Rice

[rwb0481]

Has anyone used a rice steamer like this while camping/overlanding: Thai rice steamer? Looks to be fairly compact and extremely easy to use and clean. I enjoy making stews and various gumbos in my small but handy cooking set and I think this would be a welcome addition.

It says to soak the rice for 4 hours, which I guess could be done while driving or setting up camp. I can imagine a nice dinner of freshly caught trout seasoned and baked served over a bed of freshly steamed rice. Nori and steamed rice wouldn't be bad either!

 

[Joanne]

Has anyone used a rice steamer like this while camping/overlanding: Thai rice steamer? Looks to be fairly compact and extremely easy to use and clean. I enjoy making stews and various gumbos in my small but handy cooking set and I think this would be a welcome addition.

It says to soak the rice for 4 hours, which I guess could be done while driving or setting up camp. I can imagine a nice dinner of freshly caught trout seasoned and baked served over a bed of freshly steamed rice. Nori and steamed rice wouldn't be bad either!

I regularly make rice to accompany chicken curry when I'm out camping. I just use my 8" Dutch oven with a handful of briquettes for heat. 15 minutes later I have a nice pot of fragrant Jasmine rice. The rice comes out a bit sticky but that's exactly how I like it. Of course you could do it on your camp stove just as easy.

Here's a good link for those of you who haven't tried to cook rice. http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/articles/how-to/cook-rice-perfectly.aspx

I'm not sure that I would carry around an extra piece of cookware just to cook rice in when it's easy enough to cook in a pot that I already have.

Just my thoughts...

Joanne

 

[rwb0481]

Thanks for the link Joanne. I'll have to give it another shot in the pot I already have. I've never been able to make a really good pot of rice on the trail, especially sticky rice, but it looks like I may just need to tweak my technique.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Thanks for the link Joanne. I'll have to give it another shot in the pot I already have. I've never been able to make a really good pot of rice on the trail, especially sticky rice, but it looks like I may just need to tweak my technique.

The rinse and rest steps are critical. Here in the mountains we have to watch the altitude as well, sometimes it's best to bite the bullet and go with the quick cook stuff at high altitude.

 

[paulj]

17" wide, 13" is not particularly compact, especially if it can't be crushed, or used for something else. The cooking pot is also specialized.

Black sticky rice, which is a whole grain, needs long soaking and steaming. But it is much faster to cook it in a pressure cooker (30 minutes without soaking).

Regular rice needs about 4 minutes of pressure, 7 of cooling. A risotto style can be made with 7 minutes of pressure, and quick cooling.

 

[gypsydebs]

wash and rinse

I have been cooking pots of rice on open fire and gas for almost 9 years for groups. Rice does differ considerably from county to country (I have been working in South America and all over Africa).

My way - non sticky
wash the rice, pour off the water, wash again - repeat the process until water is almost clear. Basically you are washing off the starch which makes rice go sticky.
on gas - 1 cup of rice to 1 1/2 cups of cold water - a splash of oil and generous shake of salt. bring to boil (no lid), put lid on pot and bring temp down to simmer DO NOT STIR - cook until rice is tender and liquid absorbed.

On fire - a little tricky; as above bring to boil. move some coals to one side of the bbq grill (or close the door of the jiko) place pot on top of BBQ grill, the pot should be slightly bubbling. again wait until water is absorbed and DO NOT STIR.

For Sticky rice do not wash and stir as much as you like!

happy cooking
Debs

 

[paulj]

http://importfood.com/stickyrice.html

 

[calamaridog]

I've cooked Jambalaya in my pressure cooker and also dirty rice. I use long grain rice mostly in the pressure cooker.

 

[HarryT]

Back during WWNam, we used a section of green bamboo a few inches thick to steam rice. Just slice an opening in the tube, add rice until its a little less than half full, close the hole and wrap a piece of vine around it to keep it sealed. Then put it in the fire for a while.

 

[tommudd]

My wife who is from Tanzania does her rice somewhat different, she uses a little oil mixed in the rice under low heat, mixing it together as it heats up, then after the rice is warm she puts enough hot water in just to about cover the rice, and then puts a lid on it and lets it steam until done. Of course she adds several spices for the flavoring while cooking. We have done it once over an open fire and it turned out just as good as at home. She thinks most Americans over cook their rice which makes it too chewey and gummy like ??
Before I met her rice was just rice to me, now we only use Jasmine rice that smells just right, yes we have to smell it before we buy it LOL