This post will take you through how to cook brown rice perfectly fluffy every single time - no rice cooker required. Plus, it offers easy ways to flavor your cooked rice too!
Optional - soak the rice for a minimum of 30 minutes, in cold water.* Use 2 cups water per 1 cup rice.
Rinse the rice 2-3 times, to remove the starch. Rinse until the water is clear.
Add the rice, salt, and water to a large saucepan (or medium saucepan, depending on how much you're making). **
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and close the lid. My saucepan doesn't have a clear lid, but if you think you'll feel tempted to remove the lid otherwise, then use a pan with a clear lid.
Leave it to simmer untouched for around 20 minutes, until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid. A very very small amount at the bottom of the pan is fine. However, if there's still quite a bit then replace the lid on the pan for a further few minutes.
Once ready, turn off the heat and continue to 'steam' for further 15 minutes. Fluff up the rice with a fork, add any additional seasoning and it's ready to eat!
Notes
* To further reduce the phytic acid content and make rice more digestible then add something acidic to the container while soaking. For example, you can use lemon juice, leftover whey, or apple cider vinegar. Add 1 teaspoon per cup of water.** Refer to the notes below for simple ways to add additional flavor to the rice, as you may want to add an additional step here. Such as sauteeing garlic or even sauteing the rice for a few minutes, etc.Easy Ways to FlavorPlain rice can be a bit, well, boring. However, there are multiple super easy ways to liven up your rice.
Saute your brown rice is some olive oil for a few minutes before adding the water. This deepens the nutty flavor and can really add a lot of flavor without much effort at all.
Saute some fresh garlic in the pot before adding the rice and liquid.
Be liberal when salting the water while cooking the rice.
Add a stockpot/tablet to the water when cooking the rice. Or use vegetable stock instead of water.
Drizzle with a little Extra virgin olive oil, or sesame oil after cooking.
Drizzle with some soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari) after cooking.