Rice has heckled me in my own kitchen more times than I care to recollect.
It didn't even flinch when I became a culinary school graduate.
"You looked at me too often and stirred me too much and now I'm a gluey mess," was its most tiresome refrain.
Sometimes I'd stare right back into the gloating grain's face, call it "sticky," and bury the whole incident in thai red curry.
Finally it dawned on me that I needed to cook the rice somewhere off limits to overeager coddling. Somewhere hot and dangerous.
In the oven it went. And in it goes every single time now.
Baked (Perfect Every Time...Finally!) Brown Rice
Serves 4
- 1-1/2 cups brown rice
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
- 2-1/3 cups water
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spread rice out in a pie plate or glass baking dish, topping with pats of butter.
In a small saucepan or kettle, bring water to a boil, add salt, and then pour over rice and butter.
Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and place in the center of the oven, taking care not to slosh scalding water all over yourself.
Bake for exactly one hour. Remove foil with the flourish of a magician and fluff the rice with a fork after squealing and clapping over your triumph.