Name: White Rice in Cast-Aluminum Pot (Puerto Rican)
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1¾ cups water; 3 tbsp corn oil; 2 tsp salt; 1 clove of garlic; 2 cups white rice (medium grain)

White rice is something that accompanies our meals a lot in this house and I promised I would post a recipe for How to Make Puerto Rican White Rice so here it is.

*Update – if you’re looking for instructions on how to make fluffy white a rice cooker check out my newest post How to Make Perfect White Rice in a Rice Cooker

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Why make white rice in a cast-aluminum pot?

IMUSA caldero for making white rice — https://amzn.to/33jKdmC

With all the cheap rice cookers on the market, why would you want to cook in a pot? Well first, it is Puerto Rican tradition. Second, not everyone has a rice cooker but they are likely to have a pot – even if it isn’t cast iron. And most importantly, the method of using a pot creates what we call “pegao” or crunchy sticky rice that sticks to the bottom of the pot. Why would To make this recipe you will need a cast aluminum pot – believe it or not your grocery store (even Walmart) carries pots like these. You can also order from Amazon here.

A Puerto Rican tradition

It is common for Hispanic households to have cast aluminum pots in various sizes. I still remember the huge pot my mother pulled from the closet anytime there was a party. It was so big that it took a huge part of our stovetop and only one other burner could be used on the opposite side. This is where arroz con gandules was made or sometimes a large portion of soup.

White rice is a staple side dish because it is relatively cheap and filling. You can feed many for a low cost and that is why it is common for us from the Caribbean – we come from humble places and need to feed lots of family that visits!

This rice can be saved in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. In fact, I frequently make extra to reuse in another dish!

How to fix mushy rice

So what if your rice is too mushy/sticky? If the rice looks mushy or sticky it means you used too much water for your grain. To fix this, pump the heat a little higher and “crush” the mountain, and cook uncovered for a few minutes. This will cook off some of the moisture. If this happens you must be careful NOT to stir the rice too much as this can make it worse.

How to fix hard rice

So what if your rice isn’t done (still hard or undercooked)? If the rice is still hard (not fully cooked) add a few ounces of water and cook a few more minutes covered. This is adding moisture and should soften the rice. Be careful not to add too much water and make sticky rice.

How to make yummy, fluffy, Puerto Rican white rice — Pinterest pin:
How to make Puerto Rican white rice

Puerto Rican white rice by foodiezoolee.com — Pinterest pin:
How to make Puerto Rican white rice

White Rice in Cast-Aluminum Pot (Puerto Rican)

Zulaika Hernandez

How to make white rice in a cast-aluminum pot and how to fix your rice if it is too mushy or too hard.

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Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Puerto Rican

Servings 4 people

Calories 450 kcal

Equipment

cast-aluminum pot

Ingredients

1¾ cups water
3 tbsp corn oil
2 tsp salt
1 clove of garlic
2 cups white rice medium grain

Instructions

Combine Water, Oil, and Salt into Caldero and bring to a boil.
Add rice. Stir. Bring heat down to Medium Heat. Let boil until water no longer visible. About 5-10 min.
Build a mountain with rice. Cover. Bring to Low-Medium Heat. Cook another 8-10 minutes.
Serve and enjoy.