How to cook rice
How to cook rice that comes out fluffy and separate: rinse it, use the right water ratio for the type, and give it 10 minutes of rest with the lid on. Here are the ratios, times and yields for every kind, Persian rice with tahdig, amounts for 10 to 100 people and the cooling rule for cooked rice.
IllustrationHow to cook rice: the four things that decide the result
Rinsing
Rinse the rice 2 to 4 times, until the water runs almost clear. Rinsing removes the loose surface starch that glues grains together. For risotto and sticky rice, rinse lightly or not at all: there the starch is the texture.
Water ratio
Each type needs different water. Long white grains need less than whole grains, and soaked rice less than dry rice. Measure rice and water with the same cup: 240 ml, and a cup of white rice weighs about 190 g.
Rest
When the time is up, leave the pot closed off the heat for 10 minutes. Moisture evens out between bottom and top, and the grains firm up so they do not break when fluffed.
Salt and fat
Half a teaspoon of salt (about 3 g) per cup of rice is balanced. A spoon of oil, or toasting the dry rice briefly, coats the grains and keeps them separate.
Rice to water ratio for every type
Per cup of dry rice (240 ml), absorption method: covered pot on low heat
| Rice | Rinse and soak | Water per cup of rice | Cooking time | Rest | Cups cooked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basmati | Rinse, soak 20-30 minutes | 1.5 cups, or 1.25 after soaking | 12-15 minutes | 10 minutes | 3 |
| Jasmine | Quick rinse, no soak | 1.25 cups | 12-15 minutes | 10 minutes | 3 |
| Long grain white (Persian style) | Rinse, soaking optional | 1.5 cups | 15-18 minutes | 10 minutes | 3 |
| Round, short or medium grain | Rinse | 1.25-1.5 cups | 15 minutes | 10 minutes | 2.5 |
| Sushi rice (Japanese short grain) | Rinse until clear, soak 30 minutes | 1.1-1.2 cups | 13-15 minutes | 10-15 minutes | 2.5 |
| Brown | Rinse; 1-2 hours of soaking shortens it | 2-2.25 cups | 40-45 minutes, 30 after soaking | 10 minutes | 3 |
| Red | Rinse | 2-2.5 cups | 30-40 minutes | 10 minutes | 2.5-3 |
| Black | Rinse; 1 hour of soaking shortens it | 2 cups | 30-35 minutes | 10 minutes | 2.5-3 |
| Wild rice | Rinse | 3-4 cups, drain the excess | 45-55 minutes | 10 minutes | 3.5-4 |
| Sticky (glutinous) | Soak 4 hours to overnight | No water in the pot, steam over boiling water | 20-25 minutes steaming | 5 minutes | 2-2.5 |
Soaked rice has already absorbed water, so it needs less water and time. Very old rice may need an extra quarter cup.
Pot, microwave, oven or pressure cooker
Long grain white rice, per cup of dry rice unless stated
| Method | Water | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pot on the stove | 1.5 cups | 15 minutes on low, then 10 minutes rest | Every day, 1 to 5 cups |
| Microwave | 1.75 cups, in a bowl 3 times the volume | 10 minutes on full power uncovered, 5 minutes at 50% covered, 5 minutes rest | One or two cups, no pot |
| Oven | 1.5 cups boiling water | 35-45 minutes at 180°C, tray sealed tightly with foil | Large amounts and events |
| Pressure cooker | 1 cup for white rice, 1.25 for brown | White 4 minutes, brown 22 minutes, then 10 minutes natural release | Brown rice in a hurry |
| Electric rice cooker | To the marked line, about 1.25-1.5 | 20-30 minutes, then it switches itself to keep warm | Big families and Shabbat |
| Pasta method | Plenty of water, 6 times the rice | White 10-12 minutes, brown 25-30, drain and steam covered for 10 minutes | Brown, wild and Persian rice |
Microwave times are for an 800-900 watt oven. In a weaker oven add 2-3 minutes to the first stage.
How to cook fluffy white rice in a pot
- Measure
One cup of long grain or basmati (about 190 g) serves 2 to 3 as a side.
- Rinse
Three times in cold water, then drain well.
- Toast
Stir the rice in a spoon of hot oil in a heavy pot for 1-2 minutes, until the tips turn translucent.
- Add water
1.5 cups of boiling water and half a teaspoon of salt; 1.25 cups for soaked basmati.
- Boil
Bring to the boil and stir once only. From now on, no stirring.
- Cover
Tight lid, lowest heat, 15 minutes. Every peek lets out steam the rice needs.
- Rest
Off the heat, closed, 10 minutes. A towel under the lid catches drips.
- Fluff
Fluff with a fork from the edges inwards and serve.
Persian rice with tahdig, step by step
- Rinse and soak
Rinse 500 g of long grain rice 4-5 times and soak 1 to 3 hours in lukewarm water with a tablespoon of salt.
- Parboil
Boil 3 litres of water with 2 tablespoons of salt, add the rice and cook 5-7 minutes, until soft outside and still firm in the centre.
- Drain
Drain and rinse with lukewarm water to stop the cooking.
- Build the base
In a 24 cm non-stick pot heat 4 tablespoons of oil, 3 of water and a pinch of dissolved saffron. Press in a 1 cm layer of rice or potato slices.
- Mound
Pile the rest of the rice into a loose mound and poke 5-6 holes to the bottom with a spoon handle.
- Drizzle
3 tablespoons of oil and 3 of water over the top.
- Medium heat
8-10 minutes, until it sizzles and steams. Wrap the lid in a towel and close tightly.
- Low heat
45-50 minutes on the lowest heat, until the base is golden and crisp.
- Flip
Set the pot on a cold wet towel for a minute, cover with a plate and invert.
Kinds of tahdig, and which meal each one suits
Rice tahdig
Rice with oil and saffron at the bottom. The simplest, and fine with a meat meal.
Rice and yogurt tahdig
A cup of parboiled rice with 3 tablespoons of yogurt, an egg yolk and saffron. A thick golden crust, for a dairy or vegetarian meal only.
Potato tahdig
Slices half a centimetre thick on the oil: soft inside, golden outside, and the most forgiving.
Flatbread tahdig
Lavash or an opened pita covers the base. Bread crisps fast, so cut the low heat to 35-40 minutes.
How much cooked rice one cup makes
Weight of one dry cup (240 ml) and the weight after cooking by absorption
| Rice | One dry cup | After cooking | Weight gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long grain white, basmati, Persian | 190 g | 480-530 g | 2.5-2.8 times |
| Jasmine | 190 g | 450-500 g | 2.4-2.6 times |
| Round and sushi rice | 200 g | 440-500 g | 2.2-2.5 times |
| Brown | 190 g | 530-570 g | 2.8-3 times |
| Wild rice | 160 g | 480-560 g | 3-3.5 times |
The quick rule: one cup of dry rice makes 3 cups cooked, and 100 g of dry white rice makes 250 to 280 g cooked.
Rice for 10, 50 and 100 people
Long grain white or basmati, dry amounts before cooking
| People | One of several sides (50 g each) | Main side (75 g each) | Water for the main side | Cooked, main side | Rice is the dish (100 g each) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50 g | 75 g | 140 ml | about 200 g | 100 g |
| 4 | 200 g | 300 g, about 1.5 cups | 570 ml | about 800 g | 400 g |
| 10 | 500 g | 750 g | 1.4 litres | about 2 kg | 1 kg |
| 25 | 1.25 kg | 1.9 kg | 3.6 litres | about 5 kg | 2.5 kg |
| 50 | 2.5 kg | 3.75 kg | 6.4 litres | about 10 kg | 5 kg |
| 100 | 5 kg | 7.5 kg | 12.5-13 litres | about 20 kg | 10 kg |
Above 2 kg of rice, use about 10% less water: a big pot loses less to evaporation. Up to 3 kg fits a 15 litre pot; beyond that, use several pots or oven trays. Rice is the dish means majadra, maqluba or rice with a stew and no other side.
Cooling cooked rice: the Bacillus rule
until the rice is in the fridge
Spread rice you are not serving in a wide container and refrigerate it within an hour, never more than two.
the range to pass quickly
Here spores of Bacillus cereus, which survive cooking, wake up, multiply and make a toxin.
fridge
At 4°C or below the bacteria barely grow. Rice cooled within an hour keeps up to 3 days; best within one.
reheating
Until steaming throughout, 75°C in the centre, and only once. The toxin resists heat, so reheating cannot rescue rice left out for hours.
keeping it hot
Rice on keep warm or on a Shabbat hot plate stays above 60°C, out of the growth range.
Storing, freezing and reheating rice
In the fridge
Closed container, no more than 5 cm deep, on a shelf, not in the door. Write the cooking day on the lid.
In the freezer
Up to two months. Freeze flat in 2-cup bags and reheat from frozen with a spoon of water, 2-3 minutes in the microwave or in a covered pan.
Passover
Families who eat kitniyot on Passover check the rice for stray wheat or barley grains before the festival, many of them three times. In Ashkenazi custom rice is not eaten on Passover.
Frequently asked questions
How much water for 1 cup of rice?
1.5 cups for long grain white and basmati, 1.25 for soaked basmati and jasmine, 2 to 2.25 for brown and 3 to 4 for wild rice, all measured with the same cup.
How long do you cook rice?
White rice: 15 minutes on low plus 10 minutes covered rest. Soaked basmati 12 minutes, brown 40-45, wild 45-55.
Do you need to rinse rice?
Yes, for separate grains: two to four rinses remove the loose starch. For risotto and sticky rice, rinse lightly.
How do you cook rice in the microwave?
One cup of rinsed rice and 1.75 cups of water in a large bowl: 10 minutes on full power uncovered, 5 at 50% covered, 5 minutes rest.
How do you make sushi rice?
Rinse Japanese short grain until clear, soak 30 minutes, drain. Cook 1 cup with 1.1 cups of water for 13-15 minutes on low, rest 10. Per cup of dry rice fold in 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 1 of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt while hot, then cool.
How much rice per person?
75 g dry as the main side, 50 g alongside other sides, 100 g when rice is the dish, as in majadra. 75 g dry is about 200 g cooked.
How long does cooked rice last in the fridge?
Up to 3 days if it was refrigerated within an hour and kept at 4°C or below. Best within one day, reheated once until steaming.
Can you freeze cooked rice?
Yes, up to two months, if it was cooled quickly. Freeze flat portions and reheat from frozen with a spoon of water.
Why is my rice sticky or burnt on the bottom?
Sticky: not rinsed, too much water, or stirred while cooking. Burnt: heat too high or a thin pot. A heavy pot, lowest heat and a covered rest fix both.
How do you make rice with vermicelli?
Toast half a cup of fine vermicelli in oil until golden, add 2 cups of rinsed rice, then 3.5 cups of boiling water and salt. 15 minutes on low, 10 minutes rest.
Order instead of cooking
Ready food for Shabbat, an event or the office, from our kitchen in Tel Aviv.
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