Boiling Rice
Cooking Skills: Rice 1
Chapter 2 · Boiling Rice
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
Boiling rice is the same as boiling pasta: plenty of boiling water, the rice cooked until just tender, then drained. It is the most forgiving method, because the large amount of water dilutes the starch that makes rice gluey, and because you can taste a grain and drain at exactly the right moment. The one catch is that boiling takes away a little flavour, so season the water.
| Step | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Rinse | Under cold water in a sieve | Removes loose surface starch |
| Big pan, plenty of water | About 750 ml to 1 litre for 75 g of rice | Dilutes the starch, so grains stay separate |
| Salt the water | About ½ tsp per litre | Seasons the grains from inside |
| Simmer, uncovered | Set a timer, test a grain | You choose exactly when it is done |
| Drain and steam | Return to the warm pan, covered, for 5 minutes | Evens out the moisture, gives fluffy rice |
Try it
Boiled long-grain rice, done properly
Boil the rice in plenty of water, drain it, then let it steam. The extra water carries the loose starch away, which is why this method is so forgiving.
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 75 g long-grain white rice
- 1 litre water
- ½ tsp salt
- Bring the water and salt to a rolling boil in a medium pan. Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water for about 30 seconds.
- Add the rice, stir once, and simmer uncovered. Set a timer for 10 minutes.
- At 10 minutes, bite a grain. If there is still a hard white core, give it 1 more minute and test again.
- Drain through the sieve, shake off the water, and tip the rice back into the warm, dry pan.
- Cover with a lid (or a clean tea towel under the lid) and leave it off the heat for 5 minutes to steam. Fluff with a fork.
Boiled basmati
Basmati grains are long and fragile, so they get gentler treatment: rinse, soak, then a shorter boil.
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 75 g basmati rice
- 750 ml water
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cardamom pods, lightly crushed (optional)
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- Put the rice in a bowl, cover with cold water, swirl, and pour the cloudy water off. Repeat 3 or 4 times until it runs nearly clear. Cover with fresh water and soak for 20 minutes, then drain.
- Bring the water, salt, cardamom and bay leaf (if using) to the boil. Add the drained rice and stir once.
- Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes (8 to 10 if you didn't soak). Test a grain at 5 minutes.
- Drain, remove the whole spices, return the rice to the pan, cover and steam for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork.
Jasmine rice with soy and spring onion
Jasmine rice is soft and fragrant, and plain boiled rice becomes something special with a simple finish.
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 75 g jasmine rice
- 750 ml water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
- 1 tsp reduced-salt soy sauce
- ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
- Rinse the rice well, then boil it in the salted water for 9 to 10 minutes, until tender but not mushy.
- Drain, return to the warm pan, cover, and steam for 5 minutes.
- Toss the rice with the soy sauce and sesame oil, then fold through the spring onion.
- Serve scattered with sesame seeds, alongside a fried egg, tofu or any grilled fish or chicken.
Fried-rice-ready rice (cooked and cooled safely)
The best fried rice is made from cold, dry rice, so cook it ahead. This recipe is all about cooling it fast enough to keep it safe.
Ingredients (2 portions)
- 100 g long-grain or basmati rice (enough for 2 portions)
- 1 litre water
- ½ tsp salt
- Rinse the rice and boil it in the salted water for 9 minutes, slightly firmer than you'd eat it. It will firm up further as it cools.
- Drain well. Spread the rice in a thin layer on a clean baking tray or large plate so the steam escapes and it cools quickly.
- Leave for no more than 30 minutes, until no longer steaming. Then spoon it into an airtight container, seal it and put it in the fridge, within 1 hour of cooking.
- Use it within 24 hours. Write the time you cooked it on the lid.
Experiments
How much water?
Does a big pan of water really matter?
- Cook three lots of 75 g rinsed long-grain rice in 500 ml, 1 litre and 2 litres of salted boiling water, all for 10 minutes.
- Drain and steam each as in the main recipe.
- Compare how sticky each is and how easy it was to cook.
Look for: The smaller pan may stick, boil dry, or clump. A bigger pan is easier. Find the amount that suits your pans.
8, 10 or 12 minutes
Learn what undercooked, perfect and overcooked rice are like.
- Boil 100 g of rinsed long-grain rice in 1 litre of water.
- At 8 minutes, spoon out a third into a sieve. At 10 minutes, spoon out another third. At 12 minutes, drain the rest.
- Steam each portion for a few minutes, then taste them in order.
Look for: The 8-minute rice has a firm core, the 12-minute rice is soft and starting to split, and one of them will be your favourite.
Steamed or rinsed
Two ways to finish boiled rice.
- Boil two lots of rice the same way. Drain both.
- Return one to the warm pan to steam for 5 minutes. Rinse the other under cold water until it is cool, and drain well.
- Taste both, the steamed one warm and the rinsed one as it is, then reheat the rinsed rice with a splash of hot water.
Look for: The rinsed rice is cleaner and less sticky but cool, which is useful for salads and fried rice. The steamed rice is hotter, more flavourful and better for serving straight away.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boiled long-grain | ||||
| Boiled basmati | ||||
| Jasmine with soy | ||||
| Fried-rice-ready rice | ||||
| 500 ml vs 1 litre vs 2 litres | ||||
| 8, 10 and 12 minutes | ||||
| Steamed vs rinsed |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Rice is gluey | Not rinsed, not enough water, or stirred too much | Rinse, use a bigger pan, stir only once |
| Core is hard | Drained too early | Taste a grain before draining; cook a minute longer |
| Grains burst and split | Cooked too long or boiled too hard | Keep a steady simmer and test early |
| Rice is wet after draining | Skipped the steaming step | Return to the warm pan, cover and wait 5 minutes |
| Clumped when cold | Normal as rice cools and starch sets | Break up with a fork, or splash with water when reheating |
- I can boil rice by the pasta method and tell when it is done.
- I know why rinsing and steaming matter.
- I can cook basmati and jasmine to suit them.
- I can cool, store and reheat cooked rice safely.
- I have rice ready for chapter 6.