I don’t have a rice cooker. I also don’t let that stop me from making fluffy mounds of rice. And since I appear to be in the mood for cooking dishes that work nicely with this versatile grain, I thought I’d tell you how I go about making a batch of rice quickly, easily, and without anything you don’t already have.

Rice, as you know, starts as solid grains with the potential to develop into light, airy morsels of goodness when cooked well. The internet seems to be full of horror stories about rice cooking that turn these grains into batches of starchy paste or edible kernels still solid in the middle and decidedly un-fluffy, and rice cookers are offered as the suggestion for remedying these problems. I learned to cook rice, from my mom, with nothing more than a pot and a lid, and I’ve always been pleased with the result. Plus, the method is really easy: in fact, the hardest part is leaving it alone so the rice can do its job.

Here’s what to do:

1. Start with a medium-sized pot that has a lid. You’ll also need a dry measuring cup and, you know, some rice.

2. Add rice and water to the pot in a ratio of 1:2. I usually use one cup of rice and two cups of water. Add a big pinch of salt and give it one stir.

3. Place the pot, uncovered, on the stove over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once the water  has reached a rolling boil, reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover immediately, allowing the rice to stay warm while it absorbs the water. Do not stir the rice. Let me repeat that: DO NOT STIR THE RICE. Stirring the rice at this stage will release the starches, giving you a gooey, sticky mess.

After 18-20 minutes, remove the lid and check the bottom of the pan with a fork to ensure that there is no standing water in the bottom.

4. Once you know the water has all been absorbed, replace the lid and remove from the heat. Allow to rest for about 5 minutes.

5. When you are ready to serve, fluff the rice with a fork and serve warm. The result is a pot full of light and fluffy rice that’s done in less than 30 minutes!

Don’t worry if you make too much for dinner… you can always turn the leftovers into a fantastic breakfast.

What is your favorite way to use rice?

Rice, too, was always part of these week-night stir fries. And it was the rice that yielded the best leftovers, because the following morning, dad would make rice cakes.

Rice cakes, as I grew up with them, are not comparable to the puffy, crunchy discs of rice you can buy at the store. These rice cakes are rather more like pancakes, cooked in a frying pan and slathered with butter and maple syrup to make a scrumptious breakfast.

Whether you make your rice for stir fry, curry, or something like this, make a little extra and you can set yourself up for a week’s worth of awesome breakfasts.

Aside from the rice, all you need to get cookin’ are a few eggs, some salt, and oil for pan-frying. What’s great about this recipe is that it can be expanded or reduced to almost any quantity of leftover rice: 1 1/2 cups rice needs one egg and a pinch of salt.

Then, as with pancakes, the mixture is gently shaped into discs to pan-fry until golden brown on each side.

This breakfast is filling but light, savory but sweet, and definitely the most delicious way I can imagine using up leftover rice. You could even cook a batch of rice with the sole purpose of making these rice cakes. But I suppose they would not officially be leftover rice cakes… scandalous!

Leftover-Rice Cakes
Inspired by childhood breakfasts from Dad

Makes 9-10 four-inch rice cakes

Note: This recipe can be expanded or reduced based on the quantity of rice you have on hand. The basic ratio is 1 1/2 cups of rice to one egg to 1/8 tsp salt.

3 cups cooked white rice
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
canola oil for frying

Add enough oil to a large frying pan to coat the bottom and place over medium heat. While the pan is warming, use a fork to break of any clumps of rice. Then, add the eggs and salt to the rice and mix well until rice grains are fully coated.

Once oil is glistening, spoon the rice mixture into clumps in the pan and gently flatten and shape until each is about 1/2″ thick and 4″ in diameter. I was able to cook four cakes at a time in a 12″ frying pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes, undisturbed, until edges are beginning to brown. Use a spatula to carefully flip each rice cake and cook the second side for 3-5 minutes. Once both sides of the cakes are golden-brown, remove the rice cakes to a plate lined in paper towels. If needed, add more oil to the pan and continue making rice cakes until all of the mixture has been used.

Serve rice cakes as you would pancakes, with butter and maple syrup.

Simple, savory
And makes enough for lunches:
My kind of dinner

Rice dressed to the nines
Wearing herbs, mushrooms, and nuts
To complete the look

Rice cooks in water
The rest sautés in a pan
Waiting to meet up

Suddenly, dinner!
Full of texture and flavor
Quite worth repeating

Rosemary Wild Rice with Mushrooms & Cashews
Adapted from All Recipes

Makes about 4 cups

1 c wild rice
1 3/4 c chicken stock
1-2 tsp olive oil
1/2 c onion, chopped
1 c mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T rosemary, chopped
1 c cashews, roughly chopped
salt & pepper to taste

In a medium sauce pan, combine chicken stock and rice over medium heat. Once liquid begins to boil, stir once, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes.

While the rice cooks, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until lightly caramelized. Add mushrooms, garlic, and rosemary and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until mushrooms soften. Add cashews and sauté for 2-3 more minutes.

Once the rice is cooked, remove from heat and fluff with a fork (there may still be a bit of liquid in the bottom of the pan, and this is fine). Add rice and any remaining liquid to the frying pan and combine with mushroom mixture. Stirring often, sauté for 2-3 more minutes.

Remove to serving bowl. Excellent as a side or even as an entrée.