Boiled Rice

Boiling rice ought to be quick, simple and foolproof. Like cooking potatoes only much easier.

The truth is it can be. You don't need to spend money on an expensive cooker, and you don't need to carefully measure your ingredients. All you need to do is this:

Allow 1/2 a cup of rice* for each person.

In a pot large enough to allow a colander or sieve to hang inside it, bring plenty of salted water to the boil, tip in the rice, stir once, partially cover and leave to simmer for exactly 15 minutes without disturbing.

Drain the cooked rice into a colander or large sieve. Rinse the rice under running water and allow 5cm (2 inches) of that water to fall into the pan. Balance the colander on the rim so that you have a sort of steamer and put the lid of the pan over the rice. Use a plate if you don't have a lid.

Return the pan to a medium heat and leave it there while you get on with the rest of the meal. The steam created will reheat the rice, keep it light and fluffy and remove any excess starch clinging to the grains. You can leave it like that for half an hour or more, until you are ready to serve it.

*For best results use jasmine or basmati rice.

To see a short video of this method, click on the arrow in the window below