How to Cook White Rice the Way My Mom Taught Me

When I left my mother's house I had been taught to make rice, but I never actually cooked rice. I'm ashamed to say it, but I didn't really know how to cook rice until I was almost thirty. I know what you're thinking! I can hear you from here! You are thinking "how could a spanish woman not know how to cook rice?" Okay! I know, I know.

You have to understand that I ate rice and beans pretty much everyday growing up. When I moved out, I wanted to eat "American" food everyday! I worked as a server, lived off fast food and cereal, and hardly ever cooked. When I did cook, it was macaroni and cheese or some other box food. Every time I attempted rice, I usually overcooked it or undercooked it so I dreaded trying to cook it. I just couldn't get the concept.

One day, I heard someone comparing something to cooking rice because you use equal parts. After this, I wanted to try cooking rice again. Eventually, the memory of my mom teaching me to make rice started to get clearer and clearer. Its almost as if the simple act of wanting to, made the memory clearer.

I remembered her telling me that she liked to use a big metal cooking spoon because it was flatter and better for turning over the rice. She used the metal spoon to measure the oil and the salt. I remember her saying that the oil should cover the bottom of the pot. She said that every piece of rice should be coated in oil and to cook the rice for a few minutes before adding the water. I remember her telling me that after the water boiled I should cover it and not touch the lid for at least 15 minutes. I remember her telling me to taste the water before covering the rice and if it tasted almost too salty then it was just right.

I can see the shiny pot that she used and the overhead stove light casting an easy glow on everything. She was very "matter of fact" about things. She was usually too busy running a household to remember to teach me about much. So the few memories that I have of her sharing some thing with me are very special to me. She probably thought I wasn't paying attention, but I guess I was.

Here is that recipe, because there may be other young ladies out there ashamed about not knowing how to cook rice and I must help them! :)