Perfect Parboiled Rice – Cooking rice is easy, all you need is three ingredients but at times, you overcook the rice or undercook it, make it salty, or use less salt. Today I am sharing my way of cooking the perfect parboiled rice.
Parboiled rice is a forgiving rice, you can not ruin the rice as quickly as you can with regular rice. If you over boil it, unlike regular rice it will not turn mushy so quick.
If you undercook it, all you have to do is add hot water and let cook some more and it won’t stick together. You’ll love having it with Chicken Adobo.
How to Make Parboiled Rice
Long grain basmati rice is the rice I love to use in cooking, but after trying the parboiled basmati rice, it became my favorite.
As a food blogger, parboiled rice if cooked properly will look great in pictures and that’s another reason why I prefer using parboiled rice.
Parboiled rice has more nutrients than normal basmati rice.
The process of making perfect parboiled rice is almost the same as cooking the usual basmati rice but there are fewer chances of messing it up, in a way it is a forgiving rice.
Easy Perfect Parboiled Rice Recipe
In this recipe (and it is an easy parboiled rice recipe), I will teach you how to make Basmati long grain parboiled rice.
The amount of salt is measured to be perfect so is the water and the timing, you will enjoy cooking parboiled rice after this post.
I am using the boil and drain method in this recipe, it is faster and more convenient.
Hopefully, in the near future, I will be sharing other methods of making different types of rice.
Parboiled rice tastes good in recipes like Indian Biryani, Mexican Rice and chicken, even Nigerian Jollof Rice.
If you like to add flavors to your white rice, then these two recipes are try worthy.
What is Parboiled Rice?
Parboiled rice (also known as converted rice) is long-grain rice that has been steam-cooked before it is dried. What this means is that the rice is partially boiled in its inedible outer husk before it’s processed further.
This is an ancient practice as well from some African countries, dating back thousands of years, as it made it easier to remove the husk from the rice!
Not only does it make storing the rice more efficient, but it also adds nutrients to the rice making it a healthier option! It’s also easier to cook than regular rice and has a better texture. Win-win situation, I’d say!
What's the Difference between Parboiled Rice and White Rice?
Both white rice and parboiled rice are quite similar, yet different. They’re both extra-long grain rice, but the difference comes from the way it is processed.
The processing method for parboiled rice adds a more yellow color, and it also has a stronger taste than regular white rice. The way it is processed also adds more nutrients to the grains and makes it more like brown rice.
I’d say if there was a health continuum for rice, parboiled rice would rest between white and brown rice. Since these days rice is also enriched with more nutrients at times, it makes parboiled rice sometimes even closer to brown rice in terms of nutrient value. This is perfect because it’s also way easier to make than brown rice and takes less time!
Potential Health Benefits of Parboiled Rice
Parboiled rice comes with many health benefits, and for a good reason! Since the rice is partially boiled in its husk before being processed further, some water-soluble nutrients are transferred into the rice kernels.
In this way, nutrients that are usually lost while processing white rice are still retained in the kernels of parboiled rice. It results in rice that is higher in terms of protein, calcium, fiber, potassium.
An interesting fact is that parboiled rice is a lot higher when it comes to thiamine and niacin than white rice, which are essential b vitamins that our bodies require for energy.
However, parboiled rice is lower in magnesium and zinc than white and brown rice. Sometimes this difference is not so significant, as many rice these days are further enriched with many vitamins and minerals including these, as well as iron and folate.
Since parboiled rice has approximately twice the amount of fiber compared to regular white rice, it is a much better option for people with diabetes! It prevents spikes in blood sugar while simultaneously providing better nutrition.
Overall, due to the parboiling process, this type of rice is a better source of fiber and an excellent source of carbohydrates for our bodies. It’s just a no-brainer to use this instead of white rice every time you want to have a bowl of rice!
Steps to Make the Perfect Parboiled Rice
- Wash: Start off by washing and rinsing the rice until the water is almost clear.
- Soak rice: Next, we’ll soak the rice in warm water for at least 20 minutes. Soaking it will allow the rice to be cooked perfectly, so don’t skip this step!
- Boil water: In a saucepan, boil water and add salt and olive oil to it.
- Add rice: When the water comes to a rolling boil, add the rice, let it come to a boil again.
- Cook: Cook the rice on medium-high heat for 14 minutes.
- Drain: Now drain the rice. Return the rice to the pan and cover.
- Cover rice: Keep the rice covered for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Perfect Parboiled Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked parboiled long grain rice or basmati parboiled rice.
- 1 leveled tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 7 ½ cup water
Instructions
- Wash and rinse the rice until the water is almost clear.
- Soak rice in lukewarm water for at least 20 minutes.
- In a pan, boil the water, add salt and olive oil.
- When the water comes to a rolling boil, add the rice, let it come to a boil again.
- Cook the rice on medium-high heat for 14 minutes.
- Drain the rice. Return the rice to the pan and cover. Keep the rice covered for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Washing the rice is crucial unless its package says it’s been washed before packing or mentions (washing not required) on the box.
- Make sure the water reached a rolling boil or else the rice will turn sticky and starchy.
- Instead of olive oil, you can add regular oil or unsalted butter.
Farida
I never tried this way, this is huge amount of water per cup, will try it next time!
munatycooking
Hi Farida,
This is a boil and drain method, it requires more water so the rice doesn't get starchy and stick together, also one cup of par-boiled rice when cooked become much bigger and longer than normal rice. believe me, this much water is the right amount. Please let me know your feedback whenever you try it 🙂
Chris Scheuer
Your rice comes out just beautiful! I can see why you like to use this method, especially for photoshoots!
munatycooking
Thanks Chris 🙂
Nagi@RecipeTinEats
The rice came out just beautiful! It's perfect white and perfectly cooked!
munatycooking
Thanks Nagi, you are so sweet 🙂
Favour adelaiye
Wow it looking perfect. I will try it when next i cook my rice
Spyros
The rice came out awesome, cooked to perfection. Thanks for the recipe, I'll definitely be cooking parboiled this way from now on. 🙂
Just one -rather theoretical- question. Why soak the rice? It didn't seem to have any noticeable effect on volume, so I guess the water didn't actually penetrate the rice.
munatycooking
The soaking makes the cooking time shorter.
Workstation
I thought you are not supposed to rinse the parboiled rice.
munatycooking
It depends on the brand you are using!
B. Silver
When you return the rice to the pan after draining the water, you say to return it to the pan and cover it for 15 minutes. Shouod the heat still be on medium-high? (I doubt it...?) Or, should it be on low? Or do I turn off the heat entirely and just let it sit covered while the stove is off? Thanks very much for clarifying.
munatycooking
Hi, the heat should be off! Hope this helped 🙂
Monica Simpson
I'll have to look for parboiled Basmati next time I'm at the store. I find it so annoying when rice doesn't turn out right.
Sarah
My husband is a big lover of rice. I'll have to try this.
munatycooking
Let me know, how it turned out for you 😉
vidya
thanks for the details.. i have not tried parboiled basmati yet..
and did not realize that this looks better photographed :)that is a cool tip to know
munatycooking
You are welcome Vidya 🙂
Nicole Hood
A good recipe to master. It goes with everything!
Annie T
Do you have any comments on how much water, salt, olive oil to add for 2, 3 cups of rice or should I just multiply up? 1 cup of rice is not enough for my family and I still think 15 cups of water for 2 cups of rice is too much. Thanks
munatycooking
Hi Annie, the idea behind adding that much water is to allow each grain of rice to cook freely and not produce starch and get sticky. You can add less water as long as the rice doesn't get starchy while cooking. You can always keep extra hot water aside and add it to the rice if the water reduced or the rice looked starchy. I hope this helped 🙂
Erika Hildebrandt
Great recipe, thank you!
Bagia Puran
How much water does one need for the rice cooker method?
I have used 2.5 cups of water per cup of rice in my rice cooker. I wasn't very happy as the cooke rice remained a but rubbery or grains too separated
munatycooking
I have never made parboiled rice in a rice cooker before, I'm not sure I can offer more guidance on this.
Frances
wow, I tried this and came out with rice that didn't go to mush and the grains did seem longer. I have always had a terrible time with rice and this method turned out really well. This is now the method I will use. Thank you
munatycooking
Thank you so much for your kind comment 🙂
Trishe
I was a bit merit l nervous I would fail again but with your simple steps my rice came out perfect! Thank you
munatycooking
You are most welcome 🙂
Betty A Kradel
I make this weekly! My husband calls it magical basmati rice 🙂 Lovely forgiving cooking formula. I am going to try a similar, water modified, method using brown basmati! Thank you so much.
munatycooking
I'm glad that you enjoyed my recipe 🙂