Why rice is not fluffy: mistakes and a recipe for the perfect side dish

When it comes to creating culinary masterpieces such as pilaf, sushi, or risotto, perfectly cooked rice is the key. Poorly cooked rice can ruin the whole dish by making it too hard, sticky, or burnt. Unfortunately, after a few unsuccessful attempts, many home cooks may perceive this side dish as a difficult ingredient and avoid cooking it for fear of failure.

SSPDaily tells you that cooking rice is not as difficult as it may seem. Like any other cereal, it only requires an understanding of a few important nuances to achieve the desired result.

The key to fluffy rice

Start by choosing the right type of grain for your dish. Different varieties of rice contain different amounts of starch, which leads to their different properties.

For pilaf, it is recommended to choose long-grain rice such as jasmine, basmati, or indica, as it tends to produce a consistently crumbly result, even for beginners. If you're making sushi, choose round rice varieties such as akita komachi, which is high in starch. For risotto, viallone, baldo, or arborio rice is best.

But for those who are just starting to cook and find it cumbersome to search for specific varieties of rice, remember this rule: long-grain rice is cooked crumbly, while round rice is not. So, for pilaf, use only long-grain rice, and for dishes that require the rice to retain its shape, such as sushi, risotto, or pudding, use round-grain rice.

Another important aspect of cooking rice is to rinse it thoroughly. If you want fluffy rice, it is very important to rinse the grains before cooking. Rinse the rice in cold water 5-7 times, following this ideal pattern:

1. Put the required amount of rice in a large bowl.

2. Pour cold water over the rice, stirring gently. This step will cause the water to become cloudy due to the starch on the surface of the grains.

3. Drain off the cloudy water, being careful to retain the rinsed rice.

4. Repeat the process of pouring fresh cold water over the rice, stirring and draining, until the water is clear after each rinse.

Cooking technique

Always cook rice with the lid tightly closed over lowest heat. It is important to never cook rice until it is fully cooked. The rice grains continue to cook even after the heat is turned off, so overcooking will result in excess liquid being absorbed and possibly burning.

For a side dish or salad, cook the rice only until al dente (firm when bitten). After the rice has boiled, reduce the heat to low and let the grains simmer for 5-7 minutes before turning off the heat.

Even if you didn't calculate the proportions and added too much rice, turning off the heat quickly can save the dish. The residual heat allows the grains to continue cooking without burning.

A common mistake many home cooks make is to neglect the correct proportions and cooking technique, which leads to difficulties in achieving the desired crumbliness of the rice. The solution is simple - avoid long cooking times and let the temperature do its work once the rice is cooked.

Determining the proportions

If you're not sure of the recommended water-to-cereal ratio for puffed rice, a general rule of thumb is to use a 1:3 ratio. This means that for every cup of rice, you need three cups of water.

However, it is important to keep in mind that the proportions may vary depending on the specific dish you are preparing. For risotto, the ratio of rice to liquid is usually 1:4, while for sushi it can be from 1:2 to 1:1, depending on the desired texture and cooking method.

Before cooking rice, you can easily calculate the proportions using a regular glass or tablespoons. Keep in mind that rice triples in volume when cooked, so avoid cooking too much rice, especially if you are not sure if the cooking process is perfect.

Recommended cookware for cooking rice

Rice can be cooked in a variety of ways and in a variety of cookware, including stovetop, oven, or slow cooker. Although professional chefs consider double-bottomed cookware ideal for cooking rice, it is not always available in every home kitchen.

In such cases, use a pot, skillet, ceramic pots, or any heat-resistant cookware you have on hand. Cast iron cookware is especially good because it retains heat well.

Calculating cooking times for pots and multicookers

Do you want to know how to cook fluffy rice in a slow cooker? There's nothing easier than that - just select the Pilaf or Rice mode depending on the model of your slow cooker.

When cooking on the stove in a pot, keep in mind that the rice should come to a boil and cook for at least 10 minutes, depending on the dish you choose. Overcooking after 20-30 minutes after boiling will result in a boiled rice rather than a crumbly rice.