Easy Guide on How to Cook Rice

Last updated on September 23rd, 2024 at 11:57 am

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This is an easy guide on how to cook rice.

Rice is a staple food in the Philippines. Learning how to cook them is one of the most basic skills taught in Filipino households. It is consumed at every meal, paired with any meat, seafood, or vegetable.

Cooking rice is one of the things taught to any Filipino kid at a very young age. The elders always say, “If you know how to cook rice, you will survive.”

What Tools to Use on How to Cook Rice

Back in the day, a rice cooker was considered a luxury. I learned to cook it on wood, charcoal, and gas stove, before eventually having an actual rice cooker.

We have it so good nowadays because most of the electric cookers have a rice setting, that all you have to do is click and walk away. I love this basic rice cooker, but now, more tools are available with different options and features.

But even with our current technology, nothing beats revisiting the basics, so when things go haywire, say, a power outage, you can still cook rice without trouble.

The Kind of Rice to Use

Today we are using the humble long-grain rice. You can find it at your local grocery store, or if you’re particular you can also find Asian brands at your nearest Asian Market. Here are the steps to cook the perfect batch of rice every single time. If you’re a visual learner, I also attached some short videos I made a while back.

Instructions on How to Cook Rice

• Measure and scoop up the rice from the container – Please remember how much you put in. You can use whatever measuring cup you have on hand, preferably a US 3/4 cup.
• Wash your rice by gently swishing it, going through the grains with your fingers, then carefully tilting the pot to discard the water. You need to support the tilting part of the pot with your hands to keep the rice from pouring out. Repeat this process at least 2-3 times, or until the water turns clear.
• The cloudy part of the rice wash contains excess starch and maybe a few pieces of debris from processing, like rice hull fibers that got away. These will usually float.
• After 2-3 washes, level the rice in your pot and pour in new water until it reaches your finger’s first knuckle/line. (see the video for reference).
• Alternatively, add the water to the rice you have washed in a 1:2 ratio. (1 cup rice= 2 cups of water)

Instructions on How to Cook Rice Using a Rice Cooker/ Instant Pot:

• A basic rice cooker will only have one button to click and two light options that show: “cook” and “keep warm”. Clicking the button will start the cooking process. It will turn off automatically when the rice is cooked, a.k.a. switching it to the ‘keep warm’ setting.
• If you’re using a rice cooker or an instant pot, set it on its rice setting. You’ll have cooked rice in about 20 minutes.

Instructions on How to Cook Rice on a stovetop:

• If you’re cooking it on a stove, put the lid on and bring it to a boil.
• Once it boils, mix it up, then turn down the heat to the lowest setting.
• Cover it slightly ajar for the steam to come out, 15 minutes. But do NOT open it! Be patient.
• After 25 minutes, close the lid, turn off the stove, and let it sit for at least 5 more minutes. This will help the rice continue to cook evenly with its residual heat.

I hope this instruction list helps you to make the perfect rice for your everyday meals!