Perfect boiled rice
Without using a rice cooker
Recipe, 8 December 2024
by L.A. Davenport
Rice has been an integral part of my culinary life ever since I was a child. It was the basis of almost every meal we ate, and has remained a staple in my diet and a place of comfort to return to in times of need. Eating a bowl of rice, even without any other ingredients, is a deeply held pleasure that has the power, like a perfectly made cup of tea (no milk or sugar, thank you), to right many a wrong.
The reason is simple: my mother was unable to eat potatoes and leavened bread, my father didn’t like pasta, and lentils and grains such as barley were liked by neither. What was left, apart from the odd flatbread, other than rice to provide the bulk of a meal?
Perhaps because this, my mother became an expert in producing perfectly cooked grains, every time. She tried to teach me her apparently reliable but somewhat finicky method but, for whatever reason, I have never been able to master it and replicate her excellent results.
Consequently I had to develop my own technique, and I spent many frustrating years not quite reaching my own exacting standards. But little by little, and working from various sources, and I ended up with this simple and straightforward approach. The key thing is to be brave enough at the end to let the water truly boil off, so you get perfectly tender yet separate grains.
Before we go on, this method is intended for basmati and other types of long grain white rice (ie, not short grain varieties such as arborio or sushi). In the case of brown long grain rice, simply add half a cup more water and leave it to cook longer to absorb it. Consequently, you'll need to set aside additional cooking time.
Boil the kettle while melting the knob of butter (with salt, if required) in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan on a high heat. Once the butter is fully melted and starting to bubble, stir in the rice and continue stirring until all the butter has absorbed and the grains become translucent at the tips. Add the two cups of just-boiled water, which will froth up and steam. Put the lid on and turn the heat down to the minimum.
Leave the rice alone to cook for about 10 or so minutes, lifting the lid only slightly to check it as you get close to the end. When the water is nearly all absorbed, deep wells will form in the rice. Continue cooking until the steam is nearly all gone, then immediately take the saucepan off the heat and allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes,. Fluff up the rice with a fork and leave it for another few minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
The reason is simple: my mother was unable to eat potatoes and leavened bread, my father didn’t like pasta, and lentils and grains such as barley were liked by neither. What was left, apart from the odd flatbread, other than rice to provide the bulk of a meal?
Perhaps because this, my mother became an expert in producing perfectly cooked grains, every time. She tried to teach me her apparently reliable but somewhat finicky method but, for whatever reason, I have never been able to master it and replicate her excellent results.
Consequently I had to develop my own technique, and I spent many frustrating years not quite reaching my own exacting standards. But little by little, and working from various sources, and I ended up with this simple and straightforward approach. The key thing is to be brave enough at the end to let the water truly boil off, so you get perfectly tender yet separate grains.
Before we go on, this method is intended for basmati and other types of long grain white rice (ie, not short grain varieties such as arborio or sushi). In the case of brown long grain rice, simply add half a cup more water and leave it to cook longer to absorb it. Consequently, you'll need to set aside additional cooking time.
Ingredients
- 1 decent knob butter
- Pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
- 1 cup white basmati rice (or whatever measure you prefer, as it is all relative, not absolute)
- 2 cups boiling (ideally filtered) water
Method
Boil the kettle while melting the knob of butter (with salt, if required) in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan on a high heat. Once the butter is fully melted and starting to bubble, stir in the rice and continue stirring until all the butter has absorbed and the grains become translucent at the tips. Add the two cups of just-boiled water, which will froth up and steam. Put the lid on and turn the heat down to the minimum.
Leave the rice alone to cook for about 10 or so minutes, lifting the lid only slightly to check it as you get close to the end. When the water is nearly all absorbed, deep wells will form in the rice. Continue cooking until the steam is nearly all gone, then immediately take the saucepan off the heat and allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes,. Fluff up the rice with a fork and leave it for another few minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
© L.A. Davenport 2017-2024.
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Perfect boiled rice | Pushing the Wave