does* vary with your activity level. If your lifestyle involves a lot of manual labor, or other types of physical activity, you can burn off a huge amount of calories in the course of a day... so you can get away with eating a substantial portion of your meals as refined carbs. This is why our great-grandparents "back on the farm" were able to stay pretty healthy, even though they were eating breads, pies, etc. made with white sugar and flour. They burned off the calories from these filler foods while doing their chores, and they still ate enough vegetables, meat, eggs, etc. to account for their bodies' needs.

In times of poverty, when people have to subsist on the filler foods alone, terrible illnesses are a common result. We also see widespread major health problems when populations change to a more sedentary lifestyle, but keep eating the same types of meals that they used to when they were doing farm chores all day. Either they're going to cut back on overall calories (and end up with nutrient deficiencies), or they're going to keep eating more than their bodies are using. Most likely, it will be a bit of both. Just look at the rates of obesity in parts of the Midwest, where, for the last 50 years or more, many families have been paid by the government *not* to farm their land.









BTW, the problems with excess carbs aren't just due to modern food refining. The same concepts would apply to pre-industrial societies that eat a lot of starchy tubers or sugary fruits. As long as they're physically active, and they're eating enough nutrient-dense foods to provide their bodies with everything they need, the extra carbs aren't going to hurt them. In situations of deprivation or excess, though, it's very easy for this to get out of balance. That's when carbs stop being a cheap and convenient source of necessary food energy, and become a "nutritional villain."


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## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

Thanks for taking the time to provide your information! I like your perspective.


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## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamadelbosque* 
Ursusarctos thats basicly how I cook brown rice too







Except I've learned to do it slightly more exact in that I just put however much rice i want in a pot and then put twice as much water (so for 1 cup rice, 2 cups water), and it always cooks wonderfully... actually makes me wonder what on earth you need a seperate rice cooker for









Because you can dump it in the rice cooker and it does all the work, it doesn't get easier than that. Brown rice does require more water than white.
You don't have to worry about hot pots and pans on the stove (I have a cat that will get on the stove if I am not around to supervise despite "training"! Dangerous I know, so I am always there to supervise or use a crock pot or the oven).
Also, you can preset the rice cooker to cook fresh rice on a timer, for instance, have fresh rice first thing when you wake up or upon arrival from work or an outing. You don't have to physically be there to have fresh rice. And it keeps rice warm and at the right temperature for hours, which can be helpful if at the last minute you need to do something else and can't eat it right way. And it never sticks to the pot and is the easiest thing to clean ever!








Hope this helps you understand at least my reasons for a rice cooker. It is one of my favorite friends in the kitchen since we really like rice.


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## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

Oh wow, the short sweet brown rice is amazing!







: Big thumbs up!


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## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

I am starting to want short brown rice now, even over my short grain white Japanese rice.


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## Sol_y_Paz (Feb 6, 2009)

Tried the Basmati tonight, it was very yummy! I still love the short grain brown rice (normal or sweet) best, but basmati is a close second. Significant other can't make up his mind between basmati and short.
Brown rice can be so yummy!







:







:
But I still don't care for the long grain at the normal grocery stores.


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