Trader Joe's Brown Rice Medley ~ via Microwave
Over the last few years since becoming vegan, I’ve learned to make most of my meals at home. Brown rice and other whole grains are something that we eat every week, and I’d like to share a tip with you for cooking brown rice in, *gasp,* the microwave. I know that there are some people who think the microwave oven is the bane of all evil and may be killing us all, but I’m not convinced. I’ve cut down on my usage of the microwave, mostly because I’m preparing and cooking foods and eating them right away, but leftovers do occasionally get nuked. (Additionally, I’ve stopped using plastic in the microwave, and to store most of my leftovers, because it seems logical to me that there is some risk of chemical leaching.)
Years ago, I had a rice cooker and I could never get the hang of it: the rice always stuck dramatically. Ditto with cooking rice on the stove: I would always get busy with something else and it would burn to the bottom of the pan. Here is my distraction-free method for cooking brown rice that I gleaned from a brown rice package. It’s easy to get brown rice going while you’re preparing the rest of the meal, or doing something else entirely. I like to have rice on hand as a basis for combining with leftovers during the week, or for a quick lunch or dinner.
Distraction-free method for cooking brown rice
Put two cups of whole grain rice or rice mixture in a Pyrex or other microwavable glass bowl. Add some vegan bouillon, herbs, and/or Earth Balance if you want. Add four cups of water. Put a lid on and microwave for 4 minutes on full power. Then microwave for 45 minutes on power level 3. When done, let sit for a few minutes, then fluff with a fork. That’s it! This almost always creates fluffy, non-sticky rice. You may find that you need to add a little bit more or less water the next time for various types of whole grain rice, but the basic ratio is 2 parts water to 1 part rice.
Beezelbarb 