David Tanis Market Cooking

What is it about rice that makes even otherwise good cooks tremble? Given how undemanding, really, rice is to cook, the mystery that can surround it is hard to fathom. Rice simply asks that you understand its nature. For rice to cook, it must first absorb liquid and then steam, and it can’t really be rushed. The main thing you need to know is how long it takes to cook. For most white rice, that is about 15 minutes of cooking followed by 15 minutes of resting, covered, off the heat. For whole-grain rice, the time is generally double that. Never stir steamed rice as it cooks.

The ritual of preparing a pot of rice should be calming, not fretful, from the initial washing to the final fluffing. Use the following as a template and guide.

Basic Steamed White Rice

Wash rice until the water runs clear.

This method works for nearly any kind of white rice—long-grained jasmine, Carolina, or basmati rice or short-grained Japanese. Choose the right size pot or pan for the job. For 1 to 2 cups rice, use a 2-quart saucepan. Make sure the pan has a tight-fitting lid.

First, wash your rice. This might be shocking for some people. You might think this unnecessary, but it makes for better rice and is common practice throughout Asia. (If using basmati rice, it’s best to soak it first since it is fairly hard-grained. Even 20 minutes of soaking will make a difference, but you can leave the grains to soak for several hours if you wish. In a pinch, though, you’ll still get good rice if you must forgo the soaking.) Wash it thoroughly by covering it with fresh water in a bowl, agitating it with your fingers, and pouring off the cloudy liquid; repeat several times until the rinsing water runs clear, then drain the rice in a sieve. It is ready to cook.

Many cooks advocate a ratio of 2 cups water to 1 cup rice and some call for a ratio of 1½ cups water to 1 cup rice. With thoroughly washed rice, however, I usually find that to be too much, so I recommend the ratio of 1 cup water to 1 cup washed rice.

Put the 1 cup washed rice in a 2-quart saucepan, add 1 cup water and ½ teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately cover the pan and reduce the heat to the barest possible simmer. Set the timer for 15 minutes, and do not lift the lid as it cooks. Then turn off the heat and leave the rice to steam, covered, for 15 minutes. Voilà! Perfect rice. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon ghee or butter, fluff, and serve. Serves 2 to 4

For pleasantly aromatic rice, add 6 cardamom pods, 4 whole cloves, and 6 black peppercorns to the cooking water.

Here’s a method for making perfect rice for a crowd. The advantages are several. The rice can be baked ahead of time and reheated, a boon if your guests have a bad habit of arriving fashionably late. It also liberates stovetop space.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, warm 2 cups milk and 2 tablespoons butter with a good pinch of crumbled saffron and let steep.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Add 2 cups soaked and thoroughly washed basmati rice and boil for 6 minutes (the rice grains will be half-cooked, with a hard center). Immediately drain the rice in a sieve, then transfer it to a 9-by-12-inch baking dish. Ladle the the milk mixture over the rice, cover tightly with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes, then fluff. Or, if not serving immediately, let cool to room temperature; to reheat, cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serves 6 to 8