To cook rice perfectly...

An exert from Charmaine Soloman’s The Complete Asian Cookbook

There are many theories about how best to cook rice. I must confess that most often I use the microwave, which is both quicker and more reliable, but I would not feel like a proper foodie if I could not do good rice on the stovetop too. Of the many methods I have tried, I think Charmaine Soloman’s produces the best results.

To cook rice perfectly    Though details are given in every rice recipe, here is a general rule regarding proportions of rice and liquid.

Long grain rice: 2 cups water for the first cup of rice, 1 ½ cups of water for each additional cup of rice.

1 cup rice – 2 cups water

2 cups rice – 3 ½ cups water

3 cups rice – 5 cups water

... and so on.

Short or medium grain rice: 1 ½ cups water for the first cup of rice and 1 cup water for each additional cup of rice.

1 cup rice – 1 ½ cups water

2 cups rice – 2 ½ cups water

3 cups rice – 3 ½ cups water

Bring rice and water to a bubbling boil over high heat, then turn heat as low as it will go, cover pan tightly and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover pan and let steam escape for a few minutes before fluffing rice with fork. Transfer rice to serving dish with a slotted metal spoon, for a wooden spoon will crush the grains.

You will notice that long grain rice absorbs considerably more water than short or medium grain, so the two kinds are not interchangeable in recipes.

Soloman, C. (2003) The Complete Asian Cookbook. Rev. 2^nd ed. Sydney: Lansdowne. 

Update on Monday, April 18, 2011 at 10:48PM by Vix

For another great method, take a look at Delia Smith's instructions on her website. Her measurements are much the same, but she first heats oil in the pan and fries the rice for a minute or two before adding the water. This helps to stop sticking - both to the other grains and the bottom of the pan.