The easiest way to cook perfect rice

Not that many people in the Netherlands have a rice cooker, and to be honest, I understand that. It is a whole appliance that takes up a lot of valuable space for something that only ‘does’ one thing. If I had a huge kitchen and the storage space to match, I’d buy one immediately, but as long as that’s not the case, the question remains: what is the best and easiest way to cook rice?

A bowl of perfectly steamed, fluffy rice makes us incredibly happy. The ideal base for a whole host of Asian dishes, but also indispensable in Mexican cuisine, or fried the next day as leftovers with an egg (or two) and whatever spice blend you like. Most people swear by the one-finger-joint water method (in a pan over low heat), but there are several ways to make incredibly tasty cooked rice. Of the options below, what do you think is the best and easiest way?

In a pan on the stovetop

Not difficult, although a novice home cook may need to get the hang of preventing the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. I cook rice (after rinsing it in a sieve) using a ratio of 1 part rice to 2 parts water. After bringing it to a boil, I let it cook dry over the lowest possible heat, with the lid on the pan, for about fifteen minutes, adding a pinch of salt—or sometimes a quarter of a stock cube if I’m making a Mediterranean meal. Once all the water has been absorbed and the heat is turned off, I leave it covered for another ten minutes after fluffing it with a fork.

In the microwave

For this method, you also use a ratio of 1:2 rice to water. Put the rice and water in a medium-sized glass mixing bowl (and try adding a knob of butter). Set the microwave to its highest setting, with the timer set for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, stir with a wooden spatula and cook for another 5 minutes on the highest setting. Fluff with a fork, and you’re done. Super easy, and the texture is incredibly fluffy!

In the Instant Pot

Unsurprisingly, this is by far the easiest method. And indeed, an Instant Pot isn’t necessarily smaller than a rice cooker, but at least you can do more with it (did someone say super-fast rendang?). For 1 cup of rice, add 1 1/4 cups of water to the Instant Pot, seal it and set the ‘Pressure Cook’ timer to 5 minutes. Once it beeps, let the rice stand for another 10 minutes before releasing the steam and then opening the lid. Deliciously soft rice, exactly sticky enough and prepared with the least effort possible. And that’s why it’s the winner on this list!

Also read:

• Can you ever: eat rice cakes in public?
• Make your rice extra crispy
• 7 things to do with your leftover rice