Cooking rice

Why

The surface of dry rice grains carries a fine starchy dust and some impurities; rinsing washes them off. How sticky the rice turns out, though, depends mainly on its type – long-grain rice stays fluffy and separate, sticky rice sticks even after rinsing. With the absorption method the rice soaks up all the water, so the ratio decides the result: long-grain rice usually takes roughly 1.5 parts water to 1 part rice by volume, but this varies with the type of rice, the width of the pan and how tight the lid is. Stirring during cooking breaks the grains and releases more starch, and every time you lift the lid, steam escapes that should be cooking the top layer. After the heat is off, the rice finishes under the lid for about 10 minutes: moisture evens out between the grains, their surface firms up and they don't break when fluffed.

How to do it

• Rinse long-grain rice in a sieve under cold water until the water runs almost clear; this also washes away some of the arsenic.
• Don't rinse rice for risotto or rice pudding; there you want the sticky starch.
• Measure the water for the type of rice, roughly 1.5 parts to 1 part rice for long-grain, and salt it.
• Bring to the boil, turn the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and stop stirring or lifting the lid.
• Once cooked, let the rice stand off the heat under the lid for about 10 minutes.
• Finally, fluff it with a fork.

If it goes wrong

Overcooked sticky rice won't turn fluffy again – use it for a bake, rice cakes or rice pudding. If the rice is still hard once the water has been absorbed, add a few spoonfuls of hot water, cover and let it finish on the lowest heat. Leave a lightly scorched bottom in the pan and spoon the rice from the top so the burnt taste doesn't spread. Spread out leftover rice so it cools quickly, refrigerate it within an hour and eat it by the next day – Bacillus cereus bacteria multiply in rice left standing warm.