A foolproof guide for how to cook rice so you get perfectly fluffy white rice every single time!

There’s no big secret to how to cook rice – be it in a creamy and rich risotto or the fluffy white kind you normally get with a Indian takeaway, and there’s just a few basic steps and the right type of rice!

So to start, this recipe is all about how to boil rice on the stove top.

How to prepare to cook perfect rice:

The perfect type of rice for this is long grain or Basmati rice, however this type of rice needs to be washed thoroughly before cooking to help get rid of the excess starch.  You’ll notice this because, as you rinse it the water turns a cloudy white.  The starch in rice is what gives it that creamyness – perfect for risottos for instance, however thats not what we want here!

There’s ‘debate’ about how much you should rinse your rice but for me three times works perfectly!

First, weigh your rice then put it into the saucepan you’re going to cook it in.  Cover completely with cold water and use your hands to swill it round.  Drain through a fine mesh sieve not a colander or you might find all your rice down the plughole!!

Then repeat this – pour, swill, drain – two more times.  Once you’ve drained the rice for the third time put back into the saucepan then measure in your water.  As for how much water for rice, you want a ratio of 1 part rice to 2 parts water.  Here I’ve used 1 cup (200g) of rice to 2 cups (400ml) of water.  This amount gives you 2 generous portions of cooked rice

How to cook perfect rice:

Put the saucepan with the measured rice and water onto the stove over a medium/high heat, add a pinch of salt, cover with a lid and bring to the boil

As soon as it boils turn the heat down to the lowest setting, leave the lid on and cook for 10 minutes.  Cooking over too high a heat it will overcook, leaving you with chalky rice.

DO NOT STIR!  This is imperative!  Stirring it causes the rice to break, making it sticky and glutinous.

Once it’s finished cooking turn off the heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes with the lid still on.

After 5 minutes remove the lid and use a fork to fluff up your perfectly cooked rice!

In conclusion, Well, that’s it!  You can serve your rice immediately whilst still hot or leave to cool completely and consume chilled from the fridge.

How to utilise your perfect rice in recipes:

Once you’ve mastered the basics of how to cook perfect rice there’s all sorts of dishes you can pair it with …

Try these Vegan Meatballs with a rich tangy Marinara Sauce

As an alternative to cauliflower rice in this Healthy Indian Takeaway

The perfect quinoa substitute in these Vegan Buddha Bowls

A great accompaniment to this Chestnut Mushroom Bourguignon

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