How is boiled rice different from steamed?

Question

I recently got into a friendly argument with a coworker about how rice should be prepared.

I insisted that the goal was to steam the rice- too much water and it would boil into a soupy pudding.

She claimed that her uncle's family in a little village in India boils their rice with a lot of water and pours off the excess. She says that the rice is "fine". I don't believe her.

Is it possible to make rice that isn't a sodden mess by boiling it? If so, how does it differ from steamed rice?

Answer 1

It is possible to boil rice without it essentially overcooking, you just have to be careful with your ratio of water to rice and the timing. It doesn't surprise me that your colleague's uncle's family cook rice well using boiling, as they probably do so every day and are well used to the ratios, timings and temperature of their cooker.

Boiled rice is generally softer and stickier as it is a more 'violent' method, which means more water will penetrate deeper into each grain and release more starch. Steaming is gentler and so results in firmer, more separate grains.

In both methods, washing the rice sufficiently can also make a big difference to the final result. Unwashed, boiled rice is far more likely to be soupy and mushy than rice that has been thoroughly washed as there will be more starch floating around.

The standard 'Western' style of boiling rice usually results in the water boiling off by the time the rice is cooked. Your colleague's family's method no doubt works, but the timing would need to be spot on to prevent mushy rice.

Answer 2

Boiled rice is good for porridge. It is called as kanchi in Malayalam and ganji in Tulu. It is the main staple food of state of Kerala and coastal Karnataka (tulu nadu). Since the climate is hot and humid, the region receives heavy rainfall. This rice suits local climatic conditions.

Answer 3

I find it a lot easier to get perfect rice with boiling. Just use a LOT of water and treat your rice like pasta, boiling it until it's done, then pouring it into a colander and letting it sit until the last bit of water comes out and it's dry (it's important to let it dry warm, and make sure there isn't much moisture left, or it will get soggy).

I get nice fluffy rice.

Answer 4

I am from Mangalore and we use "boiled" rice which is different from the normal rice you get in most stores. It is larger and more transparent than the regular rice and red/brown in color. This rice cannot be cooked by steaming and can only be boiled. But it does take longer to cook, and can't be cooked in regular rice cookers, only in pressure cookers. It is also different from the "par-boiled" rice that you can get in some stores.

It can be eaten either with the liquid or after draining the liquid. Advantage of the former is that there is no need for a gravy item to mix with the rice, just a dry sabji, or even just pickle, and you don't lose the nutrients in the liquid. In our language "Tulu", we call the liquid "teli", rice with liquid "ganji" and the drained dry rice "nuppu".

Reason for calling it "boiled" rice:

After harvesting, the rice is separated from the stalk, boiled in large vats with the husk still on, dried, and then de-husked. I'm told it is easier to digest since it is double boiled before it is eaten.

AFAIK, this rice is used only in the coastal areas of Karnataka and Kerala. As such, it is available in "Mangalore", "Udupi" and "Malayali" stores.

Answer 5

It depends a great deal on the kind of rice you use. My father always steamed rice in a closed pot with a measured amount of water using American long grain rice. The ratio was one cup rice to two cups of water.

When I got my own place I used the boiling method but chose Basmati rice, as is commonly used in india. This rice has a longer grain and holds its shape after cooking. I tried the boiling method with American long grain rice and found it also worked well. There is no need to measure the water as you cook by timer and taste the rice before draining. It's something similar to how you might cook pasta.

Contrary to what ElendilTheTall said in his answer, when boiling rice you do not have to make careful measurements of rice an water. You put in enough rice for how ever many people and an excess of water. Too much water. You cook the rice in an open pan, so you can see it. When the rice has cooked long enough, you pick out a few grains on your fork and taste them. If they are just soft enough, not too soft, then you quickly drain the water in a sieve or colander and serve. Timing is crucial.

Now, when I move to China, I found a very different kind on rice. It was shorter grained and required several washes before could be cooked. This rice didn't boil well. The unless really well washed, the rice powder in the water turns in into something reassembling wall paper paste. Instead the steaming method must be used. To steam you need to carefully measure the rice and water to get the correct ration. You put on the heat and cover. When the rice has boiled almost dry, you take it off the heat and serve.