gluten proteins, it can’t be used to make raised breads But the same lack of gluten makes rice flour a useful ingredient for people with gluten intolerance Bakers make a reasonable approximation of raised bread by supplementing rice flour with xanthan or guar gum or other long-chain carbohydrates, which help bind the dough together and retain the gas bubbles produced by yeasts or chemical leavenings Risotto: Turning Rice into Its Own Sauce The risotto of Italy is made with mediumgrain varieties that are fairly large and can tolerate the unique cooking method, which abrades and removes starch from the rice surface so that it can thicken the cooking liquid to a creamy consistency To make risotto, the rice is cooked through by adding a small amount of hot cooking liquid at a time and stirring the rice until the liquid is absorbed, then repeating until the rice is soft but still has a kernel of chewiness at the center This time-consuming technique subjects the rice grains to constant friction, and rubs softened endosperm from the surface so that it can become dissolved in the liquid phase (stirring only at the end of cooking breaks the softened grains apart rather than removing the surface layer) In addition, the cooking of small amounts of liquid in an open pan causes much of the moisture to evaporate, which means that more of the cooking liquid must be used, and thus that more of the cooking liquid’s flavor becomes concentrated in the dish Restaurant cooks prepare risotto to order by cooking the rice well ahead of time the traditional way until it’s just short of done, then refrigerating it This allows some of the cooked starch in the rice to firm (p 458), giving the grain more ... until the liquid is absorbed, then repeating until the rice is soft but still has a kernel of chewiness at the center This time-consuming technique subjects the rice grains to constant friction, and. .. rubs softened endosperm from the surface so that it can become dissolved in the liquid phase (stirring only at the end of cooking breaks the softened grains apart rather than removing the surface... addition, the cooking of small amounts of liquid in an open pan causes much of the moisture to evaporate, which means that more of the cooking liquid must be used, and thus that more of the cooking