Following is a simple guide to getting perfect rice every time.

Step 1 - Wash or rinse the rice

The surface of rice is covered with starch, when when wet acts as a glue. If you find that your cooked rice sticks together in clumps, it is due to this starch. To avoid this, simply rinse or wash the rice in cool water before cooking:

• You can put the rice in a fine strainer and thoroughly rinse it under the cold water tap for a minute, preferably stirring the rice with your hand or with a spoon so that all the rice is rinsed.
• Another method is to put the rice in the cooking pot with water (the amount of water should be at least double the amount of rice). Swirl the rice in the water with your hand or a wooden spoon for half a minute. You will see that after a few seconds the water goes cloudy; this is due to the starch being washed off the rice. Drain the water, then add fresh water and swirl the rice in the water again. You will see that the water still goes cloudy but not as much as before.  Drain off the cloudy water and move to step 2.

Some nutritionists advise against washing rice, because the outside of the rice is high in nutrients which are lost when the rice is washed. Although unwashed rice is higher in nutrients, most people do not enjoy clumped rice, so it is a matter of individual choice as to which is most important.

Although westerners generally prefer their rice unclumped, it is the reverse in Asian countries. This is related to the fact that Asian cuisine is eaten with chopsticks, which work best with clumped rice. Consequently, when cooking Asian cuisine or for Asian guests, it may be more appropriate not to wash the rice.

One should also be aware that the rice varieties eaten by Asians are much more likely to stick and clump than the rice varieties intended for western consumers. Consequently, if you buy rice in a speciality Asian shop, or in the Asian section of a supermarket, it will stick together much more. If you do not want your rice to clump, avoid these varieties of rice. In general, use long-grain rice (a variety that does not clump, if washed) rather than short-grain rice (varieties that are prone to clumping). If the package does not indicate if the rice is long-grain or short-grain, you can tell by looking at the rice (long-grain is thin, short-grain is shorter and thicker).

Step 2 - Boil

Once you have washed the rice, there are 3 different approaches to cooking the rice:

• Use a rice cooker.
• Put the rice in a pot and add double the amount of water (e.g. if you have 1 cup of rice, add 2 cups of water). Bring the water to a boil and then simmer until all the water has been absorbed.
• Put the rice in a pot and add at least triple the amount of water (e.g. if you have 1 cup of rice, add at least 3 cups of water). Bring the water to a boil, simmer for the required cooking time, then pour the rice and water into a fine sieve to drain off the water.

Rice cookers are great machines. You simply add the rice and water and leave it to the machine to do the rest. Provided you have washed the rice and added the specified amount of water, they cook perfect rice (neither over-cooked or under-cooked). If your meal is delayed, they can keep the rice warm and in good condition for up to an hour, something which is very difficult with other cooking methods. However, they are specialised machines (all they do is cook rice) so unless you use them often, you may not want to invest the money and kitchen space for one. Also, they are more work to clean than a standard pot, so I usually only use them if cooking a large quantity of rice.

In terms of cooking rice in a pot, some people prefer the first method (add the exact amount of water, then simmer) and some people prefer the second method (add extra water, then drain). Both methods work, but I find that for beginner cooks the second method is simplier, so this is the one we will discuss here:

• Put the rice into a pot. Add at least 3 times as much water as rice.
• Put the pot on the stove, on high heat. Stir the rice with a wooden spoon, moving it along the bottom to prevent rice grains from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Leave on high heat until the water starts to boil.
• Once the water starts to boil, reduce the heat so that the water is simmering (very gentle boil) rather than a rapid boil. Do not allow the water to be on a high boil, as this tends to result in the rice going mushy.
• Depending on the type of rice, it will need to simmer for between 5 minutes and 20 minutes. Check the package to see how long the rice requires.
• Shortly before the rice has boiled for the specified time, use a spoon or fork to remove a couple of grains. Carefully bite them between your front teeth to check if the rice feels done or not. If it does, go to the next step. If the rice is still too hard, then wait a bit and repeat the test.
• Once the rice is done, pour the rice and water into a fine-mesh seive to let the water drain off.

If the rest of the meal is ready, you can now serve the rice. However, if the meal is not ready to be served yet, simply put the drained rice back into the pot and cover with a lid to keep it warm until it is ready to be served.

Cooking Time:

The amount of cooking time required depends on the variety of rice, so you need to check the rice container.

Cooking time also varies depending on individual preference. Some people prefer their rice with just a bit of crunch in the centre, while others like their rice completely soft. Depending on your preference, you will want to cook for slightly less or slightly more than the specified time.