How to cook rice: 5 tips for the perfect rice

Continuing with our month-long celebration of Japanese food, here are a few tips on how to cook rice perfectly for your next Taste of Tokyo dish. Whether it’s the Chicken Katsu Curry that you’re ordering, or the Kare Rice, the absence of well cooked rice will mean that neither dish lives up to its full potential. We asked the Hello Chef food team for their tips and tricks to ensure perfect rice, every time. 

1. Washing the rice is important!

“The first step in cooking perfect rice begins with the rinsing stage,” explains Aamir. “Rice should be washed with cold water until the water runs clear. This usually takes around 3 washes.” Did you know? Washing the rice removes surface starch from the grains and allows for a fluffier texture when cooked. 

2. Use the 1:2 ratio

It’s important to measure the rice and water accurately using the 1:2 ratio (1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water). Too little liquid will result in partially cooked rice (and more often than not, a burnt pan…) whereas too much liquid can leave you with mushy, gloopy rice. As a general rule, our portions include 75g of rice per person, combined with 150ml of water (150g / 300ml for a 2-person recipe.) 

3. Don’t forget the salt!

Remember to season your rice immediately after you have added it to the pan with the water. Don’t wait until the rice is cooked to do this, as it won’t penetrate the grains and will leave you with flavourless rice. 

4. Boil, then simmer

Timing is important when it comes to cooking rice, but so is heat. We’d recommend adding water, salt and rice to a pan and first, bringing it to a boil. Once it is boiling, reduce the heat and simmer (with the pan covered) on a low flame for 10-12 minutes. 

5. Remove from the heat & steam dry

Good news! If you’ve followed all of the steps so far, the chances are that you’re destined for perfectly light and fluffy rice – result! The one final tip, and – according to our recipe developer, Tabetha – the most important of all, is to remove the rice pan from the heat once your timer goes off, and leave it covered for at least 5 minutes before serving. This gives the rice time to steam dry, ensuring all grains are evenly distributed with moisture. If you rush to serve, you may find that the grains on the top of the pan are quite dry, and the grains from the bottom of the pan are still wet. 

If you found this post on how to cook rice helpful, please let us know what other tips you’d like us to share with you by dropping us an email at [email protected] or reaching out to us on Instagram: @hellochef

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