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Perfect White Rice

I thought I’d start the New Year off with some rice.

My dad would have started off almost every meal with rice, if he could.  He ate it almost every day unless we were having something that didn’t work with rice, like pasta or some other starch based dish.

He used to buy it in 50 pound bags at the Asian market and then put that giant bag in one of those huge plastic buckets with lids that you get at the hardware store.

There was a special little white cup that was forever used as the rice scoop, and that pretty much was the only measurement tool he used when making rice…Perfect White Rice.

A bowl of Perfect White Rice presented on a plate with chopsticks from themerchantbaker.com

Yep, you can make a beautiful pot of Perfect White Rice with no measuring. Well, almost no measuring.  You don’t need any measuring cups or spoons like you do in baking.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the specificity of baking.  It’s therapeutic for me to have to focus completely on measurements and ingredients and proportions.

Cooking is a different type of therapy…it’s more “in the moment,” full of freedom to make decisions along the way, tasting, adjusting, creating.  So making rice without using any measuring cups feels a bit rebellious to my type “A” personality baking nature, but it’s always fun to color outside the lines, isn’t it?

Following the proportions listed on the back of a bag of rice often leaves me with rice that is too wet and sticky.  The whole 2:1 water to rice ratio is too much for the rice I cook.

So I went back to my dad’s method for measuring, and it works for me every time.  This method is for a long grain white rice that is neither a quick rice nor an instant rice.

It’s also for those of you who don’t own a rice cooker and must fend for yourself using your stove and a pot.

A closeup image of a bowl of Perfect White Rice with chopsticks from themerchantbaker.com

I use Carolina White Rice, as my everyday white rice, but use your favorite white rice.  I also suggest that you make a nice big pot of rice regardless of whether you need that much for your meal or recipe.

(Cooked rice stores beautifully, for a short term in the refrigerator or for a longer term in the freezer.  Reheat in the microwave with a splash of water to help create some steam, and you’ll have hot fluffy rice in a flash.)

Let’s get started. There’s just a few steps in the process, and all of them are easy.

Rinsing Perfect White Rice in a strainer from themerchantbaker.com

First you need to rinse the rice.  Place whatever quantity of rice you want to cook into a fine mesh strainer and rinse under running water until it runs clear. This rinses off some of the surface starch and helps reduce stickiness. (I usually cook at least 2-3 cups of rice, so that I get a nice full pot of rice when I’m done.)

Pick the right sized pot for your rice.  If you’re only making a cup or so of rice, use a smaller sauce pan…but, really, don’t make a small pot of rice.

Make more and store the rest. It takes the same amount of time and your leftovers will be ready to go when you are.  I normally use my large sauce pan for about 3 cups of uncooked rice.

(I’m only giving you that measurement as a guide, I really never measure it. I pretty much just pour rice into my strainer until it fills it by half or more.)

Knuckle measurement of water for Perfect White Rice from themerchantbaker.com

Once you’ve rinsed the rice, place it in a sauce pan and cover it with about an inch of water.  An inch is about the length of your middle finger tip to the first joint; some call this using the “The Knuckle Method.”

You simply level out your rice in the cooking pot since adding water can create hills and valleys. I usually just shake the pot a bit or use my hand to level it. Once it is level just place the tip of your finger on top of the rice to see how much water you’ve added.

Add more water, if necessary, or remove some if you’ve added too much.  You don’t have to be exact, just get close to that line on your finger.

I’ve taken a picture to show you what this looks like while the rice is still in the strainer, and then again in the pot as I’m actually measuring the levels, since you can’t really see through the water.  I have my thumb placed right at the line on my finger for reference.

Perfect White Rice boiling in a pot from themerchantbaker.com

Once you have the right level of water, bring your rice to a boil, uncovered, over medium to medium high heat. The picture above is at a full rolling boil over medium heat.

Use the medium levels of heat on your stove.  You might be tempted to crank the heat up to it’s highest level, but let’s let the rice cook a bit more gently here. You want to boil it, not fry it.

This is especially important if you are cooking on an electric stove, since the heat does not change instantaneously as it does with gas burners (see notes section in recipe.)  I’m also using a heavy pot here, which also makes a difference.

Heavy pots maintain temperature better, have more even heating and are less likely to scorch.  Using a thin pot is almost like putting the food directly over the heat.  Lesson?  If you love to cook and you want the best results, invest in the best pots and pans you can afford.

Perfect White Rice simmering in a pot from themerchantbaker.com

Once the water has come down just below the level of the rice and you are seeing bubbles making holes in the surface of the rice, cover the pot tightly and reduce heat to simmer or the lowest setting you have.

Set your timer for 15 minutes. Don’t lift the lid.  When the timer goes off, remove the pot from the heat and let sit, covered for 5 minutes. Don’t lift the lid. 

That’s 20 total minutes that we did not even peek at the rice.  The lid stays on the entire time.  You don’t want any of the steam to escape.

(I probably should have taken a picture of the lid on the pot so that it could be burned into your visual memory, but alas, I did not.  Just remember that once you put the lid on, you will not see your rice again until it’s finished.)

Because you’ve let the water boil down to where it’s just bubbling up through the rice, you should not have any issues with boiling over as you might have, had you covered the pot earlier when the water level was higher.

Therefore, you should be safe to leave your lid alone.  Of course, if by some reason your rice is boiling over, then by all means take the lid off and remove from the heat.

Adjust your heat to bring your water back to a boil and allow more water to evaporate through boiling before you go back to the step where you lower the heat and cover with the lid.  This has never happened to me with this process, but take heed if it does.

A closeup image of Perfect White Rice with finished cooking in a pot themerchantbaker.com

I often leave the rice sitting, covered, for longer than the 5 minutes, usually until I’m done with the rest of meal preparation.  It will stay nice and hot for quite a bit and since it’s not on any heat, you don’t have to worry about burning it.

Once you do lift the lid, you’ll be greeted by a nice hot pot full of perfectly steamed white rice.  It should be fully cooked and tender.  The grains will not be completely separate from each other as you might find with an instant rice.  It will still stick together and yet not be sticky, if that makes sense.

An image of a bowl of Perfect White Rice with chopsticks from themerchantbaker.com

Now just fluff your rice with a fork and serve.

Perfect White Rice…every time.

Perfect White Rice

Perfect White Rice

Perfect White Rice. How to make perfect fluffy white rice with no measuring cups! Using the knuckle method or knuckle measurement.

Ingredients

  • long grain white rice
  • water

Instructions

  1. Place desired quantity of rice into a fine mesh sieve and rinse until water runs clear.
  2. Pour rinsed rice into a heavy bottomed sauce pan and cover with an inch of water. Use the Knuckle Method to measure this by placing the tip of your middle finger gently on top of the rice. The water should reach the line of your first knuckle on the inside of your finger. Make sure the rice is level in the pot when you measure the water.
  3. Bring the pot of rice to a boil over medium to medium high heat.
  4. When the water level has evaporated down to the level of the rice and you just see water bubbles popping up and creating holes in the surface of the rice, cover the pot and turn heat down to simmer, or low. Set timer for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid.
  5. At the end of 15 minutes, remove pot from heat and, keeping pot covered, allow to sit for another 5 minutes.
  6. Fluff with fork and serve.
  7. Rice stores beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer up to 3 months. (See notes)

Notes

*Store rice covered in refrigerator up to 3 days. To reheat, sprinkle a spoonful or so of water over rice, cover and reheat in microwave. The bit of added water will help create steam in the reheating process. Use your judgment on how much you need. If you've reheated and your rice seems a bit dry, add a bit more water and heat long enough to create some steam.

*For longer storage, place cooled rice in a zipped freezer bag, pressing the rice flat and removing all the air. Freeze up to 3 months. I don't like to reheat in plastic, so I usually just heat the bag briefly in the microwave until I can break it up. I then transfer the rice to a bowl, sprinkle with a spoonful of water, cover and reheat in the microwave. It comes out hot, steamy and fluffy as if you've just made it.

*If you have an electric stove that stays at a higher heat level for an extended period of time even when turned down to low, you may have an issue with this process and you could risk burning the rice. In this case, you may have to experiment with turning the heat down to a simmer right after you've reached the boiling stage so that the burner has time to reduce its heat. Continue boiling until the water reaches the stage where it's creating those bubble holes in the surface of the rice. Cover and proceed as directed in recipe. Update 7-19-15: I recently spent time in a cabin that had an electric stove. I was worried I might burn the rice, but using the tips mentioned here in the notes, I had no issues. So, even on an electric stove, I ended up with another pot of Perfect White Rice :)

The Merchant Baker © Copyright 2015

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Susan

Wednesday 21st of April 2021

For perfect rice, yes to pre rinsing the rice. Cook the rice in boiling water 10-16 minutes depending on how tender you prefer your rice. I use the pasta method when cooking rice. Boil your rice in a large pot filled very full of water. When the rice is cooked, carefully strain out the water, return the rice to the pot, season if desired and fluff before serving. You will never burn your rice from to little water! You have more control over cooking time.

Ramona

Wednesday 21st of April 2021

Thanks for sharing your process, Susan. While I love my white rice method, I do use the pasta method for my Perfectly Fluffy Brown Rice. It works great!

Erin

Wednesday 16th of January 2019

I have NEVER successfully made white rice that was even close to restaurant standards. In fact I cook rice much less frequently than I'd like because I am always disappointed. I decided I had nothing to lose and skeptically gave this completely unconventional (by my "measure everything" standards) method a try, and boom - perfect rice on the first go! My mind is blown - thank you!

Ramona

Friday 18th of January 2019

Erin, this was fun feedback to read. My dad always made perfect rice this way. I love that it worked like magic for you. Now...if you also like brown rice and have failed miserably as I have, you've got to check out that post. It's another mind blowing process. Armed with these two easy processes, I always have perfect rice ready to go :)

Sally

Wednesday 25th of July 2018

I've been making my rice like this for years now. I had a Chinese friend who taught me this method. It is hands down the best way to cook rice and I only use Thai jasmine rice. I don't rinse it first since Thai jasmine has no arsenic.

Ramona

Wednesday 25th of July 2018

I haven't tried this method with Thai jasmine rice. I definitely need to get that on my list! Thanks, Sally!

Sheila

Sunday 22nd of April 2018

I have been using your recipe for a while now and love it! Does it work with Jasmine rice?

Ramona

Monday 23rd of April 2018

Sheila, my apologies for any confusion...I thought this comment was on my brown rice post. Yes, it should work fine with this recipe. You are in the right place!

Ramona

Sunday 22nd of April 2018

Hi Sheila, I've never tried it with jasmine rice. I only use this method for brown rice. For regular long grain white rice, I use a completely different method. Check out my perfect white rice method for that type of rice.

Cheryl

Tuesday 25th of July 2017

Will this method work for long grain Basmati rice?

Picdriver

Wednesday 17th of February 2021

This is brilliant..firm fluffy rice & not the wet stodgy rice I used to make...ie..boil it in loads of water..then drain the water away....It's also given me the best fried rice I've ever made! Used chilled the next day..& it doesn't turn to mush amymore. (Got to add a small amount of msg of course to get close to that takeaway taste). Keep coming back here as I keep forgetting timings etc!

Ramona

Tuesday 25th of July 2017

Sorry, Cheryl, this is not the best process for cooking Basmati. I don't cook Basmati often, but the last time I did, I used this process and I remember it working well for me.

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