Who doesn’t like a fresh bowl of hot fluffy rice that’s still good even after a day or two? To make rice that comes out fluffy every time, there is more than just water measurement. Here’s what you need to know.
This recipe refers to making rice using a more ‘international’ approach. Remember that there are various types of rice and how to make it will vary depending on culture and the preferred outcome.
How to Make Fluffy Rice That Doesn’t Suck!
Wash it, yes, wash the hell out of it! eh ehm, be gently Here’s why. Washing the rice removes some of the surface starch which will reduce the stickiness. Place the rice in a fine sieve, then position that under running cold water, and just run your fingers back and forth until the water from the rice is no longer cloudy.
How about a taste first? Add salt to the water, and stir to dissolve then taste it before pouring it over the rice. This ensures that the rice is well seasoned, nothing sucks like unseasoned tasteless rice.
Don’t drench me in oil or else: Here’s why, unless your intent is to make some delicious tahdig (Persian rice recipe with a crunchy bottom) then keep the oil to a minimum.
Toast me ish: Heat the pan first, then add in the oil, followed by the rice. Stir to coat the grains, but do so gently, so as not to break the rice. Do this for no more than 15 seconds.
Liven me up: I am so glad I started doing this and perhaps you should too! What I do is occasionally cook your rice with vegetable stock/stockpot instead of plain water. I boil the required amount of water then stir in the vegetable stockpot until it dissolves, and finally add it to the rice.
Alternatively, just measure the required amount of homemade/storebought vegetable stock and add that to the rice. Rice cooked with veggie stock goes well with plain-ish dishes, so those that are not so spicy or packed with flavor.
When making something quite flavored like say Teriyaki salmon or Sweet and sour chicken I would pair them with rice made with plain water.
Cover and forget me: Once the water starts boiling, reduce the heat to let the rice slowly simmer covered, and most importantly- do not open until it is time.
Let me rest: Once the cooking is done, take it off the stove and let it rest for about 10 minutes uncovered. This firms up the fluffy rice making them less likely to break apart when scooped for serving.
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Rice
Storage: Leftover rice that has not been properly stored can very easily be a source of food poisoning. to avoid this, it is important to refrigerate the rice immediately after the leftover has cooled to prevent bacterial growth.
Reheat: To reheat the rice, add a few tablespoons of water and heat it to at least 70°C/160°F.
Don’t forget to let me know how deliciously fluffy your rice was and if you did anything different with it.
Please give the fluffy rice a thumbs up below.
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Here’s a Side to Go With Your Rice
10-Minute Creamy Spinach with Parmesan
Creamy spinach with parmesan, cream, nutmeg, and one more ingredient that adds a touch of nuttiness. Spinach never tasted this good, ready in under 10 minutes.
Plain fluffy rice
(+5 rating, 1 votes)
Loading...Plain serving of fluffy rice using water
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 350g (2 cups) long-grain rice
- 1/2 tablespoon sea salt
- 512ml (2 3/4cup) water/vegetable stock (optional)
Instructions
Gently rinse the rice until the water is no longer cloudy
Add the salt to the measured water and stir to dissolve, if using vegetable stock, use half the amount of salt first then taste before adding more as vegetable stock/vegetable stockpot can be quite salty.
Heat a pan over medium heat then pour in the oil and rice, stir to toast, and coat the grains for 10-15 seconds then pour in the salted water/vegetable stock.
Stir and increase the heat. Then wait until the rice starts to boil before reducing the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 25 minutes without opening the lid
After 25 minutes, take the rice off the stove and let it rest, uncovered for a further 10 minutes.
Serve and properly store any leftovers.
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