How to Cook Basmati Rice Without a Rice Cooker

March 19, 2015

The art of cooking perfect Basmati rice has alluded cooks for centuries.  Every country, every family, every restaurant has their own preferred method and depending on your roots, your technique will be drastically different from your neighbor.

These days, home cooks have resorted to rice cooker to produce soft fluffy rice.  In my opinion, the easiest way to cook rice is on the stovetop using the ratio method.  In other words, for every cup of uncooked rice, you will need two cups of water.  I like to rinse the rice under cold water to remove the excess starch so that the grains do not stick together when cooking. Also, it is important to season the rice with salt before it is cooked, as you would with pasta. This allows the rice grains to absorb the salt.  If you keep these tips in mind, you will have bowls upon bowls of wonderfully fluffy Basmati rice.

In the video below, Jamie Oliver demonstrates the ratio technique as well as other ways you can flavor your Basmati rice.
 

 

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