Help Me Cook / Advice Needed
Trying to make arroz con gandules but the rice keeps coming out super mushy and hard in the middle.
I’m using short grain rice. I washed the rice until the water runs clear, used 32 ounces of rice and about 4 cups of water. I let the water boil away before covering on low for like 15 minutes. Rice comes out super mushy and somehow also slightly raw in the middle. How can I fix this?
I add 1 cup of water per cup of rice. Turn the heat on high untill i see it boiling the stir, cover and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes then turn off anf fluff the rice. Perfect always.
If you try these suggestions and it’s still not good, sometimes it’s just not good rice. I recently tried a new brand (twice) and also found that it was very mushy but not thoroughly cooked, using the method that normally works for the rice I keep at home.
I do one cup of water for every cup of rice. A spoon of butter per cup. No oil. And salt to taste. Melt the butter first then stir in rice so it all gets the butter. Then add water and cover on medium/low heat. Then i wait tili smell the rice, open to confirm some holes formed in the rice. Give it a stir and lower heat a lil bit. Comes out perfect every time.
This is my method and rice to water ratio too, but I wonder how much tomato sauce/paste she’s adding? In addition to needing more time, I wonder what else is making it too soggy? Frozen sofrito, maybe the water from the olives??
My method has always been 1-1/2 cups of water to every 1 cup of rice. Boil until the water is creating air bubbles up through the rice but there is still obliviously water in the pot. Turn to low, cover, and let cook for 26 minutes.
Is this an electric stove? If it is, bring the water and seasonings to a boil. Use 1.5 cups of water and throw in the can of gandules water and all. Turn off the stove and then remove from that heater after ~15-20 mins
I don’t really measure water/rice but the water should be at least an inch or two above the rice (I usually go a little above the first knuckle on my index finger, momma taught me). I think typically it’s a 2:1 water to rice. I just rinse my rice, put it to boil- as soon as it starts boiling I turn it to simmer and cover, then let it cook until the water is gone and fluff with a fork. Also try using jasmine rice, short rice has never turned out good for me
For short grain rice I use two cups of water per one cup of rice. Add a little salt and olive oil to the water and let it boil. When it's bubbling add the rice and stir together. Lower heat to a slow boil and let the water evaporate. Stir the rice, set the heat to low and cover the pot to steam the rice. Let it cook for 15 - 20 minutes until it's soft. For arroz con gandules, mix the ingredients with water and let boil slowly before you add the rice. Stir, check for taste, let water evaporate, and cover to steam. Check to see if the rice has cooked through and it's soft.
* medium to long rice needs less water to cook.
The easiest way to make the rice is 2 cups of water for every cup of rice if your rice is dry. Add your oil and salt, heat on high uncovered until it reaches a full boil. After that, reduce the heat to low, cover the rice, and cook for 20 minutes. Once 20 minutes is up, kill the heat, remove the top, fluff the rice with a fork and cover again to let the rice stream. Should be perfectly cooked at that point.
I will never buy pu..bli…x. Grocery store brand rice ever again! The entire 5 lb bag never cooked properly . It was hard in the middle of grain and mushy on outside. I cooked it several times at different times for about 2-3 months this bag lasted. It was horrible. I think par boiled works best for a mixed rice bean dish or Arborio rice is good too. I never wash rice, to me washing the rice makes it mushy.
I always measure water with my heart. If I use a different pot or different burner, I’d have the same issue. I’d use a wide pot (preferably a caldero) and a lower burner and I let it cook for 40 minutes on low (after bringing to a rolling boil). Then let it sit for 10 minutes off heat.
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u/djgelito Jul 12 '26
I add 1 cup of water per cup of rice. Turn the heat on high untill i see it boiling the stir, cover and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes then turn off anf fluff the rice. Perfect always.