Perfect Rice
Few things go better with just about everything than a steaming bowl of white basmati rice. Recipe from Cook This Book by Molly Baz.
Ingredients
1 cup long- or short-grain white rice
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Method
1. Rinse the rice:
Place 1 cup white rice in a fine-mesh strainer and set it under cold running water. Using your hands, swoosh the rice around in a circular motion while the water runs through it, until the water runs clear. This could take up to 2 full minutes, no joke. Don’t skimp!
2. Steam the rice:
Shake the strainer to allow the excess water to drain off the rice. Place the rice in a medium (3-quart) saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid (this is also crucial, as the lid must trap in the steam to cook the rice properly). Stir in 1¼ cups cold water and ½ teaspoon salt.
Set the rice over medium-high heat. Don’t walk away just yet; stay nearby. As soon as the water comes to a boil, cover the pot with the lid and reduce the heat to very low. Set a timer for 16 minutes.
After 16 minutes, remove the pot from the heat (still covered!) and let the rice steam, covered, for at least 10 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff that fluffy rice with a fork before serving.
3. Mix it up:
Mix in any of the following to jazz it up: cilantro and lime juice; parsley and/or dill with toasted pine nuts; or scallion and peanuts. Enjoy!