How to Cook Rice

Today, we’re all about how to cook rice. It’s easy. Do you have a hard time cooking rice so it comes out the way you pictured? Please don’t feel bad about it; you’re not the only one. Many people struggle with cooking rice because there is a method you need to follow that they haven’t learned. We are eating rice four times a week right now. The price of groceries is so high.

Once you master that method, you can quickly learn to make rice at home, and you might eventually decide to experiment with different ingredients and flavors. After all, rice is an excellent side dish for serving many foods, including chicken, salmon, broccoli, pork, and more. I typically buy Jasmine rice and use a rice cooker. Rice Cooker

Here’s the deal: we can use a rice cooker, a pressure cooker, or even an Instant Pot; I get it. But, if you don’t have one, we must know how to cook rice on a Butane Stove or a gas stove in an emergency. In case you missed this post, Rice: Everything You Need to Know

Types of Rice for Your Kitchen

Long-Grain White Rice is the most common variety found in American pantries. It cooks up light and fluffy with grains that stay separate, making it perfect for everyday side dishes, fried rice, and pilaf.

Jasmine Rice is a fragrant long-grain rice native to Thailand. It has a subtle floral aroma and a slightly sticky texture when cooked, making it a favorite for Southeast Asian dishes and anyone who loves a little extra perfume in their bowl.

Basmati Rice hails from the Indian subcontinent and is prized for its nutty flavor and extra-long, slender grains that elongate beautifully when cooked. It’s the go-to choice for biryanis, curries, and Persian-style rice dishes.

Short-Grain White Rice is plump, tender, and naturally sticky, ideal for sushi, rice bowls, and Korean cuisine. Its high starch content makes the grains cling together, which is exactly what you want when eating with chopsticks.

Brown Rice is simply white rice with its bran layer intact, giving it a nuttier flavor, chewier texture, and more fiber and nutrients. It takes longer to cook but is a popular choice for health-conscious eaters.

Arborio Rice is a starchy Italian short-grain variety best known as the star of risotto. As it cooks, it releases a creamy starch that gives risotto its signature velvety texture; it’s not meant to be fluffy.

Sushi Rice is a specific type of short-grain rice seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt after cooking. While similar to regular short-grain rice, varieties labeled “sushi rice” are selected for their ideal stickiness and clean flavor.

Wild Rice isn’t technically rice at all; it’s the seed of an aquatic grass native to North America. It has a dramatic dark color, a chewy bite, and an earthy, nutty flavor that works beautifully in soups, salads, and stuffings.

How To Cook Rice

Choose the Type of Rice You’re Going to Use

The type of rice you’re using has a lot to do with whether it comes out perfectly. When you’re at the grocery store and looking at different bags of rice, you might notice that some of the bags say “short-grain rice,” “medium-grain rice,” and others say “extra long grain.” If you’re using medium-grain rice, use equal parts water and rice in the pot.

So, if you plan to cook two cups of rice, add two cups of water to your pot. If you’re using extra-long-grain rice, you’d need to use two cups of water for each cup of rice. Keep this in mind when you’re selecting the size of the rice you’re going to prepare.

The brand of the rice isn’t too important. While some people may argue that they like one brand better than the other, it’s not that big of a deal. You can use what is available to you and what you feel comfortable using. Price may also be an important consideration, depending on your food budget.

Add Oil to Your Rice Pot

Grab a pot large enough to cook the rice. If you’re fixing enough to feed your whole family, a medium saucepan may not be large enough. In some cultures, the pot used for rice is known as a Caldero. You must have a non-stick pot with a lid to properly cook rice on your stovetop. Next, add a tablespoon of oil to the pot.

While the exact type of oil isn’t too important, it’s best to use olive or vegetable oil. Turn the stove heat to medium-high and let the oil heat. Colombian Caldero, 4.8 Quart, Silver

Rinse and Add Your Rice

Measure the rice you plan to use, pour it into a colander, and begin rinsing it with cool water in the sink. Not everyone agrees with rinsing rice, but removing excess starch is a great way to get fluffy rice and prevent a mushy texture you might not like.

Once you’ve rinsed your rice for a minute or two, be sure to hold it in place, pour out any extra water into the sink, and then add it to the cooking pot with the hot oil. Use a plastic or wooden spoon to stir the rice for a good mix.

Add Water and Salt to the Pot

Next, measure the amount of water needed to add to the pot based on your selected rice style or size and how much you’re using. Add the water to the pot, and then sprinkle a teaspoon or two of salt into it.

Remix the rice, cover it halfway with the lid, and leave it on medium-high heat. Don’t go too far away; you want to stay close to the rice pot to watch when the rice absorbs the water.

Cover and let the Steam Work Its Magic

When you notice most of the water has been absorbed, remove the lid from the pot and add a sheet of foil on top. Use the foil to cover the pot before placing the lid back on top. Lower the heat on the stove to the lowest setting possible and leave your rice alone for at least 20 minutes.

Don’t touch the lid! You may feel tempted to open the lid and look inside to see how much progress you’re making, but that can disrupt things by letting the steam escape and leaving you with wet rice that doesn’t taste very good.

Remove the Lid and Foil to Fluff and Serve

After 20 minutes, remove the lid from the pot and carefully pull the foil off the top. Be careful with the foil, as a lot of steam will come from inside the pot. The steam can burn you if you’re too close.

You may notice that your rice looks perfect! Grab a fork to fluff it before serving it with a plastic or wooden spoon. It’s that simple. If you follow this foolproof method, you can easily make traditional white rice.

Another Way To Cook Rice

Deborah, one of my readers, suggests: “I do rinse the rice. But I bring the water to a boil with oil and salt added. Pour the rinsed rice in and bring it to a boil again. Boil for 5 minutes, then add the lid and turn off the heat. Let it sit for about 30-45 minutes. Usually, the rice is perfect and fluffy.”

For the past few months, we’ve been using an Aroma Select Stainless rice cooker as a new approach to cooking rice (see the “rice cooker” link above). You have the same rice-to-water ratio as explained above. It has a switch on the front to cook the rice, and then it automatically shifts to a “warm” setting. When the rice is ready, I put a paper towel over the hole in the lid so I don’t get burned when I remove the lid. This has proven to be a great rice cooker and pretty much fail-safe.

Add-Ins for Flavor

Some people like to use chicken bouillon when preparing their white rice. If you’d like to give the rice a bit more flavor, you can add the chicken bouillon as the liquid to the pot with the oil, right before adding your rice and mixing well.

The chicken bouillon doesn’t have an overwhelming taste, but it does add more flavor to the dish, so you wouldn’t need to add anything else if you didn’t want to.

Some people add corn to their rice. Yellow corn adds a sweet touch to white rice and is an excellent addition to seafood and meat meal recipes. If you’d like to add the corn to your rice, feel free to toss it in when you’re adding the white rice to the pot.

If you don’t like corn, you can consider using peas or chopped canned carrots. It depends on what you prefer and want to enjoy with your rice.

What to Eat on Your Rice

While you can eat your rice fresh out of the pot, some other ingredients taste great when added to it for a different-tasting rice recipe. Soy sauce is a popular ingredient used on white rice and fried rice. It adds a tangy taste.

Sometimes Mark will take my rice, heat it up, and add some butter, much like you’d do with mashed potatoes. He’ll also heat a bowl of rice and put milk and sugar on it for his breakfast.

Coconut Aminos are a keto-friendly option for those who like tang without excess sugar. You can also enhance the flavor of your rice by adding chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice.

How to Freeze Rice

I love rice; I could eat it at every meal. So I grabbed some of my Souper Containers, cooked the rice, and then filled the “cups” with rice so I could freeze some individual servings. When it comes time to use the rice for a meal, I pull the container from the freezer, pop out one of the sections into a bowl, thaw the rice, or just add it to the other meal ingredients before heating things up to eat. Usually, one cup section is sufficient for a meal for both Mark and me.

Spanish Rice Recipe

Final Word

Cooking rice isn’t too hard. If you follow these instructions, you can turn it into a science and always prepare delicious rice just the way you want it for that next meal. May God bless this world, Linda

Copyright Images: Rinsing Rice AdobeStock_136870136 by Africa Studio, White Rice AdobeStock_215243566 by Kungverylucky, Different Rice AdobeStock_218205225 by Pixel-Shot.