Rice is the kitchen staple. But seldom people know how to cook rice properly. Cooking it is not as simple as it sounds. Since there are many rice varieties, one cooking method only applies to some of them. Well, there are some time-tested methods for each rice variety that you can use to get the best results. Remember that you should never cook the rice in a way that makes it gummy, burnt, or mushy.

Here are different rice cooking methods you can explore.

How to Cook Rice on the Stove

When cooking rice on the stove, you have multiple cooking options depending on the variety of rice. Here are the different methods:

The Classic Method for long-grain white rice

Most people follow the classic or traditional method of cooking rice. This method requires water to rice in a 2:1 ratio. But this method works best for cooking long-grain white rice. Here are the steps:

1. First, rinse the rice thoroughly.
2. Then, take a large pot, fill it with water for up to 2 parts, and add 1 part rice. If the rice is a bit firmer, you can take 1 part water and ⅔ rice.
3. Boil the water and then add a pinch of salt to it.
4. After boiling the water, reduce the heat and cover the pot with a lid.
5. You should then leave the rice to cook for 18 minutes. Do not lift the lid, as the steam will escape.
6. Turn off the heat and let the rice remain as it is covered for 10 minutes so that the rice can steam to become fluffy.
7. Then, in the end, use a fork to fluff the rice.

The Pasta Method for brown and wild rice

If you want to cook rice how you cook pasta, use water without measuring it. But this pasta method of cooking rice is best for brown and wild rice varieties. These types of rice take a long time to cook. You should also use this method when cooking large quantities of rice without a cooker.

Here is how this method works:
1. Rinse the rice thoroughly
2. There is no need to measure the water; you can fully fill the pot. Add salt and then rice after you bring the water to boiling point.
3. Continue to boil the water and rice without covering the pot. Wait till the rice becomes soft.
4. Finally, drain the rice using a mesh strainer.

The Pilaf Method for aromatic varieties

Use the Pilaf method to cook an aromatic rice variety like Jasmine and Basmati rice. Here is how to take the steps:

1. Rinse the rice thoroughly.
2. Roast the aromatic rice variety you want to cook until it smells a bit nutty. Add1 part rice to a pot with some oil or butter. Cook it over medium heat until the rice smells nutty in 2-3 minutes.
3. Add boiled water on top of the rice in a restricted way per requirement. Add only a little water; it will make the rice gummy, and the rice grains should look separated.
4. Leave the rice simmering by reducing the heat. Let it simmer for 18 minutes so the rice absorbs the water completely.
5. Then, turn off the heat and cover the rice for 10 minutes.
6. Finally, fluff the rice with a fork.

Rinse rice to remove excess scratch

Make sure that whichever rice variety you intend to cook is rinsed thoroughly. This is how to eliminate the excessive starch in the rice. Know that the starch makes the cooked rice appear gummy and unappealing. Another method is to put the rice in a bowl and remove its water several times with a fresh one. But there may be more complicated methods. It would be good to rinse the rice in a mesh strainer.

When the rinsed rice water becomes fully transparent, that is an indication that you have rinsed it enough.

Toast the rice to enhance flavour

To increase the natural flavour of the rice, all you need to do is heat a teaspoon of olive oil or butter in a pot. Then, add rice to the pot and stir it until it starts smelling nutty. Stir the rice frequently. You will find the rice turns pale when toasting.

"Fluff" Rice

What does ‘fluff’ rice mean since many recipes mention it? You should separate any sticky rice grain using a fork into the cooked rice.

Tips to cook rice in a rice cooker

When using a rice cooker, know it boils the water and rice much faster. So, here are the cooking steps in this method:

1. Rinse the rice thoroughly.
2. Fill the pot with 1 part rice and 1 part water. This ratio is ideal for cooking large amounts of rice.
3. Then press the ‘on’ button of the rice cooker, and it will do the rest of the cooking.
4. To get fluffy rice, let the cooked rice rest for 10 minutes.

Tips to cook rice in the Microwave

If you intend to cook rice in the Microwave, here are the steps to follow:

1. Rinse the rice thoroughly.
2. Use a large bowl, preferably a square baking dish. It will easily accommodate the rice grains that expand as they cook.
3. Add 2 parts rice to 3 1/2 parts water in the pot.
4. First, microwave the rice uncovered until some steam holes appear. Ensure that more water has disappeared from the rice. This way, cooking 2 cups of rice will take 10 minutes.
5. Then, microwave the rice on medium to low heat using a safe plastic wrap. Cook for about 15 minutes so that the liquid is fully absorbed.
6. Use a fork to fluff the cooked gains.

So, these are the different rice cooking methods. Ensure that you consider the variety of rice to choose the perfect cooking method. You can visit Jashn Foods, the leading manufacturer and exporter of rice in Haryana, India, for more information on rice dishes and cooking methods.

Wrapping Up

Rice is a popular dish but requires the proper cooking methods. Most people use the traditional method for long-grain rice with a 2:1 water-to-rice ratio. However, the Pasta and Pilaf methods are also popular for brown and aromatic varieties. Use any of the methods discussed earlier to cook rice.