How to Make Perfect Rice
- itsjdieb
- Sep 13, 2022
- 2 min read
Next up in the “Back to Basics” series - How to Make the Perfect Rice
You have no idea how many people have asked me how to make rice, and honestly I don’t blame them because one small mistake can completely ruin the recipe.
Rice is a kitchen staple in so many cultures and one of those basic recipes that seems simple until you actually try to make it. It can turn out mushy, sticky, undercooked, dry, it’s crazy how rice can go wrong in so many ways.
But making perfectly fluffy rice is actually much easier than you think. The 3 biggest tips I can give you are:
Get the water-to-rice ratio right
Let the rice rest after cooking
Don’t stir the rice while it absorbs the water
The process itself is simple, but there’s often a lot of confusion around it. Once you master this basic cooking skill, you’ll have the foundation for endless meals.
I’ll walk you through everything below, so let’s get to it!
Yields: 1-5
Portion: 1 cup
Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
This recipe is dairy free, gluten free, vegan.
Ingredients:
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups boiling water (approximately)
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
Instructions:
Prepare the Rice: Add basmati rice to small bowl and cover with water. Allow rice to soak for 20 minutes. You’ll notice the water becomes cloudy, this is excess starch being released from the rice. Drain soaking water, rinse rice once more, drain again, and set aside.
Cook the Rice: Place small pot on stovetop over medium heat and add olive oil. Once oil is warm, add rice and stir gently for 1–2 minutes to lightly toast rice. Carefully pour in about 2 cups of boiling water. The water level should sit roughly 1 inch above rice. Add salt, stir once, and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow rice to cook undisturbed. Avoid stirring, as this helps rice cook evenly and become fluffy. After 10-15 minutes, check rice. Most or all of the water should be absorbed. Taste rice and add additional salt if desired.
Rest & Serve: Once rice is cooked, turn off heat and remove pot from burner. Keep lid on and allow rice to rest for 5 minutes so any remaining moisture can finish absorbing. Remove lid and fluff rice with a fork. Serve and enjoy!