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[nenjin]

Some people are good at rice, some are not. I think in part it depends if you're one of those people that tends to try to do other things while stuff is cooking. Me, I'm in the kitchen at the stove for the whole process. I don't like leaving cooking food unattended. My mom is a habitual "I'll watch some TV while that cooks" person and it leads to the occasionally fail.

There's also using the right pot for the right job (I have a set of copper pots that transfer heat so fast using a full flame will burn most anything in a minute or two), controlling the heat correctly (there's almost no reason to always use full heat unless you're working with something quickly and repeatedly to keep it from burning, or trying to sear) and practice.

[Frumple]

Honestly, I can only assume altitude or something has an effect, too. I've literally never thought about the rice more than following the directions on the bag it comes in, and burnt it all of once in my lifetime, when I was horribly sick. And it pretty much always just comes out fine.

Basically, I'm the absolute worst person to ask about rice preperation, because all I can say is "Follow the zoggin' directions", which is also what I say to 90% of the cooking inquiries I get

[penguinofhonor]

I almost always cook rice while I'm cooking something else, which probably means I pay attention to it more. I also keep the heat as low as I can while still keeping the water simmering, and use a decently thick nonstick pot (though I haven't had any more trouble with a stainless steel pot).

Anyway, I need some ideas. There is apparently a small cluster of Vietnamese groceries relatively close to where I live, and I want to take advantage of that. I wouldn't know what to get though, so I need some help coming up with something to make. A couple of them are supposed to have really impressive selection, so I'd like to get something with some ingredients I don't usually use.

[nenjin]

Hrm, well I was going to suggest try making Pho, but other than the Rice Noodles, the ingredients are fairly mundane. Mmmmm, dat Pho doe. So good. It is literally the only thing I eat lately where I feel physically better after having it. Bad day? Better after Pho. Troubled stomach? Better after Pho. Kind of low energy and depressive? Better after Pho.

TBH the exotic things I see at the Vietnamese place I frequent tend to be in the cuts of meat they work with (lots of times the least desirable cuts according to your average American grocery store butcher's offerings.) Otherwise it's spring rolls, grilled pork over rice, that sort of stuff.

[Rose]

Put rice in pot, measure the depth with your finger.
Put water to the same depth above the rice.
Put a lid on it, turn on the fire on high.
When you hear the water start boiling, put the flame on the lowest setting.
Wait ten minutes.
Enjoy rice.

No need for stirring.

Yes need for washing first, usually.

[Eldin00]

I have a rice cooker and believe if you cook rice more than once or twice per week, it's a worthwhile investment. However, I cooked rice for years without one, and almost never had it burn. Only difference between how I usually cooked it and what Japa just said is that I usually let the rice soak for 30 minutes to an hour before cooking.

[Rose]

My wife cooks rice in a pressure cooker, but I have no idea how.

[Sheb]

I'm interested. You must extract that secret!

[Akura]

Peanut butter and black olives, on a sandwich. Now there's a combination I'd thought I'd regret. But didn't.

[Rose]

I'm interested. You must extract that secret!

Take same amount of water as rice.
Then boil either to one whistle or two whistles, depending on amount of rice.

[Flying Dice]

Big plateful of pasta with a little salt, butter, garlic, and chili powder. Mm, mmm, nothing tastes better than a full belly for less than a dollar.

[Rose]

Made some banana bread from a recipie off the internet, turned out great.

Spoiler: Check it. (click to show/hide)

[Frumple]

Huh. Crispier looking than I'm used to seeing banana bread. Hardly matters, banana bread is freaking delicious

Almost looks like you could take it to the next level by glazing it like a donut, though. The surface texture looks kinda' like one of those donut stick whatsits.

Or just outright make a banana bread donut. I... think I need to figure out how to do that, one of these days...

[Rose]

There's a very thin crust to it, but it's otherwise not crispy.

And a doughnut wouldn't work because the batter was pour-able.

[Frumple]

Learn to juggle?