Lebanese Vermicelli Rice

What’s the one dish that makes you feel like home? Like you’re sitting in your mama’s kitchen.

For me, it’s this simple, plain, no frills Vermicelli Rice that is always cooked so perfectly with fluffy grains that you can individually taste. Yum. I’m sure you’ve figured out how much I like this rice by now.

For this recipe, the trickiest part is the rice to water ratio. If i’m being honest with you, no one in my family has ever measured rice & water when cooking rice. Perhaps when you’ve done something enough times, it becomes second nature. But when i decided to make this recipe, i truly had to take a step back and relearn how to make vermicelli rice the RIGHT way (well, the actuate way, at least). Do you know that if you ever ask anyone in my family how much water to add to a pot of rice, they’ll stick out a finger and measure by depth on their finger. Talk about accuracy, right?

So after going on the hunt for the right ratio, i tested Jasmine rice out and tried my best to nail down a specific water to rice ratio, i realized that there isnt a SPECIFIC measurement because each type of rice is slightly different, just like each type of pot is slightly different and will cook your rice differently. So my rule of thumb is always to start with a 1 to 1 ratio and to pop the lid open once the water has evaporated (at about 10 minutes in) and check to see the doneness of the grain of rice. You can do this by checking to see just how al dente the rice grain is. If it’s too mushy, you’ve added too much water, if it’s too undercooked to eat as is, you need more water and if it’s just a hair under perfect, you’re good to turn the stove off and let the steam continue cooking the rice. I usually end up needing anywhere from 1 1/4 cups to 1 1/2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice. The key is to not open the pot while the rice is still absorbing the water, and to taste once the water has evaporated to check for doneness. Other than that, leave the lid on once you’ve turned the stove off and let the steam do some magic.

For the vermicelli noodles, you should use a middle eastern vermicelli noodle that you can find at almost all Middle Eastern grocery stores. These are different than asian vermicelli noodles, so dont try to substitute! I like to use Ziyad brand for mine, i just find it cooks the most even and retains the best texture.

Give this recipe a try! Share your comments and some love. If you make this recipe and share it on social media, tag it with the hashtag #hungrilyhomemaderecipe

Total Time: 20-25minutes

Yield: 2-4 adult servings

Ingredients:

1. 3 tbsp olive oil

2. 1/4 cup vermicelli noodles

3. 1/2 tsp salt

4. 1 cup jasmine rice

5. 1 3/4 - 2 cups boiled water

Method:

1. Begin by heating a medium sized pot on a medium-low flame with the olive oil.

2. Add the vermicelli noodles and stir constantly to brown evenly and prevent burning. It should take between 1 minute and 1 1/2 minutes for this to happen.

3. Add the salt and Jasmine rice to the pot and stir constantly. Allow all of the grains of rice to get coated with oil and to touch the bottom of the pan. Stirring is key here. One minute should be enough.

4. Add the boiled water to the pot, cover with the lid and drop the temperature to low. Allow the water to evaporate. This should take 10-12 minutes.

5. Remove the lid and taste a grain of rice once the water has evaporated. If it is too mushy, turn the heat off, remove the lid and set aside. If it is still too hard to eat, add 1/4 cup of additional water, add the lid and let the water evaporate. Retest once the water is gone and add another 1/4 cup if it still needs time. If the grain is just shy of being perfectly cooked, turn the heat off, keep the lid on and let the steam continue to cook the rice to perfection. This should take about 10 minutes. Enjoy!