The prices of various fuels continue to go up, with no end in sight.
Among Filipinos, cooking eats up a lot of the home’s energy consumption. A significant part of this cooking consumption goes to cooking rice, which we eat practically with every meal. I don’t know how rice is cooked in other countries, but here in the Philippines, we simply boil it with water, until all the water is gone and the grains have softened enough.
We have found a very fuel-efficient way of cooking rice, which extends the use of our LPG tank at home 20-30% more days before we need to refill it. I encourage others to try it.
To cook rice with less fuel, as soon as the whole rice-water mix starts to boil over, switch off the heat/fire. Yes, turn it completely off. Wait for five minutes, then turn it on again. Keep the heat very low, just enough to turn the remaining water to steam. In a few more minutes, your rice will be cooked as usual. I don’t know if this method will work with electric rice cookers, though.
If you are using wood for fuel, then when the water boils over, put out the flame and leave only a few glowing coals to boil away the remaining water and soften the grains.
If this method also works for you, please pass it on and leave a comment here.
Ecology, technology and social change 