You would think that cooking rice should be a simple task, but in my experience, I can tell you it’s not like riding a bicycle. But, I can assure you that once you have it down, you’ll be a pro at cooking rice.
Specifically, I am focusing on white rice. There are a couple of factors to consider, though. The size of your pot for example. In this recipe, I’ve used a 1.5-quart pot, which worked out perfectly fine, but I did make the mistake of taking my eyes off of the stove and the water started to boil over. So I suggested using a slightly larger and taller pot OR just keeping your eye on the stove and whenever water looks like it’s about to boil over remove the top and then cover again.
The second factor to consider is your stove. This batch of rice only took 15 minutes to steam. In my last apartment, it took 20 minutes. They were both gas stoves so I’m not really sure why the cooking time changes. It could also have been the type of rice I am using which was basmati. So it’s also good to double-check the instructions on the bag for recommended times.
Finally, I chose to put the pot on my smallest burner. If you cook rice on your large burner your chances of burning the rice or the rice sticking to the pot increase and we definitely do not want that!
Let Us Start – How to Cook White Rice!
If you’ve had a chance to look at my How to Cook Fluffy Quinoa post, you’ll see I use the 2 to 1 ratio. So for every cup of Quinoa, you use 2 cups of water. The same applies to white rice. In this recipe specifically, I use 1 cup of rice and 2 cups of water. If I were cooking brown rice I would use 2 and a half cups of water to 1 cup of rice.
So add both your rice and water to the pot. Also rinse your rice. I’m terrible at doing this but do as I say, not as I do I guess…
Some people also like to boil their water before adding their rice. I don’t like to do that.
Add salt and olive oil (optional) to the rice and water, then bring water to a boil.
Once the water is boiling turn the heat down to the lowest setting and cover the pot. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Like I said earlier, every stove is different, so you’ll start at 15 minutes the first time and then go from there.
Important: Keep your eyes on the pot because water might boil over. That’s why I suggest using a slightly larger pot than I used which was 1.5 quarts. If the water starts to boil over just remove the top for a second and then place it back on. You will not have to do this the whole 15 minutes.
Once 15 minutes have passed check the rice. If all of the water is gone remove the pot from the heat, fluff the rice, and cover the rice for a couple of minutes. Fluffing the rice just kind-of means lightly moving it around with a fork. If the water doesn’t look like it’s evaporated then continue to keep on a low heat checking your rice every 30 seconds until the water is gone. And from this, you’ll know the exact amount of time to cook your rice the next time.
That’s pretty much it. You are read to serve.
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How to Cook White Rice
Equipment
- 1.5 to 2.5 quart pot
Materials
- 1 cup White Rice Basmati
- 2 cups Water
- pinch Salt (to taste)
- drizzle olive oil optional
Instructions
- Put rice, water, oil, and a pinch of salt in a pot
- Place the pot on your smallest burner and bring to boil
- Once the water is boiling, turn down the heat to the lowest setting (simmer) and cover
- Set a timer for 15 minutes and keep your eye on the pot to prevent the water from boiling over
- After 15 minutes check that the water has fully evaporated and remove the pot from the stove. Fluff the rice and keep covered. If water has not fully evaporated, keep the pot over a simmer and check every 30 seconds to see if the water is gone.
- After a couple of minutes, you can season with more salt and serve!