by Ethan Johnson
February 16, 2004

[UPDATE 12/11/2006:] This recipe is now available as a video! Click here for all the plain white rice goodness you can stand.

OK, stop laughing.

For years I had no clue how to make plain old rice. IF it turned out alright, it was by accident, not by design. This is true of any rice, however for the moment we will concentrate on good ole long-grain white rice.

So, for everyone who has ever suffered through not being able to consistently, if at all, make plain ole rice, I bestow upon you the secret of:

Plain White Rice

Note: Big ups and much love to Marlena, who taught me everything I know about this.

1 1/2 cups white long-grain rice
3 cups water OR chicken stock
4 tbsp butter
Manischewitz™ fine egg noodles (optional)

Serves 4, as a side dish, or 2, if you have a rice jones.

1. As per usual, we take a moment to regard our most magnificent and otherwise holy Le Creuset pot, which we just got today. (We are out of control.)

   

   If you are using a similar pot (enameled cast iron), then go ahead and pre-heat it on low heat for about 3 minutes. If not, continue to the next step.

2. Next, we add the butter. Here's a neat trick: If you are using Land O Lakes™, cut a stick in half and drop it in the pot. Same with KerryGold™ Irish butter or Somerdale™ English butter (as used in today's example). If not using a stick form of butter, then measure out 4 tbsp and melt in pot.

   

   Here is the butter, melted thusly:

   

   Raise the heat to medium.

3. Now we need the egg noodles. I didn't give a measurement, because what I am about to explain is highly subjective and relative. So for lack of more scientific terminology, take 2 handfuls of the egg noodles (less is OK) and crush them into the butter. Squeeze your hands into fists and sprinkle the crushed noodles into the pot.

   Note: This step is optional, however we like it.

   

   If you are opting to do this step, brown the noodles in the butter. It doesn't take very long.

4. Next, dump in the rice and swish it around in the noodle and butter mixture. Make sure all of the rice gets coated.

   

5. Pour in the chicken stock OR water. I originally used water whenever I made this, then I tried chicken stock one day and found that it really "kicked up" my plain ole rice. So I extend this option to you, the reader.

   

6. Bring the pot to a boil.

   

7. Reduce the heat to "lower than low". This part was lost on me in my bachelorhood. All those rice packets and whatnot always said "low heat", so I set the stove burner to "low". Wrong. Lower than low. For those of you with a gas stove, it looks like this:

   

   For those of you with electric stoves, I don't know what to tell you, as electric stoves seem to differ from model to model. So all I can offer is, whatever "lower than low" means on your stove, set it to that.

8. Cover the pot, and set the timer for 18 minutes.

9. After 18 minutes, uncover, fluff, and serve.

   

10. Dinner is served!

Enjoy! Let me know how it turns out. <EM>