Forbidden Black Rice Recipe

Stovetop instructions (30 minutes cooking time)

1. Option, but highly recommended: soak 1 c medium-grain black rice, non-glutinous overnight in water (about 8 hours). You can leave this unrefrigerated on the counter. After soaking, drain the water completely with a strainer. Soaking makes the rice more tender. If you prefer an al dente texture, you don’t need to soak the rice. Whether or not you soak, the 30-minute timing is still the same.
2. In a pot, add the 2 tsp oil and heat it for one minute.
3. Add the 1 c medium-grain black rice, non-glutinous and use the spatula to mix the rice with the oil.
4. Pour in the 1 ½ c water gently and mix. Bring the heat up to medium-high heat and wait for a rolling boil.
5. Once at a boil, bring the heat down to medium heat and a simmer.
6. Continue to simmer until you begin to see the top layer of black rice (this takes about 7 minutes). Cover with the lid and lower the heat to low. Continue to simmer on low for 15 minutes.
7. At the end of 15 minutes, there should be no water left. You can test by gently tilting the pot to see if water pools into the corner.
8. Turn the heat off and move the pot to a cool burner or heat-safe counter. Do not open the lid. Let sit for another 5 minutes.
9. Take off the lid and fluff with the spatula. Serve.

Rice cooker instructions (1 hour cooking time, hands-free)

1. Option, but highly recommended: soak 1 c medium-grain black rice, non-glutinous overnight in water (about 8 hours). After soaking, drain the water completely with a strainer. Soaking helps to create a more tender texture that is easier to chew. If you prefer an al dente texture, you don’t need to soak the rice. Whether or not you soak, 1-hour timing is still the same.
2. Add 1 tsp oil and 1 c medium-grain black rice, non-glutinous to the rice cooker pot. Use a spatula to mix thoroughly.
3. Pour in the 1 ¾ c water and mix again.
4. Use your rice cooker’s settings for “regular” or “brown rice” cooking. I use the “regular” setting on my rice cooker, which takes approximately 1 hour to cook.
5. After cooking, open the lid and fluff the rice with a spatula. Serve.