Basic Fluffy Rice Recipe

Elena Butuc

This is now one of our favorite methods of cooking the rice, as garnish for any dish, vegetable or meat / fish. Here in the recipe, and in general, I prefer to cook basmati rice, but any kind of rice can be prepared by this method. I learned this method of cooking the rice at the restaurant where I did my chef training program and I started using it at home but it occured to me just now that I haven't shown it to you.

Rice cooked in this way will be exemplary, with all the grains separated, very fluffy, non-sticky and a bit al dente. I warmly recommend it. Also, it is a bit more dietary than plain rice because it's boiled in a larger amount of water and, therefore, starch is washed off.

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Ingredients

Metric US

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Rice

1 cup

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Water

4 l

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Salt

1 tbsp

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Vegetable oil

2 tbsp

Step by step

Step 1

Measure the rice with a glass and place it in a deep bowl.

For this amount of water, you can put a maximum of 2 glasses of rice.

Step 2

Pour water into a pot and place over heat. I use a 5 liter pot.

The idea is to have a larger quantity of water compared to that of the rice, so the starch can wash off and the rice won't become sticky.

Step 3

Until the water comes to the boil, wash the rice a few times.

Step 4

When the water starts to boil, add salt and the rice. Mix well.

When it starts boiling again, turn down the heat and let simmer slowly. Stir regularly.

Step 5

After 2-3 minutes of cooking, the rice looks like this, the grain is still whole and raw.

Step 6

After 7 minutes, my basmati rice is done - boiled, a little al dente but not overcooked.

I would even recommend leaving it a bit raw. The cooking time can differ, depending on the type of rice you are using. Use the guidelines from the steps above and taste periodically.

Step 7

Drain the rice using a colander or pasta strainer.

Step 8

Return the rice to the pot, sprinkle with oil and mix gently.

Step 9

Level with a spoon or spatula and cover the pot with a lid.

Leave it covered for 15-20 minutes. You'll notice that during this time, the rice will cook passively and become fluffier. Mix it carefully after that and notice the airy texture.