The Perfect Steamed Rice: A Simple Guide To Mastery

Steamed rice is a simple dish to prepare, but it can easily go wrong. Undercooked, mushy, or burnt rice are common problems, but there are ways to ensure perfect results every time. The key to success is using the right rice-to-water ratio and following a few simple cooking techniques. With these tips, you can achieve fluffy, tender, and perfectly cooked rice without the need for a rice cooker.

Rinse rice in water until it runs clear

Rinsing the rice is an important step in achieving perfectly steamed rice. It is the key to removing excess starch from the rice grains, which can prevent the rice from becoming sticky or gluggy. Rinsing the rice will also ensure that your rice is free from any impurities.

To rinse the rice, use a bowl and fill it with water. Swish the rice around in the water, then pour the water out. Repeat this process several times, until the water runs clear. This step is important, so don't rush it! It will likely take a few minutes for the water to become clear.

Once the rice has been thoroughly rinsed, it is then ready to be cooked. Combine the rice with water in a saucepan, and follow the remaining steps to achieve perfectly steamed rice.

Use a heavy-bottomed stainless steel saucepan with a lid

To cook steamed rice, you can use a heavy-bottomed stainless steel saucepan with a lid, ideally with a glass lid so you can keep an eye on the rice as it cooks.

First, rinse the rice under running water, rubbing the grains together with your hands until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch and helps to prevent the rice from becoming sticky.

Next, combine the rice and water in your saucepan. If you want to add flavour to the rice, you can use chicken or vegetable stock instead of water. You can also add a teaspoon of oil to the pan to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom and to keep it moist. Stir the rice well so that it is evenly distributed in the bottom of the pan.

Place the pan on the hob and cook over medium heat. Bring the water to a boil and cook the rice uncovered until the water level drops below the surface of the rice. This will take about 5 minutes. If the water spills over, reduce the heat.

When almost all the water (about 90%) has been absorbed by the rice, cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Leave the rice to cook for about 12 minutes. It is important not to stir the rice or remove the lid during this time, as this will allow heat vapours to escape and reduce the amount of water the rice absorbs.

Once the rice is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and let it rest on the counter for 10 minutes. This helps the rice to absorb any remaining moisture and ensures it has a soft texture.

Finally, remove the lid and use a fork or spatula to gently fluff the rice so that it doesn't stick together.

Add 1 teaspoon of oil to prevent rice from sticking to the pan

Adding a teaspoon of oil to the saucepan helps prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. It also helps to keep the rice moist, which is especially important if you plan on storing the rice for several days.

The oil is added to the pan at the beginning of the cooking process, before the water and rice. It is important to stir the rice well at this stage to ensure it is evenly distributed in the bottom of the pan.

The oil is entirely optional, but it is recommended if you want to store your rice for several days.

Bring water to a boil and cook rice uncovered until the water level drops

To cook rice, start by rinsing the rice in water. Rinsing the rice will remove excess starch, which will prevent the rice from becoming sticky. However, some recipes suggest that this step is unnecessary.

Next, combine the rice and water in a saucepan. The amount of water you use will depend on the type of rice you are cooking and the desired texture. For fluffier rice, use a 1:1.5 ratio of rice to water. If you prefer softer rice, use a 1:2 ratio.

Now, bring the water to a boil and cook the rice uncovered. Do not stir the rice or put a lid on the saucepan. Keep the rice on the heat until the water level drops below the surface of the rice. This should take about 5 minutes.

Once the water level has dropped, cover the saucepan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Leave the rice to cook for about 12 minutes. Do not lift the lid or stir the rice during this time, as this will cause heat vapours to escape, reducing the amount of water the rice absorbs.

When the rice is done, remove the saucepan from the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes. This will allow the rice to absorb any remaining moisture. Finally, use a fork or spatula to fluff the rice, and serve.

Cover the pot with a lid and reduce heat to low

Once you've added the rice and water to your saucepan, you'll need to place the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to low. This is an important step in the process of cooking rice, as it ensures that the rice cooks evenly and helps to regulate the heat.

It's important to use the right size of saucepan for the amount of rice you're cooking. If you use a pot that's too large, the rice will be scorched as the liquid will evaporate too quickly. Conversely, if you use a pot that's too small, the rice may boil over. As a general rule, the saucepan should be about four to five times the height of the water level.

You should also be mindful not to lift the lid or stir the rice while it's cooking, as this will release the steam and result in undercooked or unevenly cooked rice. The steam is essential to the cooking process, as it softens the rice grains and creates a sticky texture.

Depending on the type of rice you're cooking, you may need to adjust the heat setting. For example, some stoves may be too powerful for the size of the saucepan, so you may need to move to a smaller burner to prevent the rice from burning.

Once the rice has been cooking on low heat for the recommended time (usually around 12-15 minutes), you can remove the saucepan from the stove and let it stand, still covered, for about 10 minutes. This allows the rice to absorb any remaining moisture and finish cooking.

Finally, you can remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork, rice paddle, or spatula. And that's it! You should now have perfectly cooked, fluffy rice.

Frequently asked questions