To Boil Rice for Curry

Name: To Boil Rice for Curry
Cuisine: United Kingdom
Ingredients: For from four to six ounces of uncooked rice choose a four-quart, or even larger stew-pan; three-parts fill this with water, and set it on to boil, putting into it a dessertspoonful of salt, and the juice of half a lemon.; While the water is coming to the boil, sift on a sieve, but do not wash the rice. Rice for the English market is so carefully refined and winnowed that it does not require washing, and it is an advantage to keep the grains dry until they are plunged into boiling water.; Put a small jug of cold water within easy reach of the range.; As soon as the water boils freely, cast in the rice, and with a wooden spoon give it occasionally a gentle stir round.; Mark the time when the rice was put in, and in about ten or twelve minutes begin to test the grains by taking a few of them out with the spoon and pinching them between the finger and thumb.; When the grains feel thoroughly softened through, yet firm, stop the boiling at once by dashing in the jugful of cold water.; Empty the contents of the stewpan upon a large wire sieve, and drain off the water completely.; The butter is put in to detach the grains which always adhere to the bottom and side of the pan: as this melts the grains will come away. Scatter them well with a two pronged fork. Never use a spoon.; While it is draining, melt half an ounce of butter in the hot pan in which the rice was boiled, and when the latter has drained, return it to the pan; shake this well, set it on the corner of the hot-plate, and cover it with a clean napkin, so that it may dry, repeating the shaking every now and then to separate the grains.

Colonel Kenney Herbert (‘Wyvern’)

Preparation info

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Good Things in England

By Florence White

Published 1932

About

Method

Rice like macaroni must be plunged into boiling water and finished in the same way; but it will be well, perhaps, to give each step in detail:

For from four to six ounces of uncoo