Taking a scientific approach the plov problem requires standardization of ingredients, both the source of the ingredients and their proper proportion. Where I live, one readily available source of rice is from a fellow named Uncle Ben.Where I live, Uncle Ben packages his rice in plastic bags, each holding 907.0 grams of purportedly whole grain brown rice. The bag extols the benefits of the enclosed rice, stressing that the product is both a natural source of fiber (so is tumbleweed, but I don't eat that) and naturally low in fat (just like arsenic) and cholesterol free (just like gasoline).
On the back side of Uncle Ben's rice package, there are simple instructions for simple people. For every 1.00 cups of dry rice, just mix with 2.25 cups of water, and optionally, with 2 tablespoons of butter. We're not going to be adding butter to our plov (because it will be greasy enough on its own), so we are going to just go with the rice and water.
To the scientific mind, all of this talk about "cups" is very confusing. A scientist prefers to work with the metric system. I instantly encounter a point of confusion when converting from cups to milliliters (mL). I have one cup in my kitchen that assures me that 1 cup equals exactly 250 mL. I have another cup in my kitchen that states that 1 cup equals 236.64 mL.My gut instinct tells me that there is absolutely no way that the French (who invented the metric system) and the English (who dislike the French) could have possibly agreed on such a convenient conversion factor as 1 cup equals 250 mL. After further investigation, it appears there really is no accepted standard. So, just to make things as complex as possible, I'm going to use the least convenient conversion factor, namely, that one cup equals 236.64 mL.
And to make the whole experience feel more scientific, I'm going to make the rice in a large Pyrex beaker that I obtained especially for making plov. The advantage of using a beaker is that you can easily see what is going on inside the cooking vessel. They also just look cool sitting there on your stove, don't they?
Safety Note: This 2000mL beaker is brand new and has never been used in a chemistry laboratory. I also took the time to clean it by boiling soapy water in it prior to first use.
So, translating the simple instructions on the back of Uncle Ben's rice package into more precise metric instructions, it appears that the proper way to make rice is to combine 236.64 mL of dry rice with 532.44 mL of water.
Here is a record of what happened during my first experiment with Uncle Ben's rice:17:01 To a 2000 mL beaker is added 236.64 mL of Uncle Ben's Whole Grain Brown Rice and 532.44 mL of tap water. The beaker (without any cover) is placed over "high heat" on the front burner of a Maytag stove.
17:10 Beaker contents having achieved a full boil, the heat is reduced to just above the "low" setting on the Maytag stove so that contents of the beaker can continue to "simmer" for a while. A watch glass is placed on top of the beaker to provide a cover. (Okay, so it isn't a watch glass, just a small plate I found in my kitchen.) The spout of the beaker provides a small opening so that the heated system remains open. (Important safety tip: Never heat a closed system).
17:36 Contents of beaker appear to be nearing the end point of the reaction. Very little water is now visible above the level of the rice. Beaker (still covered) is removed from the heat and allowed to sit for a while.17:59 Contents
of beaker are examined and found to be a bit too moist and mushy. Next time around, we'll have to try either a bit less water or a bit longer simmering.18:00 Contents of beaker are placed on a plate and then covered with some leftover shrimp creole that I made a few days ago. Central Asia will have to wait on New Orleans tonight.
