Excerpted from Mosquito Supper Club by Melissa Martin (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2020.
The rice cooker reigns supreme for some in South Louisiana. I’ve watched my aunts go through every brand and proclaim which cooker is the best, casting out all others. The Hitachi Chime-o-Matic rice cooker was long a mainstay in Cajun homes. Rumor has it that Japanese businessmen came to Louisiana knowing we eat rice with the frequency of Asians and marketed the rice cooker directly to us. But for my grandmother and my mom and me, our preferred method is to boil rice. Boiled rice stays fluffy and doesn’t dry out, even a few days after cooking. If you’re concerned about this method, have no fear—it’s just like cooking pasta, and you can taste the rice along the way so you’ll know when it’s ready. Make extra, because you can always find a use for leftover rice.
Makes about 6 cups (1.2kg)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 cups (400 g) medium-grain white rice
In a large pot, combine 6 quarts (6 L) water and the salt and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the rice and cook for 12 minutes. Strain the rice through a fine-mesh sieve, then spread it out on a baking sheet to cool for a few minutes before serving. Leftover rice can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
