Microwave Rice bad for you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Yes, it takes 15 minutes from absolute start to absolute finish, but, typically meal prep ALSO takes that long if you are honest and including things like setting the table, pouring drinks, searing the meat/tofu, etc.

What in the world are you using for rice? The Uncle Ben's processed rice? I'm Chinese and even with the rice cooker, standard rice takes about 25 minutes and brown rice takes about 35-40 minutes to cook. Same for on the stove.

If you are using the converted rice, than you might as well just do the microwave rice, it's the same thing, just precooked so that it cooks faster.

When we have time, I do rice in the rice cooker. When we don't, or we only need one portion (like a quick snack), then we use the microwave rice if we don't have any already cooked in the fridge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is so hard and inconvenient about making rice on the stove top in a pan? Just asking. I don't eat rice because of the arsenic levels. What does a microwave do to rice when cooking?

I second this.

Yes, it takes 15 minutes from absolute start to absolute finish, but, typically meal prep ALSO takes that long if you are honest and including things like setting the table, pouring drinks, searing the meat/tofu, etc.

So you put this rice and water in a saucepot, spend 14 minutes doing everything else, and at the 15 minute mark Voila! the family sits down to dinner with hot rice, utensils, chopped vegetables and seared meat or tofu.

And PPs, not all rice in the world is packed with arsenic.

I use the microwave cups because it helps with portion control. And because then I don't have to clean another pot. What works for your family doesn't have to work for mine.

[Anonymous]

I can't seem to make rice on the stovetop, unless it's brown rice and takes forever. White rice goes in the rice cooker or I just use leftover from Asian takeout.

I honestly don't know why I can't make white rice on the stovetop without it burning/sticking or not absorbing all the water. I've been taught a million methods and it just doesn't work.

Microwave rice would be fine if I had the freezer space. Whatever works for you is fine.

[Anonymous]

You don't need to buy "microwave rice" to microwave rice: put two cups of water and one cup of regular rice in a covered pyrex or glass bowl, microwave on high for 5 minutes and then microwave at 50% for 15 minutes. Never fails.

There, I've just saved some of you hundreds of dollars over the course of your cooking life.

[Anonymous]

My husband researches toxin exposure for the EPA and we do not eat any hot food that has come into contact with plastic or store food in plastic. The worst example would be a Saran wrapped sandwich under a warming lamp at 7-11. So . . . We do not eat any foods you microwave in a bag. No worries about aluminum though. We are also trying to limit rice to once a week though because of arsenic. Arsenic is reported in US grown rice, but it is likely in all rice and other countries don't test.

If you really want brown rice, do an Internet search on how to cook ahead and freeze it.

[Anonymous]

I'm with PP -- I try to avoid cooking/microwaving plastic. The steam-in-bag veggies and rice look so convenient, but I just don't like the idea of all that cooking in plastic.
I do use the instant brown rice in a box, which I know isn't as good as the 'real' thing, but it works for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband researches toxin exposure for the EPA and we do not eat any hot food that has come into contact with plastic or store food in plastic. The worst example would be a Saran wrapped sandwich under a warming lamp at 7-11. So . . . We do not eat any foods you microwave in a bag. No worries about aluminum though. We are also trying to limit rice to once a week though because of arsenic. Arsenic is reported in US grown rice, but it is likely in all rice and other countries don't test.

If you really want brown rice, do an Internet search on how to cook ahead and freeze it.

What about aluminum and alzheimer's? that is what I'm worried about with the rice cooker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't need to buy "microwave rice" to microwave rice: put two cups of water and one cup of regular rice in a covered pyrex or glass bowl, microwave on high for 5 minutes and then microwave at 50% for 15 minutes. Never fails.

There, I've just saved some of you hundreds of dollars over the course of your cooking life.

+1 And no worries about plastic leaching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't need to buy "microwave rice" to microwave rice: put two cups of water and one cup of regular rice in a covered pyrex or glass bowl, microwave on high for 5 minutes and then microwave at 50% for 15 minutes. Never fails.

There, I've just saved some of you hundreds of dollars over the course of your cooking life.

+1 And no worries about plastic leaching.

And no aluminum either.

[Anonymous]

I would be worried about using aluminum in the microwave because I don't like burning my house down.

[Anonymous]

The aluminum reference is the aluminum pot in the rice cooker, not in a microwave.

[Anonymous]

I use a rice cooker, but before that I would have microwaved. I know- in theory it should not be hard to make rice on the stove. But, I swear, I could never get it to come out right (either gloppy or burned to a crisp on the pan). Its ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

I use a microwave rice cooker. It's plastic and very old (probably 15 years) so I should probably re-think that. my kids LOVE rice and we eat it a lot.

[Anonymous]

I am incapable of cooking rice on the stove. I know it's "not hard" but I can not do it. I end up with a gloopy mess and a ruined pot.

[Anonymous]

Another poster who doesn't like to microwave rice anymore. I used to have a plastic container that I would make rice in the microwave with, but I got a bit worried about microwaving plastic, like the PP mentions. I think there might be something to that.

I'd probably be okay with the PP who mentions microwaving it in plastic. But, we just do the rice in the stove and it's pretty easy. Brown rice only takes about 35 mins, so I make it while the rest of the stuff is cooking. And we only make rice once or twice a week. And just throw the extra in the fridge.