Twitter divides over the best way to get perfect grains

It’s a staple of many cuisines, from Jamaican to Chinese, and yet cooks are divided over the best way to make a pot of rice.

A debate has been raging on Twitter about how to cook grains perfectly, with many scoffing at anyone who uses a dedicated rice cooker.

But others say a dedicated device is the best way to ensure perfect rice every time, and have revealed the best ratio for ensuring the grains don’t become too dry or overcooked. 

Do you cook rice in a pan with water (pictured), or in a rice cooker? Twitter users had a fierce debate on social media about the best way to cook grains and could not agree

The frenzied discussion began after Twitter user MartialisLife tweeted his revelation that ‘people don’t know [how to] cook rice without rice cookers’.

His tweet went viral with more than 1,300 likes as home cooks realised how strongly some people feel about using a rice cooker or cooking in on the stovetop.

Many people agreed with MartialisLife that cooking on a stovetop is the best way to cook the carbohydrate.

One said rather smugly: ‘I wouldn’t even know how to use a rice cooker,’ while another said that ‘a lidded saucepan is a rice cooker without the faff’. 

Many people swear by dedicated rice cookers for giving them perfect grains every time, but others say the appliances are a waste of money and unnecessary as you can just cook rice in a pan with water

Many people swear by dedicated rice cookers for giving them perfect grains every time, but others say the appliances are a waste of money and unnecessary as you can just cook rice in a pan with water

Twitter was divided on the best way to cook rice, with half of people saying that you don't need a rice cooker, and that a lidded saucepan is just as good. They even shared their cooking tips

Twitter was divided on the best way to cook rice, with half of people saying that you don’t need a rice cooker, and that a lidded saucepan is just as good. They even shared their cooking tips

One questioned why anyone would buy a rice cooker to help them cook their grains, saying you don’t need a ‘special appliance’.

But others swore by their beloved rice cookers, saying that most Asian households will have one of the devices in their homes.

One Twitter user called them ‘amazing and convenient,’ as all you need to do is put the rice in the cooker with some water, switch on a button and leave it, as the device will switch off by itself when it’s done and keep it warm.

Another said: ‘Every Asian I’ve ever met has a rice cooker in their house lol. Growing up in an Asian household too, I didn’t even know cooking rice on the stovetop was a thing until I started learning how to cook for myself.’

Other Twitter users said that they grew up with rice cookers, as they are a staple appliance in many Asian families' homes, and they ensure you will enjoy perfectly cooked grains each time without any effort

Other Twitter users said that they grew up with rice cookers, as they are a staple appliance in many Asian families’ homes, and they ensure you will enjoy perfectly cooked grains each time without any effort

Others shared their foolproof method for cooking rice in a device.

They said cooks should use a ratio of two cups of water to one cup of rice, and ensure you have a half a finger’s worth of water above the rice.

One home cook recommended fluffing it with a fork towards the end of the cooking process and to drain any excess water – but added that there should not be any excess if you pour in the right amount. 

If you do cook it in a pot, one Twitter user said his Vietnamese friend taught him to add water to a pot of rice with half a finger’s worth above the grains.

You should then bring it to the boil, reduce the heat to low and cover, he added, before turning off the heat when the water disappears below the rice. Then, he said you should let the rice sit for five to 10 minutes.



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