I am totally rice cooking impaired too!  Couple of things, that my mom tried to teach me. Some types of rice need rinsing before cooking to remove extra starch.  I thought the rice etc all went in at the same time then boiled. Type of pot mattered. I have some cast iron enamel covered pots that seem to be to heavy and hold the heat too much for rice.  I got a cheap rice cooker and still have problems!  I know fluffing it is important.  I have to try the baking method! thanks for the tip.

Brandy:

Brandy, are you using a gas or electric stove?...gas

and are you certain you have the heat low?....as low as it would go without going out

I'm sort of wondering if the gas burner isn't concentrating the heat in to small an area rather than spreading it like an electric range? 

I know that the professional cooks seem to like gas stoves, but I sure like my electric range compared to the gas stove I used to have. 

 

 

 

I always use a microwave rice steamer (just a plastic pot with a vented lid that can be got cheaply from Walmart or other discount stores).  Add 1 part rice to 2 water (or a little scant).  Follow times on instruction sheet.  My family of 3 is fed on 1 cup rice, 2 cups water that are microwaved for 11 minutes and left to set in the steamer for 5 minutes.  Perfect rice every time.  I also add chicken stock, garlic and olive oil to make a nice side among other things.

 I have used gas before then electric and now this propane fueled stove. I prefer electric and the meals I cook now came out much better on it.

For the record though, I have had an electric steamer before for rice. More recently, I use Mom's at her house to steam then carry the rice home. It was rather late and I did not feel like sitting about over there so I thought I would try my hand at it on the stove.

 

Thanks, Oldnangry. I have seen the microwave steamers but was not sure if they worked.

 

 ME TOO.  EVERYBODY says it is so easy but not for me.  I resorted to purchasing an inexpensive (les than $15?) rice cooker and it's perfect every single time.  Add the rice, the water, push ON, and that's it. 

I had forgotten about your difficult stove when I gave you the directions, Brandy!

It's ok. I tried cornbread in a pan after the rice and ended up burning the right side while the left side came out fine. Maybe it's just the quirky stove.

 

I am rice cooking impaired as well. The only way I can get rice to turn out is to use Minute Rice. It requires equal parts rice and water. I bring my water to boil. Add an equal amount of rice. Bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat, put the lid on and cook for 5 minutes. Turn it off and let it stand for 5 minutes, fluff and serve. Always turns out great. It may not be the best alternative but it is better than nothing. A HUGE box costs $3.47 at Wal*Mart and I get many uses out of it.

A favorite quick meal: Chili and Rice with cornbread. Even if I use minute rice, canned chili and  packaged cornbread mix it costs about $5.00 to feed a family of three. Which is still cheaper than take-out.

My two methods for cooking rice:

 

1. Japanese short-grain rice - for sticky 'chopstick' rice and sushi/nori maki

Put the rice in a saucepan and rinse until the water is clear. This is important as the starch makes it stick and burn. Add cold water to about half-as-much-again as the level of rice (my recipe says about 1/5th but I find this makes the rice too dry). Let it soak for half an hour or so. Add a slow heat and put the lid on. Once it boils for a couple of minutes, stir it, then put the lid back on. After 14 minutes turn the heat off. Leave for another ten minutes before lifting the lid. You might have to ajust the time for your rice. I usually turn the heat off for short times during cooking, so that it doesn't get too hot - the saucpan holds a lot of heat and you don't want to burn it. I don't add salt until after cooking.

 2. Long grain chinese or indian rice.

Get a -big- pan of water to the boil. Add salt. Add rice, and boil for 11-12 minutes.  Keep checking it with a spoon when you are at about 10 minutes - you want it to be -just- cooked, still slightly firm, not crunchy, not squishy. Drain into steel collander. Put an inch of boiling water in the bottom of the saucepan, put collander over it, and put lid on top. (mine all fit together like a steamer. You can use foil as a lid if your lid doesn't fit). Put over heat for a few minutes. Fluff with a fork, taste test and steam for longer if needed. Works every time, provided I don't over-cook it too begin with.