Baked Basmati Brown Rice

I have an unending quest for the perfect brown rice and felt I absolutely achieved it with the brown rice cooked like pasta but wanted another version as well (greedy me, I know) that would be a forget about it kinda version and yet, as always, the proportions just about did me in. I cannot sufficiently stress how important the proportions of water to rice are, if you are not extremely precise, you will get a gummy, mushy mess and be aggravated, as I was oftentimes.

With this in mind I tried about a million recipes (including those on the rice packages, gak it was awful, don’t trust them, no no no).

Finally, I discovered a simple recipe from Alton Brown, the quirky chef, and even though I tinkered but a bit, I was very pleased with the end results. That excellent slight chewiness but not gummy, fluffed beautifully and lovely to pair with any yummy main you may wish to add. *

Start with your brown rice, I used basmati but you can use other kinds as well.

You are actually using a cup and a half but just wanted you to see the type of rice I’m using. Clean and rinse the rice in a strainer. Let the water drain off on the side. Then, take an 8 X 8 baking pan and put into it soy sauce, oil and salt.

Right on top of this put the cleaned, drained rice. like so:

Stir together till rice is completely coated with oil and soy sauce (and salt) and spread in the pan evenly with spatula or back of a spoon.

Then, take tin foil and cut 2 sheets big enough to fully cover the pan and seal it and set on the side. Next, and this is critical, you skip this step and the whole deal is off, boil your water. Yes yes, before you put it in the pan. Either do it in a kettle or a pot, doesn’t matter just make sure it’s boiling and add slowly to the rice mixture.

As you see only a few grains float, most of the rest stay put and no need to stir. Immediately cover tightly with one foil sheet over the other (2 layers) and crimp around pan. Put pan (careful, don’t slosh and G-d forbid burn yourself) into the middle of your pre-heated oven and bake untouched for one hour. Remove from oven, carefully open foil (watch out for the steam) and the rice should be fully cooked and look a bit dry (but it ain’t, no worries)

Now fluff with a fork (and yes, it fluffs!)

Et voila! Your rice is perfectly cooked and it took you maybe five minutes of real time prep. Dontcha love it? Done!

Baked Basmati Brown Rice

I reiterate how very important exact measurements are for this recipe. Really and truly measure precisely!

1 1/2 cups brown basmati (or other brown) rice, cleaned, washed and drained
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups boiling water (really boiling, no cheating!!)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375 F.

Cut two sheets of foil sufficient to cover the pan and be able to tightly seal all around, set aside.

Directly in an 8 X 8 pan, pour the oil, soy sauce and salt in the pan. Right on top put the drained rice and stir with a spoon till rice is completely coated with soy sauce, oil and salt. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, evenly pat the rice in the pan.

Boil the 2 1/2 cups of water (measured please) and slowly and carefully pour over the rice mixture in the pan. Do not stir. Immediately cover with the two sheets of foil tightly crimping all around and carefully so it doesn’t slosh and burn you, transfer to the middle of the pre-heated oven and bake for one hour.

Remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil. The rice should appear dry (but it’s not). Fluff all about with a fork and prepare to enjoy.

• Alton’s original recipe:
• https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/baked-brown-rice-recipe-1944197