Happy Martin Luther King Day. Yes, it's one of those ridiculous federal holidays. But schools everywhere are out, so I'll take a break as well. (And we’re trying to get all the bugs worked out with the flash drives and online ordering. As of this moment, we think most bugs are worked out and that you can order online. Give it a try. Email if it isn’t working for you and we’ll try again.)
Instant rice is totally a DIY thing. You need never spend too much money on too little rice with way too little flavor ever again. Here's how:
Cook your rice per instructions on the package. Use any kind of rice you want. A rice cooker will produce perfectly cooked rice that dehydrates perfectly as well. It's been my experience that using the minimum amount of water advised by the rice cooker instructions results in the best final product without any clumping.
Spread the rice on your dehydrating racks and set temperature to 145 degrees. Or spread the rice on cookie sheets and dehydrate in a warm oven. Some ovens actually have a setting for dehydrating. You may need to prop the door open a crack to let water vapor escape. Dehydration will take from four to twelve hours, depending on the temperature setting, fan, and humidity. Dehydrate until the rice is brittle and there is absolutely no water left. Let cool. (Dehydrating rice at a lower temperature runs the risk of food poisoning with Bacillus cereus. And no, reheating the rice will not inactivate the toxin.)
Vacuum seal in canning jars or bags, or if you make a lot, in a plastic bucket with oxygen absorbers.
Reconstitute in a 1:1 ratio like any other instant rice, i.e., bring two cups of water to a boil, add two cups of rice, cover with lid, let stand five minutes, fluff with fork and eat. Perfect for quick meals.
Links to related posts:
Copycat Rice-A-Roni Mixes
Basic Food Storage--Rice
Spanish Rice
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1 april 2021
