‘In the West, rice is an afterthought’: Ping Coombes’ guide to getting it right every time

It’s been a decade since MasterChef 2014 victor Ping Coombes published her debut cookbook – and now she’s backmost pinch her long-awaited second.

As nan first Malaysian-born victor of nan prestigious BBC One cooking show, she planned to present Malaysian food to location cooks, a cuisine that was overmuch little good known astatine nan time.

She had only entered nan title because she was made redundant and “had thing other to do”. These days, nan mum-of-two runs Ping’s Masak Club cookery schoolhouse and Ping’s Makan Club, a supper club, and collaborates pinch chefs successful restaurants astir nan country, but speech from improved look penning skills, she says she’s nan aforesaid navigator we watched connected TV immoderate 12 years ago.

“I ever navigator nan aforesaid measurement arsenic I did 10 years before, I only person 1 very elemental norm – I only navigator what I emotion to eat,” says nan 44-year-old.

This clip it’s rice – pinch her latest book simply titled Rice – thing that mightiness sound elemental but really is an creation form, arsenic good arsenic being an integral portion of galore taste traditions.

“In nan West, atom is an afterthought. Cook something, and you would say, ‘Should I person pasta aliases potatoes, aliases rice, microwavable atom and conscionable bang it on,” says Coombes. “Whereas successful nan East, we do it each day.

“I besides person atom withdrawal symptoms,” she laughs, if she doesn’t eat enough, aliases if she’s connected holiday. “Don’t get maine wrong, I emotion different nutrient different than rice. But we went to Spain for 10 days and 5 days in, I started to consciousness for illustration I can’t woody pinch different jamon, aliases different sheet of patatas bravas. So successful Seville, I had to tally into a Chinese edifice to bid rice. And it was nan champion vessel of fried atom and prawns I retrieve that I ever, ever tasted.”

Growing up successful Ipoh, Malaysia, she remembers being 4 aliases 5 and her grandma chasing her and her relative astir nan location trying to provender them earlier school, while her mum and dada were astatine work. “We would person atom for astatine slightest 2 meals a day.”

“She’s moving astir scooping this communal vessel of atom pinch nutrient and veggies aliases whatever, because it’s easier to conscionable person 1 vessel of atom and provender some of us.”

She grew up pinch an knowing of really important atom is.

“Rice is precious and increasing up I’d spot paddy fields and really group turn atom – it’s back-breaking work.

“A fewer years ago, I showed my children nan activity that goes into implanting it and harvesting it. Of course, location are machines now, but location are still galore parts successful Malaysia up successful nan mountains wherever nan machines can’t go, and are still being planted by hand. And you deliberation that truthful fleetingly you would propulsion distant a vessel – it takes truthful overmuch activity to person that vessel of rice.

“I spot atom arsenic holding everything together. You deliberation that your main crockery is important, of course. If you’re cooking an astonishing operation of atom pinch immoderate costly beef, and you navigator nan astir unthinkable crockery ever, if your atom is undercooked and each mushy, you will ruin your full meal.”

So really do we do justness to this elemental grain, nan backbone of truthful galore Asian cuisines?

Master nan absorption method

Coombes’ latest book is afloat of adjuvant tips and tricks but she ever starts by washing nan rice.

“I’ve ever cooked atom connected nan hop pinch nan absorption method. And my go-to atom is jasmine rice, because I grew up pinch it,” she notes.

“As a rule, it’s 1 to one-and-a-half. Or, if you’re putting successful a microwave, 1 to one, truthful 300 grams of water, 300 grams of rice. Putting excessively overmuch h2o successful [or] not putting capable h2o in”, is simply a communal correction location cooks make.

“Some grains require a small spot much water, but by and large, it should beryllium fine. The hardest atom to navigator is brown. It has much fibre truthful it requires a batch much h2o and patience.”

Never drain it

“For me, it’s a definite no-no,” says Coombes. “Because you [drain] each nan nutrients away. The rice, erstwhile it cooks, nan starch releases. If you navigator it pinch a batch of h2o and past drain it, you’re wasting each that goodness successful your rice. So nan absorption method is overmuch better, that you incorporate each of that successful your rice.”

Let it rest

You mightiness beryllium utilized to letting a steak rest, but if you’re eating your atom consecutive away, you’re missing a trick. A awesome correction is “not letting it remainder aliases steam”, says Coombes, “usually for astir 20 to 30 minutes.”

Letting nan atom beryllium aft cooking will thief it soften, she says. “Also, digestion-wise, it’s amended to eat somewhat lukewarm atom than basking rice. You sensation everything much erstwhile nan atom is lukewarm and it’s conscionable nan correct temperature. I will ne'er service atom ace basking consecutive retired of nan atom cooker aliases pan.

“I ever urge doing your atom first earlier you commencement thing else, past fto your atom steam while you chop.”

Freeze extra

“I highly urge making much atom than you deliberation you need, and past chill it and frost it. I person a atom drawer. Every clip I make a definite type of rice, I make 5 times nan amount.”

It’s a bully measurement to switch those instant packets of rice, pinch a perfectly home-cooked type you already made. “I frost it successful 150-gram portions, I wrap it successful cling movie and past I put each individual packet wrong a larger bag. And I sanction it, for illustration ‘sushi rice’, aliases whatever.

“All I person to do erstwhile I request atom is bring retired nan bag, unfastened it, sprinkle immoderate h2o and [put it] successful nan microwave for 3 minutes and you’ll person instant rice.”

Learn really to shop safely

“There’s a germs that forms pinch rice, it’s a high-risk food,” notes Coombes, but 1 of nan ways to mitigate immoderate consequence associated pinch reheating atom is to “chill down your rice” earlier popping it successful nan fridge.

“I make my rice, I eat my meal and by nan clip I’ve vanished my dinner, that atom will beryllium cool capable to battalion distant consecutive into nan fridge. Of course, if you time off it retired nan full time successful room temperature, aliases if I hide and time off it successful a atom cooker, and nan adjacent greeting I travel down and [wondered] ‘Should I usage this?’ The reply is no.”

Read nan packet

Like thing else, atom varies successful quality. “So for jasmine rice, ‘triple A’ is your champion 1 – [the grains] are longer, they are plumper.

“But nan astir costly ones aren’t ever nan best. It’s a small spot of, you ne'er cognize until you effort it, but I ever look for triple A jasmine atom from Thailand – it’s really bully – and basmati from Pakistan aliases from India.

The longer nan basmati grain, nan higher nan quality, she notes. “They’re nan luxurious ones.”

Baked chromatic and soy chickenhearted rice

“Welcome to your caller favourite one-pot atom dish!” says Coombes. “I person been looking astatine ways to adhd much fibre into my atom dishes to make them much balanced. What I ended up pinch is simply a crockery that has flavour, texture and fibre from nan lentils and sweetcorn.”

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

5 skin-on, bone-in chickenhearted thighs

1 tsp rootlike oil

2 tbsp butter

2 ail cloves, crushed

300g jasmine aliases basmati rice

1 tbsp chickenhearted stockpowder

380ml water

160g canned sweetcorn

340g canned greenish lentils

20g chives, chopped, to garnish

For nan marinade:

3 tbsp pineapple juice

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp ray soy sauce

1½ tsp acheronian soy sauce

½ tsp sesame oil

½ tsp 5 herb powder

½ tsp crushed ginger

¼ tsp salt

Method:

1. Score nan apical of nan chickenhearted thighs a mates of times truthful that nan marinade penetrates deeper into nan chickenhearted and spot successful a bowl. Add each nan marinade ingredients and marinate for astatine slightest 30 minutes astatine room somesthesia aliases successful nan refrigerator overnight.

2. Preheat nan oven to 180C instrumentality aliases state 6.

3. In a ample ovenproof pan, power nan lipid complete a mean heat. Add nan chickenhearted thighs to nan pan, skin-side down, and fry for 5 minutes to brownish nan skin. Flip nan chickenhearted complete and move complete nan marinade successful nan bowl. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes to trim nan marinade a little, past region nan chickenhearted to a plate.

4. Add nan butter, ail and atom to nan cookware and springiness it a bully stir, past adhd nan chickenhearted banal powder, water, sweetcorn and lentils. Stir again to administer nan ingredients evenly successful 1 layer. Nestle nan chickenhearted thighs into nan atom mixture, screen pinch a lid and cook successful nan oven for 35 minutes.

5. Remove from nan oven and fto it guidelines for 5 minutes earlier serving.

6. Sprinkle immoderate chives connected top, fluff up nan atom and serve.

Crispy Bangkok eggs

“I took nan family to Bangkok 2 years ago. We went to this highly recommended edifice and 1 of nan dishes nan girls raved astir was fried eggs successful a saccharine and spicy sauce,” says Coombes. “They could not get capable of this, truthful I group retired to recreate it. The concealed to nan crispy edges connected eggs is nan magnitude of lipid you use.”

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

6-7 tbsp rootlike oil

4 eggs

2 tbsp crispy shallots (homemade aliases store-bought)

For nan sauce:

3 bird’s-eye chillies, finely chopped

3 tbsp tamarind concentrate

3 tbsp granulated achromatic sugar

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp food sauce

1 tbsp kecap manis

For nan crispy shallots:

400g shallots

500ml rootlike oil

Method:

1. For nan crispy shallots (if making): Peel and trim each shallot successful half, past portion thinly. Heat nan lipid successful a wok aliases a medium, heavy saucepan to 180C (160C/gas people 4) complete a medium–high heat. To trial nan oil, you tin usage driblet a small portion of shallot into nan lipid – it should sizzle immediately.

2. Gently little nan sliced shallots into nan basking lipid and operation pinch a woody aliases metallic spoon to administer them evenly. Reduce nan power to mean and fry for 15 minutes. Swirl nan shallots from clip to clip to guarantee they navigator evenly. After this time, if not each nan shallots are brown, move nan power down a little, springiness it different swirl and navigator for a further 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Drain done a good sieve group complete a mixing bowl. Let nan shallots cool successful nan sieve. As they cool, they will crisp up further. Keep nan shallots successful an airtight instrumentality and nan lipid successful a vessel aliases jar for early use. They tin some beryllium kept astatine room somesthesia for up to 2 weeks.

4. Place each nan condiment ingredients successful a mini saucepan and power complete a mean power until nan sweetener dissolves. Set aside.

5. In a wok aliases frying pan, power nan lipid complete a mean heat. Crack 2 eggs into nan cookware and fry sunny-side up, spooning immoderate of nan basking lipid onto nan eggs to thief navigator nan whites. Fry until nan eggs person crispy and bubbly edges but nan yolks are still runny. Remove to a plate. Repeat pinch nan remaining eggs.

6. Drizzle 4 to 5 tablespoons of nan tamarind condiment each complete nan eggs and sprinkle pinch nan crispy shallots. Any leftover condiment tin beryllium kept successful nan refrigerator for 5 days.

Sweet-and-sour pork pinch pineapples and kiwi

“I ever sneered astatine group ordering sweet-and-sour pork successful a Chinese edifice aliases takeaway,” says Coombes. “I would deliberation they were being boring, going for nan astir evident choice. I now realise that, done right, it is simply a slayer combo pinch rice!”

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

400g full pork shoulder, trim into 2cm cubes

400ml rootlike oil

120g cornflour

1 mini onion, quartered and separated into individual pieces

1 ail clove, chopped

1 kiwi, peeled and trim into 1cm dice

100g pineapple, trim into 2cm dice

For nan marinade:

1½ tsp ray soy sauce

1 tsp granulated sugar

1 ovum white

½ tsp salt

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

For nan sauce:

120ml water

3 tbsp ketchup

3 tbsp orangish juice

1½ tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp oyster sauce

1 tsp cornflour

¼ tsp atom vino vinegar

Method:

1. Mix together nan marinade ingredients successful a mean vessel and adhd nan pork pieces, turning to coat. Cover and marinate nan pork for astatine slightest 2 hours, aliases overnight successful nan refrigerator.

2. Mix each nan ingredients for nan condiment together and group aside.

3. Heat nan lipid successful a wok aliases heavy saucepan complete a medium-high heat. To trial whether nan lipid is basking enough, driblet a small cornflour into nan lipid – it should sizzle and float immediately.

4. Place nan cornflour connected a shallow sheet and adhd nan marinated pork pieces. Turn to make judge each sides are covered, past springiness nan pieces a shingle to region nan excess flour. Set speech connected a abstracted plate.

5. Fry nan pork successful nan basking lipid successful batches for 2 to 3 minutes until crisp and aureate brown. Flip nan pork from clip to clip to guarantee moreover cooking.

6. Remove nan pork to a ligament rack group complete a tray lined pinch insubstantial towels to crisp up further. Repeat until each nan pork is fried.

7. In a abstracted wok aliases ample frying pan, adhd 1 tablespoonful of nan frying lipid utilized for nan pork and power complete a precocious heat. Fry nan bulb and ail for 30 seconds, past adhd nan kiwi and pineapple on pinch nan condiment and bring to nan boil. Reduce nan condiment to a thicker consistency. It should only return astir 3 to 4 minutes.

8. Add nan crispy pork pieces to nan condiment and overgarment well. Cook for a further minute.

9. Serve instantly pinch plentifulness of rice.

‘Rice’ by Ping Coombes (Murdoch Books, £26).