Plastic Bags Melting in order to Cook Rice? Please help me.

Shiraz72

Bronze
Feb 10, 2010
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Heh. I can relate to that. I still haven't really mastered rice making ? la Dominicana so I leave it to the experts. When I cook Indian food Mr C always asks me if the basmati rice "hizo conc?n" - just to wind me up.

Cooking basmati rice is a lot like cooking Jasmine rice even more difficult, my last bf was Laotian. I had to learn to cook gow neow which is sticky rice...but not the kind you might be thinking of... it's not sticky at all if you cook it right. You use glutinous rice which you have to soak in water for a hour before cooking, drain and steam in a bamboo basket suspended over the boiling water... the rice never touches the water. It's fun because you eat it with your hands. Hands down though I prefer Dominican red rice and beans. My boyfriends sister makes it really good. mmm
 

bachata

Aprendiz de todo profesional de nada
Aug 18, 2007
5,483
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I do rice the old fashioned way; the way the Chinese do it.

MEASURE the frickin' rice.
Wash it well.
Put it in something with a lid
Add just a "tad" ( a Chinese word that means a 'little bit more) water than rice. Add salt. Taste water to test saltiness.
Turn on fire.
When big bubbles form, cover with lid, and lower fire to just a bubbling.
Leave on fire for 15-18 minutes.
Turn off fire.
Wait 18-20 minutes. Take off lid, Stir.

This does not make 'con-con'. Chinese are frugal and will not waste a grain of rice.

I use an iron pot, and I have an aluminum one for larger batches...

HB

Same way I do but I add corn oil.
 

woofsback

Bronze
Dec 20, 2009
706
233
0
i do what i can :)

i'm a single guy
rice
water
salt
rice cooker

don't even waste time for the "pray it works out" anymore
just scoop and eat...sometimes good...most times edible

love chinese fried rice...although sometimes it looks like
charchol fried rice :)
 
I cook rice the Arab way
1.heat some drops of olive oil
2.add the rice and stir
for every cup of rice I add 1 1/2 of water
3.bring to a boil and cover and cook with minimum heat
4.turn off after 15 minutes and cover with a clean cloth to absorb the moisture.

My husband prefers the Indian method. Oh, well his rice is also excellent.
 

dr_dreamin

Member
Jan 20, 2010
92
49
18
Does anyone else have problems getting "low heat" on a propane stove? Maybe y'all just have better stoves or better pots than I do!
 

Shiraz72

Bronze
Feb 10, 2010
523
62
0
Does anyone else have problems getting "low heat" on a propane stove? Maybe y'all just have better stoves or better pots than I do!

I use Lagostina pots and the bottom has a thick insulated layer which keeps stuff from burning.... and the glass metal rimmed lids with a little steam vent work great. the heat setting can drive me crazy using a gas stove sometimes even on the lowest setting it blazes up like a blow torch and then other times it's so dam low it takes forever to boil water...:ermm:
 

rendul

Bronze
Feb 24, 2002
623
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rendul.tripod.com
I also cut up some Westphalian ham and nestle the pieces in before I cover them with tomato soup. I don't use tomato juice. I guess it could be difficult getting a head of soured cabbage. We get our brined cabbage from the Mennonites here. Any down there?
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,849
984
113
Now good one, how to prepare Sarmas:
buy Cabbage in German store, sauerkraut (Repollo Agrio).
Wash leaves.
Prepare rice until is almost done. Prepare minced meat (beef, pork, ham, onion), mix with rice.
Fill Cabbage leaves with rice and minced meat. Roll the leaves, and add in the deep pot.
Follow one of these instructions:
Serbian Stuffed Cabbage Recipe - Recipe for Serbian Sarma or Stuffed Cabbage
Sarma (Stuffed Cabbage) Recipe - Allrecipes.com
115674.jpg

Here's their Dominican cousin:
Ni?o envuelto (Rice cake wrapped in cabbage leaf) - Dominican Cooking
 

dr_dreamin

Member
Jan 20, 2010
92
49
18
Now good one, how to prepare Sarmas:
buy Cabbage in German store, sauerkraut (Repollo Agrio).
Wash leaves.
Prepare rice until is almost done. Prepare minced meat (beef, pork, ham, onion), mix with rice.
Fill Cabbage leaves with rice and minced meat. Roll the leaves, and add in the deep pot.
Follow one of these instructions:
Serbian Stuffed Cabbage Recipe - Recipe for Serbian Sarma or Stuffed Cabbage
Sarma (Stuffed Cabbage) Recipe - Allrecipes.com

CURSE YOU MILOSKORAC! I was having a perfectly fine day, but you had to bring up cabbage rolls, to remind me how much I miss them. Beware ... I will find a way to wreak revenge!
 

Keith R

"Believe it!"
Jan 1, 2002
2,984
36
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www.temasactuales.com
I think we have strayed quite far from the original health concern into swapping favorite recipes -- which is fun and good, but more properly belongs in the Living or General forums. No one has anything further to add on the possible health impact of the practice of using plastic bags to cover cooking rice? If not, maybe it's time to close the thread or move it to another forum if people want to continue discussing how best to cook rice, con con, and cabage rolls...

The Environment Forum moderator
 
May 29, 2006
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Does anyone else have problems getting "low heat" on a propane stove? Maybe y'all just have better stoves or better pots than I do!

You can make a "flame tamer" by squashing a large tin can and putting it under your pot. It will smoke the first time you use it, but it will help prevent burnt pots. You can also turn the valve down on the propane tank. Maybe you have a problem with the regulator? Do you have a regulator?
 

las2137

New member
Sep 1, 2008
290
60
0
While in the DR, my babysitter did just that and the plastic bag never melted.
I figured she does that to have the lid closed tighter and the rice cook a tad faster.
I also think it has just become an habit because I have cooked rice in the same pot and it came out just like hers.

My husband uses the bag when he cooks Dominican-style rice, without ever having burned a bag. (Yes, that's right a Dominican man cooking rice!) When we don't have one available- we use cloth bags at the store- we use wax or parchment paper just fine.
 

Celt202

Gold
May 22, 2004
9,099
944
113
The Kennedy Way

One Kennedy mixes the martinis.

One calls the Chinese restaurant.

They all chug the martinis and scarf the rice when it arrives. (no tip)

Maid cleans up after them.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,262
364
0
i avoid this problem altogether by not eating rice, i truly hate it.
on rare occasions when family visits i use rice cooker. i never wash rice, just put it inside, roughly cover with water and add a pinch of salt. then i press start and voila. they do not seem to like it much (their maids uses a normal pot) but i don't give a damn. i refuse to put any effort into preparing a dish i detest.