Brown Rice

I like my brown rice to have a slightly nutty texture, so it's not soft and soggy but has a slight bite to the texture. I boil the snot out of it so cooking time I find is a lot faster than normal.

Place the rice in a pot with 6-8 cups of water and a large pinch of salt.

Place a lid on and bring up to the boil then remove the lid and continue to cook until soft to the bite (it is important to taste check as you go)approx 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat and strain off the water then cover with a lid to steam.

Quinoa

Every Quinoa packet you buy will have a different method for cooking quinoa; some will work some won't. This is the way that I cook quinoa and I find it works regardless of brand or quantity:

Double the ratio of water to quinoa.

Bring up to the boil and continue to cook until almost all the water has been absorbed. (The pot will look like a a crater of hot lava with bubble holes).

Remove the pot from the heat and cover with a lid and leave to steam. Once cool fluff with a fork.

Freekeh

I only like to use the whole grain freekeh, I find the cracked freekeh a little too mushy for my liking.

Place one cup of freekeh in a pot with 3 cups of cold water and a pinch of salt.

Bring up to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and simmer gently with a lid on until all the liquid has gone.

Set aside with the lid still on.

Long Grain White Rice

We don't use white rice much but when I do this is the only way I cook it, I am otherwise useless at any rice cooking techniques. So this is my fail safe.

Rince the rice in a sieve under cold water really well. Bring a large pot of water (approx 8 cups) up to the boil with a large pinch of salt. Add your rice stirring occassionally and cook for 10-12 minutes keeping a close eye on it after 10 minutes. Check often by removing some rice and biting. When the rice is 95% cooked remove from the heat and strain off the liquid then cover with a tight fitting lid and leave to steam. Fluff with a fork when ready to eat.

Buckwheat

This is possibly one of my favourites to use because it is so quick to cook. I don't follow the packet instructions because I find the buckwheat tends to burst and go all mushy.

Rinse buckwheat thoroughly under running cold water.

Bring a pot of water up to the boil and add your buckwheat then turn down to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

Cook till al dente - approx 10 mins.

Strain and set aside to cool.