Cooking Hints

Here’s the most efficient way I found to cook brown rice on a stove. It takes about 35 minutes from when you start to when you’re eating. This method works for both short grain and long grain brown rice.

1. Put brown rice and water together in a pot with a lid. Use the ratio of 1½ cups water to 1 cup rice.

2. Set the heat to maximum, and bring the rice/water to a boil uncovered. Then put the lid on the pot, and reduce the heat to low/simmer. If your lid has a steam valve, keep it closed. Let the rice simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Turn off the heat, and let the rice sit in the covered pot for another 10 minutes. It’s OK if you let the rice sit longer than 10 minutes (20 or 30 minutes is fine too), but don’t let it go any less.

4. Be careful when you remove the lid, since a lot of steam may escape when you do.

Nutritional Content

Brown rice contains a large variety of vitamins and minerals. It is an excellent source of manganese (88% of the recommended daily allowance in one cup) and a good source of selenium (27.3% of the RDA) and magnesium (21%). It also contains some phosphorus along with vitamins niacin, vitamin B6 and even a little vitamin E. Although rice is best known for its carbohydrates and has only a small amount of protein, the protein in brown rice is of a good quality thanks to the relatively high level of the amino acid lysine found in it. It also supplies nearly 20% of the recommended daily allowance of tryptophan. It is low in sodium and saturated fat and high in fibre, with zero cholesterol.

Health Benefits

Brown long grained rice is one of the most versatile and nutritious sources of healthy carbohydrates suited for use in a low glycemic dietary regime. Health experts are in broad agreement that whole grain carbohydrates help prevent type 2 diabetes. Brown rice is produced with minimal processing, with only the outermost layer, the hull, of the rice kernel removed. This maximizes nutritional value and minimizes loss of nutrients. All else being equal, long grain rice has a lower glycemic index than short or medium grain versions of the same rice variety.

General Hints and Cautions

• Because brown rice and rice bran contain natural oils, both can turn rancid on the shelf. Check for “Sell by” and “Use by” dates on packages. When buying in bulk, buy from a store that has a high turnover — you don’t want to buy a product that has been standing on a shelf for months.

• Oil-rich brown rice will turn rancid at room temperature. If stored in a properly sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer, it will stay fresh for up to a year.

• Packaged rice is generally clean and needs no rinsing before cooking. However, rice sold in bulk should be rinsed to rid it of dust or dirt. (A brief rinsing will not affect the nutrients in brown rice.)

• Brown rice should be cooked in an amount of liquid small enough to be completely absorbed during the cooking time. If it is cooked in excess liquid and then drained, valuable nutrients are lost with the cooking water.

• Soaking brown rice overnight cuts the cooking time dramatically. Soak the rice in the measured amount of water you’ll need to cook it, and cook it in the same water, adding more if necessary. If you drain the rice after soaking and cook it in fresh water, nutrients will be lost.