Kitchen School

Different rices want different handling, and matching the method to the grain is half the battle. Long-grain rices like basmati and jasmine cook up light and separate and love to be rinsed. Medium and short-grain rices, used for risotto, paella, sushi, and many puddings, are deliberately starchy and sticky and should not be rinsed because that stickiness is the point. Parboiled (converted) rice is very forgiving and stays separate. When a recipe calls for a specific rice it is usually chasing a specific texture, so a swap will change the dish, and knowing which camp your rice is in tells you immediately whether to rinse and roughly how much water to use.

Most long-grain rice cooks up markedly fluffier if you rinse it first. Put the rice in a bowl, cover with cool water, swish it with your hand, and pour off the cloudy water two or three times until it runs nearly clear. This washes away loose surface starch that would otherwise glue the grains into clumps. Basmati in particular rewards a rinse and even a short soak, which lets the long grains hydrate and extend to their famous length. Drain well after rinsing so you are not adding extra water you did not account for.

For most long-grain rice, use about one and a half cups of water per cup of rice. Combine the rinsed rice, water, and a good pinch of salt in a pot, bring it to a boil, then immediately turn the heat to its lowest setting and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook undisturbed for about twelve minutes, then pull the pot off the heat entirely and let it rest, still covered, for a full ten minutes. Do not lift the lid while it cooks or rests; the trapped steam is finishing the job, and every peek lets it escape. A tight lid matters more than anything else, so if yours leaks steam, lay a clean kitchen towel between the pot and the lid.

After the ten-minute off-heat rest, which is when the grains firm up and stop being wet, lift the lid and fluff the rice gently with a fork, lifting and separating rather than stirring so you do not crush the grains into mush. Rice cooked this way holds beautifully for a while off the heat and reheats well with a sprinkle of water. Once you trust the ratio and the rest, you can cook rice directly in a seasoned broth, fold it into a pilaf, or start it in the same pot you built a flavor base in, all with total confidence.

Rice forgives more than you think. If it is still hard and the water is gone, sprinkle in a few tablespoons of hot water, cover, and give it another five minutes on the lowest heat. If it came out wet and mushy, tip it onto a wide tray and let the steam escape, or dry it briefly uncovered over low heat. If it caught and scorched on the bottom, do not stir; lift the good rice off the top and leave the burnt layer behind, and next time use a heavier pot and a lower flame. Almost no pot of rice is truly ruined.