Basic Directions: How to Cook Grains (and Lentils)

Here are general directions to cook grains and legumes on the stove top if you don't have a rice cooker (which you can use to cook all sorts of grains and legumes in!)

All for 1 cup of grain/legume.

Brown rice: In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water and rice to a hard boil.  Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes until holes appear on top and liquid is all cooked out.

Couscous:  In a small saucepan, bring 1 ½ cup water to a boil.  Add couscous and stir, remove from heat, cover and let sit 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Lentils: Pick over for small rocks. Rinse and drain.  In a medium sauce pan combine lentils with 2 cups water.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a medium low heat, simmer 30 minutes until done.  Water should be almost all absorbed.  Drain if there is excess water.  

Barley: In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a hard boil.  Add barley, reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer 30-40 minutes until water is absorbed and barley is desired tenderness.  

Millet: In a medium saucepan, bring to boil 2 cups of water with the millet.  Reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes until liquid is absorbed.  Turn off heat, let stand still covered for 5 minutes, and then fluff with a fork.

Quinoa: Rinse quinoa well.  In a medium saucepan, bring to boil 2 cups of water with the quinoa. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed.  Turn off heat, let stand covered for 5 minutes, and then fluff with a fork.

Brown Rice and Lentils: You can cook these two together as you would one or the other. For instance, 1 cup of dry brown rice and 1 cup of dried lentils with 4 cups of liquid.