
A historical side dish from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). Another nice way to cook rice is to take one teacupful of rice and one quart of milk, place in a steamer, and steam from two to three hours; when nearly done, stir in a piece of butter as large as the yolk of an egg, and a pinch of salt. You can use sugar if you like. The difference in the time of cooking depends on your rice—the older the rice, the longer it takes to cook.
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Wash rice in a strainer
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Put it in a saucepan with a quart of clean water and a pinch of salt
Let it boil slowly till the water is all evaporated—see that it does not burn
Pour in a teacupful of new milk
Stir carefully from the bottom of the saucepan, so that the upper grain may go under, but do not smash it
Close the lid on your saucepan carefully down
Set it on a cooler part of the fire, where it will not boil
As soon as it has absorbed the added milk, serve it up with fresh new milk
Add fruit and sugar for those who like them
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
This historical method uses a two-stage cooking process that optimizes starch gelatinization. Boiling in water first allows the rice grains to absorb liquid and swell while the starch granules burst and release amylose, which would normally make rice gummy. Draining off excess water removes this surface starch. The final milk steaming gently finishes cooking while coating grains with fat and protein, preventing them from clumping together and adding richness.
This recipe is best served immediately after cooking. Rice prepared this way does not hold well due to the milk addition, which can separate or curdle if reheated.
Store leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Note that the texture will become firm and dry. Reheat gently with a splash of additional milk in a covered saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, or microwave in 30-second intervals with added moisture.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
This recipe is best served immediately after cooking. Rice prepared this way does not hold well due to the milk addition, which can separate or curdle if reheated.
Store leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Note that the texture will become firm and dry. Reheat gently with a splash of additional milk in a covered saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, or microwave in 30-second intervals with added moisture.