Cooking rice

[hammerman]

Do you add salt to the water when cooking rice like you do with pasta ? I'm not sure if rice is classed as a "pulse" and i was always told that cooking pulses in salted water makes them tough.

Thanks

HM

[Answerprancer]

Rice is a grain (not a pulse) I usually add some salt, it doesn't affect the texture afaik.

[Answerprancer]

ps. if it's basmati - DO NOT stir it, unless you want it to turn into glue.

[jomifl]

It is not necessary for cooking it, just a matter of taste. You can add salt when it is on your plate.

[masma]

Just add salt to the water boiling water before you add the rice. x

[ethandron]

i don't add salt to anything when cooking it these days. we just add a little on our plate if it's needed, that way you use far less salt.

[ummmm]

I do the opposite Ethan. I add it whilst cooking but never on the plate.

[ethandron]

morning ummmm :)
to be honest, we rarely put salt on our plates either. i've found the less we use, the less we need as our tastes have changed. two things i always put it on though are chips and jacket spuds, both of which we rarely have.

[ummmm]

Morning :-)

I can't stand the taste of raw salt but some things need it. Like sauces, scrambled eggs...etc.

[Eve]

I never put salt in. I do mine in the microwave though which is a mixture of laziness and convenience. Put it in a measuring jug, water over, in the microwave, 9 minutes, ding :) Find it's less messy than washing a pan out afterwards as well.

[pastafreak]

I also would only add to the rice as it's cooking...the raw taste is awful In fact-I usually use a bit of a stock cube instead of salt.
I never use salt at the table-nor has my family.

[Khandro]

Sprinkling salt on rice on the plate is a definite no-no. The grain of rice before you start cooking is very hard, when it is finished being cooked in boiling water it is soft and there is less, or no, water, ergo, the water has entered the rice. If the water contains salt that will have entered the rice, so too would saffron or stock.