How to Cook Rice: Absorption Method, Ratios by Type and Cooking Times
For rice in a pot, you measure rice and water in the right ratio, bring both to a boil and let the rice steam, covered, over the lowest heat until it has absorbed the water. Long-grain rice needs about twice the amount of water and 15 to 20 minutes; basmati, jasmine and sushi rice need less water and less time.
What you need
- A pot with a heavy bottom and a tight-fitting lid. Thin pots scorch at the bottom before the rice on top is done.
- A cup or a measuring cup. You measure rice and water by volume, with the same vessel. A cup of 250 milliliters holds about 200 grams of rice.
- A fine-mesh strainer for washing and draining.
As a side dish, plan 60 to 80 grams of uncooked rice per person; as the main part of a rice bowl, about 100 grams. Rice doubles to triples in volume as it cooks.
Wash the rice: yes or no?
Washing rinses loose starch off the grains. Washed rice sticks less and tastes cleaner. Wash basmati, jasmine rice and Japanese short-grain rice before cooking. Don't wash pudding rice or risotto rice; there you need the starch for creaminess. You don't have to wash parboiled rice.
- Put the rice in a bowl and cover with cold water.
- Stir with your hand and gently rub the grains against each other.
- Pour off the cloudy water and repeat two to four times, until the water stays almost clear.
- Drain the rice well in the strainer. Leftover water throws off the ratio.
The absorption method step by step
With the absorption method the rice takes up all the water. Flavor and starch stay in the pot.
- Measure, wash and drain the rice.
- Put the rice, water according to the table below and a pinch of salt in the pot. For one cup of rice, a scant half teaspoon of salt is enough.
- Bring to a boil over high heat and stir once so nothing sticks to the bottom.
- As soon as the water bubbles, put the lid on and turn the heat to the lowest setting. From now on don't stir and don't lift the lid.
- When the cooking time is up, turn off the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes. During this time the moisture spreads evenly through the grain.
- Fluff with a fork or a rice paddle and serve.
On an electric stove the burner reacts slowly. After the boil, move the pot to a second burner that you preheated to the lowest setting, so the rice doesn't keep bubbling.
Ratios by type of rice
The values are by volume, so cup of rice to cup of water, for the absorption method. New crop, pot size and stove shift them a little. Note how the rice turned out the first time and adjust the water the next time.
| Type of rice | Rice : water | Cooking time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long-grain rice, white | 1 : 2 | 15 to 20 min. | wash |
| Parboiled rice | 1 : 2 | 15 to 20 min. | no washing needed, hardly sticky |
| Basmati | 1 : 1.5 (soaked 1 : 1.25) | 10 to 12 min. | wash, soak for 20 to 30 min. |
| Jasmine rice | 1 : 1.25 to 1 : 1.5 | 12 to 15 min. | wash, don't soak |
| Japanese short-grain rice (sushi rice) | 1 : 1.1 to 1 : 1.2 | 12 to 15 min. | wash, drain for 30 min., rest for 10 to 15 min. |
| Brown rice (whole grain) | 1 : 2 to 1 : 2.5 | 35 to 45 min. | wash |
| Sticky rice | don't cook in a pot | steam for 20 to 30 min. | soak overnight |
You find the details on the types in separate guides: How to cook basmati rice, How to cook jasmine rice and How to cook sticky rice. For sushi you season Japanese short-grain rice with vinegar, sugar and salt after cooking, as described in the recipe for Sushi rice.
Other ways: draining and the rice cooker
The draining method
You can also cook long-grain rice like pasta: boil it in plenty of salted water, about six times the amount, for 10 to 15 minutes, taste, drain and let it steam in the covered pot for 5 minutes. The method forgives wrong amounts but costs flavor. It doesn't suit jasmine rice and Japanese rice; the grains turn watery.
Rice can contain traces of arsenic from the soil. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment points out that washing and cooking in plenty of water, then draining, lowers the content. If you eat a lot of rice, it is best to alternate between both methods.
Rice in a rice cooker
A rice cooker measures the temperature at the bottom and switches to keep-warm as soon as the water has cooked away. You put washed rice in the inner pot and fill with water up to the mark for the matching amount. Use the cooker's own measuring cup; it usually holds 180 milliliters, less than a household cup. Better models have their own programs for white rice, brown rice and sticky rice. If you eat rice every day, the purchase pays off.
Common mistakes
- Lifted the lid: The steam escapes and the rice on top stays hard. Keep the lid closed until the end of the resting time.
- Stirred: The grains break, starch comes out and the rice turns sticky.
- Heat too high: The rice scorches at the bottom and stays raw on top.
- Too much water: The rice turns mushy. Let it steam off for a few minutes without the lid over low heat.
- Too little water: The grains have a hard core. Add two to three tablespoons of hot water and cook covered for another 5 minutes.
- No resting time: Without the 10 minutes the rice is wet at the bottom and dry on top.
Storing and using leftovers
Cool cooked rice quickly, ideally spread out flat, and put it covered in the refrigerator within about an hour. Eat it within one to two days and reheat it until piping hot. The reason: spores of the bacterium Bacillus cereus survive cooking and can form toxins at room temperature that reheating does not destroy.
Cold rice from the day before works best for fried rice, because it is drier and doesn't clump. Try it as Japanese Chahan or as Thai Khao Pad. You need freshly cooked rice for Gyudon, Japanese curry or Tamago kake gohan.