How to Make Perfect Rice

“How to Make Perfect Rice”

Knowing how to make rice is a fundamental basic if you wish to cook Japanese or other Asian dishes.  I will explain how to make perfect rice and you will become a master in no time.  It`s easy!

1. Place the rice grains in your rice cooker`s detachable container or into a large bowl and pour in a fair amount of water.  Give the rice a quick rinse using your fingers, then push down on the grains with the heel of your hand and wash them in a kneading motion.  Drain, change the water and repeat this 3 or 4 times until the water is clear.
2. Drain the rice grains well and let them soak in fresh water for at least 15 minutes.  Depending on how picky you are with your rice and how much time you actually have, you could skip this step if you wish.
3. If you are using an electric rice cooker, simply turn it on and begin cooking. If using a pot, cover the pot tightly and bring the water to a boil.  When steam starts to appear and the lid begins to shake, turn the heat down to low.
4. Cook for another 10 minutes until all the water has been absorbed and turn the heat off.  Make sure the lid remains on so the rice can steam properly for 10 minutes.

Rice to water ratio: 1 cup of rice : 1.2 cups of water

Tip: Most people will usually use whatever rice is cheap in the supermarket as the general notion is “rice is rice”.  Wrong!  If you want good rice, then spend a little extra on a more expensive brand.  If you *really* want to make the perfect rice, then you have to purchase the best.  My favorite and perhaps the best rice in the world is grown in Niigata prefecture, Japan.

The variety is known as “koshi-hikari” and I distinctly remember the first time trying it.  Finding it may be difficult and will definitely be expensive if you don`t live in Japan, but if you ever get the chance to try it… try it!

Hope this guide on how to make rice helps.