As simple as it sounds, cooking rice can be a tricky business sometimes. It seems impossible to achieve consistent results with this kitchen staple. However, worry not!
We have a foolproof guide for you. Follow these simple steps and you will have fluffy and delicious white rice every time.
There are two types of white rice. The type is determined by the size of the rice grains.
Long-grain white rice is often used to create rice dishes that require distinct grains like fried rice and biryanis. Shorter grains are often used in Asian cooking to make sushi rice or rice pudding. The nutrition in white rice doesn't depend on the grain size.
This recipe is designed for long-grain rice. We suggest you do not swap one type of rice for another as it might affect the end result.
How To Cook Rice on the Stove
Read the back of a white rice package and you will realize that not one of them has the same instructions as the other. This is one of the reasons why cooking white rice seems like such a difficult task.
As with any other recipe, making white rice also requires you to follow certain steps. You will also find that there are certain tips you can use to elevate the taste and ease your cooking process.
Ingredients
Rice: Even though this recipe is specific to long-grain white rice, you can adjust the technique for short-grain rice. Read the instructions at the back of the rice packet and adjust the steps accordingly. This recipe calls for 1 cup of long-grain white rice.
Salt: We prefer Kosher salt to season the rice but this is optional. You can either use regular table salt or skip this step altogether. If you add Kosher salt, take half a teaspoon of Kosher salt for 1 cup of white rice.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This is how most of us learned to cook white rice on the stovetop, and it largely works hands-off. It works beautifully for long-grain white rice.
Step 1: Rinsing The Rice
This step involves rinsing the rice. Most people either underestimate this step or omit it. However, this is an essential step since white rice has to be rid of the extra starch on it. You will thus get fluffy white rice instead of sticky one.
To wash the rice, place it in a fine-mesh sieve and put it under a tap. Run cold water through it while stirring the rice. You will do this until the water comes out clear instead of cloudy.
Put water in a big pot or saucepan; you add 1 and a half cups of water and 1 cup of rice. If you want it a bit firm, the ratio may be adjusted to 1:1.
Place the rice and water together in a pan and add 1 teaspoon of salt to taste; some people like adding olive oil to their white rice, but we recommend that you not add the oil, this may interfere with the texture of your rice.
Place the pot on the stove at high heat. Bring the water to a boil.
Step 4: Cover and Simmer
Reduce the heat to medium. Let the water come to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight lid and let it cook on low flame for about 15 minutes undisturbed.
You know your rice is done cooking when it absorbs all the water. Keep the rice undisturbed until the end of cooking unless the steam gets out.
Remove the pot from the stove and take off the lid. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Place the lid back and steam for an extra 10 minutes. The towel helps absorb excess moisture from the steam, yielding fluffier rice.
Finally, remove the cover and towel and fluff the rice with a fork. Transfer the rice to a serving bowl or plate and serve along with your favorite meat or vegetable dishes.
Rinse the rice: Place 1 cup of rice under a tap and pass cold water through it as you move the rice around with your hand. Continue this until there is clear liquid coming through.
Cook the rice: Use 1:1 rice to water ratio. However, this might not be true for all rice cookers. So, it's best if you read the manual for your specific cooker. Close the lid and turn the rice cooker on. This is a fairly hands-free process as the rice cooker does the job for you.
Rest and Fluff: Once cooked, the rice cooker will turn to warm. Now, let the rice stay in the cooker for 10 more minutes. Finally, open the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve and enjoy!
How To Cook Rice in Microwave
Cooking in the microwave is for short or medium-grain rice. It's fast and gives you fluffy rice.
Follow these simple steps to cook rice in the microwave:
Wash the rice
Find a bowl: Get a large, heat-resistant bowl or baking dish; the large one ensures that the container will be big enough to hold the rice while it cooks.
Water to add: For 2 cups of rice, 3 and a half cups of water should be added. Do this calculation for larger batches of rice accordingly.
Microwave: Cook the rice in a microwave for 10 minutes, or until most water has evaporated. Then, with your heat-resistant plastic covering the container, cook for an extra 5 minutes.
Fluff and season: Using a fork, fluff the cooked rice and sprinkle some salt over it.
Tips To Make The Best White Rice
Leave your rice undisturbed to cook it properly. But if you want to check and be sure, remove the lid towards the end of the cooking time. Pinch a few of the rice grains just to be sure.
Check your stove burners. Some burners might have a stronger flame even when they are on medium. For this recipe, simmer the rice in the least-powered burner.
Use a heavy-bottomed pan to avoid burning. Light pans transfer heat easily. So there is a higher chance of burning at the base.
Avoid stirring the rice while cooking to avoid gummy rice.
How Long To Cook White Rice
It takes different times to cook rice depending on which method you go with. The amount of rice you cook and how much water you add also affect the cooking time.
One cup of rice takes 15-20 minutes to cook but the time might vary. Check the instructions on the back of your rice package.
Following are cooking times for rice by different methods:
Stovetop: This is the most prolonged way to cook rice. Cook the rice in boiling water at low heat for about the first 15 minutes, rest and let it cook in steam for another 10. You will get fluffy white rice in 25 minutes.
Rice Cooker: Faster than using a stovetop, most cookers do 1 cup of white rice in 15 minutes. The time might increase as you increase the batches.
Microwave: This is the fastest of them all. Have fluffy cooked white rice in just 10 minutes with this method.
What To Serve with White Rice
White rice is a kitchen staple. It is simple and goes along with different types of dishes. The following are some of the best dishes to pair with white rice:
Mushroom Stroganoff
Red Lentil Dahl
Cuban Black Beans
Orange Chicken
Roast Chicken and gravy
Stir Fry
Korean Beef
Beef Chili
Storage
There are mixed opinions on storing leftover rice. Some say it shouldn’t be done while others couldn’t care less about it. Our opinion lies somewhere in between.
Rice is quite easy to make so it is always best if you make a fresh one. But if you have quite some leftovers you can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Cooked rice cannot be left on the kitchen counter because it instantly becomes a hotbed of bacterial reproduction.
You can even freeze it if you like but the resulting texture might be mushy. Use it for leftover rice recipes like casseroles and stews.
Adding a little water before heating it in a microwave is the way to heat rice. No matter how well one stores their rice, after some time, it does get dry. So, adding a little water on top of it before heating is a good idea.
